Page 147 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 140
There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are
injurious. Friendship with the upright; friendship with the sincere; and
friendship with the man of much observation – these are advantageous.
Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly
soft; and friendship with the glibtongued – these are injurious. (Book
XVI, ch. IV) (tr. Legge)

There is a clear reference to this passage in a poem by Su Dong-po (1036–1101) in
which he speaks of the pine and the bamboo as the three (sic) friends who are
advantageous: probably ‘the three friends’ were so well-known in the eleventh century
that the third could be readily omitted for metrical reasons.

Above: Bamboos, pine-trees and plumtrees

Below: Pine-trees and bamboos