The courtyard in front of the gate was as busy as a market.(門庭若市)
During the Warring States period in China, there was a man called Zou Ji in the Kingdom of Qi. His story is recorded in history books.
He was a very wise man and had a good relationship with the king. He often used storytelling to admonish the king.
One day he said to the king
There are two famous handsome men among the officials of the central government, one is me and the other is (Xu Gong).
Who do you think is more handsome?
The king smiled and replied after hearing the question.
I think Xu Gong is more handsome than you.
Why are you asking this question all of a sudden?
He said to the king with a smile.
I have asked this question to my wife, my family and my friends, and everyone I have asked has said that I am more handsome than Xu Gong.
I also think that (Xu Gong) is more handsome than me, but why do my wife, family and friends all think that I am more handsome than Xu Gong?
I think it is an interesting question.
After thinking about it, I got some inspiration.
He paused and then continued.
My wife, family and friends didn't tell me the truth because they favoured me, feared me or wanted something from me.
I see a similar situation happening to you.
The king's expression turned serious when he heard his words.
Zou Ji continued.
You are the king, and everyone around you is like my wife, friends and family.
Everyone around you will favour you, fear you, and want something from you.
Most of the people around you will agree with your ideas and most of the people around you will say what you want to hear.
I think this is a dangerous situation. It will prevent you from hearing some objective opinions, which in turn will influence you to make wrong decisions.
After listening to Zou Ji's words, the king nodded to show that he agreed very much.
The king said
I think what you have said makes a lot of sense, and I should take some measures to prevent myself from being deceived.
A few hours later, the king immediately formulated and issued an order.
The content of this order is as follows
I'm offering a bounty to anyone who can tell me what I've done wrong.
If anyone can tell me in person, in writing, or through someone else what I should correct, then I will give that person a bonus.
After this order was issued, many people sent their suggestions and criticisms to the king in these three ways.
There were so many people who made suggestions and criticisms that they gathered in the courtyard in front of the palace gate, and the courtyard in front of the palace gate became as crowded and noisy as a marketplace.
The king humbly accepted these criticisms and corrected them immediately. After a few months, the king made fewer and fewer mistakes, and as a result, there were fewer and fewer people who could point out the king's mistakes.
The national strength of the Qi Kingdom grew under the leadership of this humble king.
The literal translation of this idiom is that the courtyard in front of the gate is as lively as a market.
It is used to describe a large number of people, like a busy market with a crowd of people.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?
Do you have the courage to accept others pointing out your shortcomings like a king? Can you persuade others to change their behaviour in a wise way?
I hope this story can give you some new insights.
在中國的戰國時代，齊王國有一個名字叫做鄒忌，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
他是一個很有智慧的人，他跟國王的關係很好，他常常會用說故事的方式去勸誡國王。
有一天他對國王說。
中央政府的官員中有兩個著名的美男子，一個是我、另一個是(徐工)。
你覺得我們兩個人誰長得比較帥。
國王聽了這問題後笑著回答。
我覺得徐公長得比你更帥。
你為何會突然問這個問題呢?
他笑著對國王說。
這個問題我也問過我的妻子、我的家人和我的朋友，我問的這些人都說我長得比徐公帥。
我自己內心也認為(徐公)比我英俊，但是為何我的妻子與家人和朋友卻都認為我長得比徐公帥呢?
我覺得這是一個有趣的問題。
經過思考後，我得到了一些啟發。
他停頓了一下接著說。
我的妻子、家人與朋友、因為他們偏愛我、或是畏懼我、或是想從我身上獲得好處，所以他們沒有告訴我真話。
我發現類似的情況也正發生在你身上。
國王聽到他的這些話後表情變得認真。
鄒忌繼續表達他的看法。
你是國王，你身邊的每個人就像我的妻子與朋友與家人一樣。
你身邊的每個人會偏愛你與畏懼你與想從你的身上獲得一些好處。
你身邊的每個人大都會順從你的想法，你身邊的每一的人大都會說一些你喜歡聽的話。
我認為這個情況是危險的，這個情況會讓你聽不到一些客觀的意見，進而影響你做出錯誤的決定。
國王聽完鄒忌的這些話後點頭表示自己非常認同。
國王說。
我認為你的話非常有道理，我應該採取一些行動讓我自己不要陷入這種被蒙蔽的情況。
幾個小時候，國王立刻制定並且頒布了一道命令。
這道命令的內容如下。
我會發獎金給任何可以指出我的錯誤的人。
如果有人可以當面或是書面或是透過其他人告訴我、我有那些應該改正的地方，那麼我就會發獎金給這個人。
這條命令頒布之後，很多人便透過這三種方式向國王提出他們的建議與批評。
這些提出建議與批評的人太多，這些人聚集在皇宮的大門前的庭院上導致皇宮大門前的庭院上變得如同舉辦市集一樣的擁擠與吵鬧。
國王虛心地接受這些批評並且立刻改正，幾個月後，國王犯的錯誤愈來愈少因此可以提出國王的錯誤的人也愈來愈少。
齊王國的國力在這位謙虛的國王的帶領下也變得愈來愈強大。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是大門前的庭院上就如同舉辦市集一樣的熱鬧。
這句成語被用來形容人非常多，像是一個熱鬧的市集裡面有著擁擠人群。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你能像是國王，有勇氣接受別人指出你的缺點的嗎?你能夠用聰明的方式去勸戒別人改變自已的行為嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為戰國策-齊策1-鄒忌脩八尺有餘
https://ctext.org/zhan-guo-ce/qi-yi/zh