When the boat he was in reached the middle of the river, he stretched out his hand and hit the oar hard.(中流擊楫)
When the boat he was in reached the middle
of the river, he stretched out his hand and hit the oar hard.(中流擊楫)
In the Western Jin Dynasty of China, there
was a famous general named Zu Ti. His story is recorded in history books.
In 316 AD, a Pre-Han kingdom founded by
nomadic people in northern China once again captured the capital of the Western
Jin Dynasty. The king of the Western Jin Dynasty was killed, the Western Jin
Dynasty fell, and many lands in northern China were occupied by the Pre-Han
Kingdom.
In the same year, a royal member of the
Western Jin Dynasty announced that he would establish the Eastern Jin Dynasty
in southern China. The name of this royal member was Sima Rui.
Sima Rui summoned many talented people to
work in the central government he was leading. One of them was Zu Ti.
In a meeting, Zu Ti told Sima Rui
The main reason for the fall of the Western
Jin Dynasty was the serious civil strife caused by members of the royal family
competing for political power.
At present, our territory in northern China
is occupied by the kingdom of the former Han Dynasty. The people of the Western
Jin Dynasty, who lived in northern China and did not have time to escape to the
south, were brutally oppressed by the Kingdom of the Former Han Dynasty. We
should fight back. We must take back the land that belongs to us and save the
oppressed people.
I am ready to lead the army into battle. I
am confident that we can reclaim the land that once belonged to us.
Sima Rui agreed with Zu Ti, and Sima Rui
authorised Zu Ti to organise and train an army.
A few months later, Zu Ti led the army he
had formed to leave the capital of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. They were to cross
the Yangtze River by boat to northern China.
As the ship they were on sailed down the
vast Yangtze River, Zu Ti and several important generals under him stood on the
bow of the ship and looked ahead.
When the boat he was travelling in reached
the middle of the river, he stretched out his hand and hit the oar hard. He
said to the important generals who followed him.
We will certainly face great difficulties
on our journey to northern China this time, but I am confident that we will
achieve our goals. We will be able to reclaim the lands that once belonged to
us and save our oppressed people.
I swear here that I will achieve my goal
and I will never give up. If I don't succeed, I will never return to southern
China.
I am like this river that flows to the sea,
I will never go back.
The literal translation of this saying is
that when the boat he was travelling in reached the middle of the river, he put
out his hand and hit the oar hard.
It is used to describe a person who is
determined to regain the land his country has lost.
Dear friend, what kind of inspiration do
you have after listening to this story?
What promises have you made to yourself?
Have you kept the promises you made to yourself?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
中流擊楫(When the boat he was in reached the
middle of the river, he stretched out his hand and hit the oar hard.)
中國的西晉王朝有一個著名的名字叫做祖逖的將軍，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
西元316年，中國北方一個由遊牧民族建立的前漢王國再次攻佔了西晉王朝的首都，西晉王朝的國王被殺，西晉王朝滅亡，中國北方的許多土地都被前漢王國所佔領。
同年，有一個西晉王朝的王室成員宣布他在中國的南方成立東晉王朝，這個王室成員的名字叫做司馬睿。
司馬睿召集了很多有才能的人進入他所領導的中央政府內工作。其中有一個人就是祖逖。
在一次的會議中，祖逖對司馬睿說。
西晉王朝的滅亡的最主要的原因是因為王室內的成員為了爭奪政治權力所以引發了嚴重的內亂。
目前我們在中國北方的領土被前漢王國佔領，西晉王朝那些生活在中國北方來不及逃到南方的人民受到前漢王國的殘酷壓迫，我們應該反擊，我們要奪回那些屬於我們的土地，拯救那些被壓迫的人民。
我願意帶領軍隊去打仗，我有信心可以奪回那些曾經屬於我們的國土
司馬睿很認同祖逖的看法，司馬睿授權讓祖逖組織並訓練了一支軍隊。
幾個月後，祖逖率領他所成立的這支軍隊離開東晉王朝的首都，他們要乘船渡過長江前往中國的北方。
當他們所搭乘的船航行在廣闊的長江時，祖逖與他手下的幾個重要的將領一起站在船頭看著前方。
他搭乘的船航行到河中央時他伸手用力打了一下船槳，他對跟隨他的這幾個重要的將領說。
我們這一次前往中國北方勢必會經歷很大的困難，但是我有信心我們一定可以完成我們的目標，我們一定可以收回那些曾經屬於我們的土地並且解救我們那些被壓迫的人民。
我在這裡發誓，我一定要完成我的目標，我永遠不會放棄，如果我不成功，我就永遠不回去中國的南方。
我就像這條一直流到大海的河一樣，我永遠不會向後退。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是他搭乘的船航行到河中央時他伸手用力打了一下船槳。
這句成語被用來形容一個人立志要收回自己國家所失去的土地。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有什麼樣的或有什麼樣的啟發呢。
你曾經對自己許下甚麼承諾呢?你完成你對自己曾經許下的承諾了嗎?
我希望這個故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為晉書-列傳32-祖逖傳