絕纓
See also: 绝缨
Chinese
cut short; extinct; to disappear cut short; extinct; to disappear; to vanish; absolutely; by no means |
tassel of hat | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| trad. (絕纓) | 絕 | 纓 | |
| simp. (绝缨) | 绝 | 缨 | |
| Literally: “to yank off the cord for one's headpiece”. | |||
Etymology
- 楚莊王賜群臣酒，日暮酒酣，燈燭滅，乃有人引美人之衣者，美人援絕其冠纓，告王曰：「今者燭滅，有引妾衣者，妾援得其冠纓持之，趣火來上，視絕纓者。」王曰：「賜人酒，使醉失禮，奈何欲顯婦人之節而辱士乎？」乃命左右曰：「今日與寡人飲，不絕冠纓者不懽。」群臣百有餘人皆絕去其冠纓而上火，卒盡懽而罷。居三年，晉與楚戰，有一臣常在前，五合五奮，首卻敵，卒得勝之，莊王怪而問曰：「寡人德薄，又未嘗異子，子何故出死不疑如是？」對曰：「臣當死，往者醉失禮，王隱忍不加誅也；臣終不敢以蔭蔽之德而不顯報王也，常願肝腦塗地，用頸血湔敵久矣，臣乃夜絕纓者。」遂敗晉軍，楚得以強，此有陰德者必有陽報也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: c. 77 B.C.E., 劉向 (Liu Xiang), 《說苑》 (Garden of Stories), chapter 6
- Chǔ Zhuāngwáng cì qúnchén jiǔ, rìmù jiǔhān, dēngzhú miè, nǎi yǒurén yǐn měirén zhī yī zhě, měirén yuán jué qí guānyīng, gào wáng yuē: “Jīn zhě zhú miè, yǒu yǐn qiè yī zhě, qiè yuán dé qí guānyīng chí zhī, qù huǒ lái shàng, shì juéyīng zhě.” Wáng yuē: “Cì rén jiǔ, shǐ zuì shīlǐ, nàihé yù xiǎn fùrén zhī jié ér rǔ shì hū?” Nǎi mìng zuǒyòu yuē: “Jīnrì yǔ guǎrén yǐn, bù jué guānyīng zhě bù huān.” Qúnchén bǎi yǒuyú rén jiē jué qù qí guānyīng ér shànghuǒ, zú jìn huān ér bà. Jū sān nián, Jìn yǔ Chǔ zhàn, yǒu yī chén cháng zài qián, wǔ hé wǔ fèn, shǒu quèdí, zú déshèng zhī, Zhuāngwáng guài ér wèn yuē: “Guǎrén débó, yòu wèicháng yì zǐ, zǐ hégù chūsǐ bù yí rúshì?” Duì yuē: “Chén dāng sǐ, wǎngzhě zuì shīlǐ, wáng yǐnrěn bù jiā zhū yě; chén zhōng bùgǎn yǐ yīnbì zhī dé ér bùxiǎn bào wáng yě, cháng yuàn gānnǎotúdì, yòng jǐng xuè jiān dí jiǔ yǐ, chén nǎi yè juéyīng zhě.” Suì bài Jìn jūn, Chǔ déyǐ qiáng, cǐ yǒu yīndé zhě bì yǒu yángbào yě. [Pinyin]
- King Zhuang of Chu threw a banquet for a bunch of his ministers. As nightfall approached, many of them became tipsy. At one point, the candles blew out, and someone took advantage of the darkness to grab at the queen's garments. The queen caught hold of the cord which held the person's headpiece in place, yanked it off, then said to the king, "After the candles blew out, someone grabbed at my clothes. I yanked off the cord which holds his headpiece in place. Bring over a candle so that I can see who is missing a cord for their headpiece." The king said, "I have offered wine to these men, causing them to get tipsy and forget their manners. How can I, in good conscience, humiliate one of these gentlemen, just so that I can demonstrate the virtue of my wife?" With that, he instructed his attendents, saying, "For all of those who are now drinking with me, anyone who doesn't remove the cord holding their headpiece will bring me displeasure." After more than 100 ministers removed the cords which held their headpieces in place, all of the candles were relit. All of the king's subjects were happy, and that was the end of it. Three years later, Jin made war with Chu. One of the king's ministers was constantly in the front ranks. He fought in five bouts, defeating the enemy, and causing them to retreat in each case. King Zhuang thought it strange, and asked him, "I am not a particularly virtuous person, nor have I granted you any special favors. Why would you fight like this, as if your life depended on it?" The man responded, "I should have been put to death. In the past, I got drunk and forgot my manners. Your Majesty showed restraint and did not put me to death. I would never dare not overtly repay Your Majesty's covert kindness. I would rather put my life on the line and drown the enemy in my own blood, for I am the one whose headpiece cord was yanked off on that night." The Jin army was subsequently defeated, and Chu became stronger. This goes to show that covert kindnesses have overt rewards.
楚庄王赐群臣酒，日暮酒酣，灯烛灭，乃有人引美人之衣者，美人援绝其冠缨，告王曰：「今者烛灭，有引妾衣者，妾援得其冠缨持之，趣火来上，视绝缨者。」王曰：「赐人酒，使醉失礼，奈何欲显妇人之节而辱士乎？」乃命左右曰：「今日与寡人饮，不绝冠缨者不欢。」群臣百有余人皆绝去其冠缨而上火，卒尽欢而罢。居三年，晋与楚战，有一臣常在前，五合五奋，首却敌，卒得胜之，庄王怪而问曰：「寡人德薄，又未尝异子，子何故出死不疑如是？」对曰：「臣当死，往者醉失礼，王隐忍不加诛也；臣终不敢以荫蔽之德而不显报王也，常愿肝脑涂地，用颈血湔敌久矣，臣乃夜绝缨者。」遂败晋军，楚得以强，此有阴德者必有阳报也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Pronunciation
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