Peter Haymond, consul general of the US, at the consulate's library in Chengdu. Huang Zhiling/China Daily

People meeting Peter Haymond for the first time are often impressed by his Chinese name, Mengde, a moniker that hints at his deep understanding of Chinese culture.

Mengde was another name of Cao Cao (AD 155-220), a hero from the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280) and a historical figure well-known to every Chinese.

Haymond first read the English version of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic Chinese novel from the period, while he was studying Chinese in the United States in 2002.

He loved the novel so much that, the first time he visited Chengdu in 2004, he left the airport and went directly to the Temple of Marquis Wu. The temple is dedicated to Zhuge Liang, prime minister of the Shu Kingdom, and the personification of wisdom in China.

In September 2011, Haymond started working as the US consul general in Chengdu, Sichuan province, a role he holds to this day.

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