You don't know the word (丁) (目不識丁)
In China's Tang Dynasty, there was a famous
minister. His name was Zhang Hongjing. There is a story about him recorded in
history books.
In 821 AD he was sent to (Youzhou) as the
supreme leader. He was in charge of the military, administrative and financial
systems. It was a very powerful position.
(Youzhou) is in the north of China. The
jurisdiction of this place is roughly in what is now Beijing and Hebei Province
of China. The people in northern China are generally taller than those in
southern China. The personalities of the people in northern China are
relatively simple and heroic.
When Zhang Hongjing came to (Youzhou), he
did not understand the customs and culture of the place. He ruled the people in
his own way, and his style of leadership caused a backlash among the people.
Zhang Hongjing entrusted military affairs
to two officers he trusted. These two officers had followed Zhang Hongjing for
a long time and looked down on the soldiers in Youzhou.
These two officers often drank. When they
were drunk, their words and behaviour were very arrogant. On several occasions
these two officers, after getting drunk, laughed at the local soldiers in
Youzhou.
They said to the soldiers
Your bodies are strong, but you are stupid.
Your words and actions are rude. You have no knowledge and don't even know the
simplest word (丁).
You should find time to read some books and
learn some words.
Their behaviour caused great discontent
among the local soldiers in Youzhou.
A few months after Zhang Hongjing took
office, the central government gave a bonus to all the soldiers in Youzhou. The
way Zhang Hongjing handled the bonus aroused the anger of all the soldiers. The
soldiers started a mutiny. A large number of soldiers arrested Zhang Hongjing
and killed the two officers who looked down on them.
Although the rebellion ended quickly, Zhang
Hongjing lost the trust of the king. He was demoted and transferred, and never
promoted again.
The literal translation of this phrase
means that you don't know the character (丁).
This idiom is used to describe a person who
is illiterate or ignorant.
Dear friends, what are your feelings or
thoughts after listening to this story?
Are there many illiterate people in your
country? Do you think you have enough ability to read and understand books?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
目不識丁(You don't know the word (丁)
中國的唐王朝有一個著名的大臣，他的名字叫做張弘靖，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
西元821年，他被派任到(幽州)擔任最高領導，他同時掌握了軍事與行政還有財政系統，這是一個有非常大的權力的職位。
(幽州)位於中國的北方，這個地方的管轄範圍大約就位於現在中國的北京市與河北省，中國的北方的百姓的身材普遍都比中國南方來得更高大，中國北方的百姓的個性比較簡單又豪邁。
張弘靖到了(幽州)之後，他沒有先弄清楚這個地方的風俗與文化，他用他習慣的方式來管理這個地方的百姓，他的管理方式引起了這個地方的百姓的反彈。
張弘靖把軍隊方面的事務交給兩個他所信任的軍官，這兩個軍官長期跟著張弘靖，這兩個軍官瞧不起幽州地的士兵們。
這兩個軍官常常喝酒，他們喝醉酒之後言語與行為非常的囂張，有好幾次，這兩個軍官在喝醉之後嘲笑幽州當地的士兵們。
他們對這些士兵說。
你們的身體很強壯但你們很笨，你們的言語與行為都很粗俗，你們沒有知識，你們連最簡單的(丁)這個字都不認識。
你們應該找時間去念點書與認識幾個字。
他們的行為引起幽州當地的士兵們的極度不滿。
張弘靖到任幾個月後，中央政府發放了一筆獎金要發放給(幽州)這個地方的所有士兵，張弘靖處理這筆獎金的方式引發了所有士兵們的憤怒，士兵們發動叛變，大批的士兵們把張弘靖抓起來，把瞧不起他們的那兩個軍官殺了。
這場叛變後來雖然很快地結束，但是張弘靖從此失去了國王的信任，他被降職並且調離這個職位，他從此再也沒有升職。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是你們不認識(丁)這個字。
這句成語被用來形容一個人是文盲或是這個人沒有知識。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的感受或有怎樣的想法呢。
你的國家中的文盲多嗎?你認為自已具備足夠的閱讀與理解書籍的能力嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為舊唐書-卷129-張弘靖傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E8%88%8A%E5%94%90%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7129