Wang Zun waved his whip to speed up the
horse he was riding(王尊叱馭)
There was a famous minister in the Western
Han Dynasty of China. His name was Wang Zun. There is a story about him
recorded in history books.
Wang Zun has a very high moral level and is
a very upright person. He was once appointed governor of (An Ding) State.
After he took office, he took great care in
running the place.
He arrested many officials for corruption
and abuse of power. He used the strictest laws to try these officials, and all
of them were sentenced to death.
Under his rule, the political atmosphere in
the state became increasingly clean.
But because his management style did not
conform to the mainstream management style of the time, some ministers
complained to the king.
Wang Zun's management style is too harsh,
and we think his behaviour shows that he is not a kind and caring person.
After listening to what the ministers said,
the king agreed with them.
So the king ordered Wang Zun to be removed
from office.
Wang Zun returned helplessly to his
hometown.
A few months after Wang Zun returned to his
hometown, some of the ministers said to the king. .
Those corrupt officials should have
received the harshest punishment. Wang Zun showed his integrity by killing
them. Wang Zun is a man who is loyal to his position, and we believe he should
be reinstated.
After hearing what these ministers had to
say, the king reconsidered his previous decision. He agreed with the ministers'
views.
So the king ordered Wang Zun to be
reinstated, and the king ordered Wang Zun to serve as governor of what is now
Sichuan Province in China.
Sichuan Province is in the south-west of
China. The entire province is surrounded by many high mountains, forming a
basin of 160,000 square kilometres in the centre.
To enter Sichuan Province, you have to
cross high mountains and deep valleys. The road is very dangerous.
On his way to Sichuan Province to take
office, Wang Zun would pass through a place called Jiuzhepo, near what is now
Yingjing County, Sichuan.
The terrain at this place is very
dangerous, with nine large narrow bends on a very steep mountain road.
Wang Zun looked at the dangerous road ahead
of him with no fear in his heart. He said to the family members who were
following him
I heard that a few years ago a minister
called Wang Ji from the Western Han Dynasty said to his family at this place.
The road ahead of me is too dangerous. My
parents have given me such a precious body. I should not risk my life on such a
dangerous mountain road.
Today, I am standing in the same place
where Wang Ji once stood, but my thoughts are completely different from his.
The king trusted me and asked me to serve
as governor of this place in Sichuan province. This position is a great
challenge for me, but I am confident that I can rise to it.
Although this mountain road is steep, I
don't think it's dangerous.
I will not be defeated by any difficulties.
Having said these words, he waved his whip
and made the horse he was riding speed up the steep mountain road.
The literal translation of this idiom is
that Wang Zun waved his whip to make the horse he was riding go faster.
This idiom is used to describe a person who
is not afraid of hardship and danger. This person is determined to fulfil his
position.
Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
If you were a king, would you correct your
wrong decision? Have you ever been misunderstood by others because of your
integrity?
I hope this story has given you some new
insights.
王尊叱馭(Wang Zun waved his whip to speed up
the horse he was riding)
中國的西漢王朝有一個著名的大臣，他的名字叫做王尊，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
王尊的道德水平很高，他是一個很正直的人。他曾經被派任到(安定)州擔任州長。
當他就職之後，他很用心去管理這個地方。
他抓捕了很多貪污與濫用行政權力的官員，他用最嚴格的法律去審判這些官員，這些官員都被判處死刑。
在他的治理下(安定)州的政治風氣愈來愈清廉。
但是因為他的管理方式與當時的主流管理方式不符，所以有些大臣們便對國王說。
王尊的管理方式太過嚴苛，我們認為他的行為表現出他不是一個仁慈有愛心的人。
國王聽了這些大臣的話後，也認同這些大臣的看法。
所以國王下令將王尊免職。
王尊很無奈地回到自己的家鄉。
王尊回到他的家鄉幾個月後，有一些大臣對國王說。。
那些貪汙的官員本來就應該要接受最嚴厲的懲罰，王尊殺了這些官員顯示出他的正直。王尊是一個忠於自己的職位的人，我們認為應該要讓他復職。
國王聽了這些大臣的話後就重新思考自己之前的決策，他認同這些大臣的看法。
所以國王下令讓王尊復職，國王命令王尊到現在中國的四川省擔任省長。
四川省是位於中國的西南地區，整個省被許多高山所包圍，中央形成一個具有16萬平方公里的盆地地形。
要進入四川省要穿越很高的山脈與很深的河谷，這條道路非常的危險。
王尊在前往四川省就任的途中，他會經過現在四川滎經縣附近的一個名字叫做九折坡的地方。
這個地方的地勢非常的危險，一條非常陡峭的山路上有九個很大的狹窄彎道。
王尊看著他眼前這條如此危險的道路，他的心中沒有絲毫的恐懼，他對跟隨在他身邊的家人們說。
我聽說幾年前，西漢王朝一個名字叫做王吉的大臣，他曾經在這個地方對他的家人說。
我眼前的這條路太危險了，我的父母给了我如此寶貴的身體，我不應該冒著生命危險走這一條如此險峻的山路。
我今天也站在王吉曾經站過的這個地方，但我的想法跟他完全不一樣。
國王信任我，國王讓我擔任四川省這的地方的省長，這個職位對我而言是很大的一個挑戰，但我有信心去面對。
這一條山路雖然險峻但我不覺得危險。
我不會被任何的困難所打倒。
他說完這些話後他就揮動馬鞭，他驅趕他騎著的馬加速走向這條險峻的山路。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是王尊揮動馬鞭驅趕自己騎著的馬加速前進。
這句成語被用來形容一個人不懼艱險，這個人終於自己的職務。
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。
你如果是一個國王，你會改正自己原本錯誤的決策嗎?你曾經因為你的正直而被別人誤會嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為漢書-趙尹韓張兩王傳
https://ctext.org/han-shu/zhao-yin-han-zhang-liang-wang-zhuan/zh