Deceiving and misleading the public(誑時惑眾)
In China's Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a
famous minister. His name was Chen Fan. His story is recorded in history books.
He was a very upright man, but the king at
that time had some flattering and treacherous officials around him who disliked
him, so he was slandered. The king transferred him from the capital to Nanchang
in Jiangxi Province, China.
There was a system in the Han dynasty where
the king would ask officials from different places to recommend some talented
local people to him. After the king had evaluated and approved these people, he
would allow these talented people to work in the central government.
After Chen Fan arrived in this city, he
began to observe whether there were any famous people with outstanding
character or rich knowledge in the city.
He heard that there was a man named (Zhao
Xuan) who had high moral standards and was respected by the local people.
He took the initiative to meet this man.
After Chen Fan met Zhao Xuan, he said to
Zhao Xuan
I heard that after your father and mother
died, you missed their love for you so much that you lived next to their graves
and have lived there for more than 20 years.
Zhao Xuan nodded and said.
That's right, I haven't been home for 20
years, and I've been living next to my father and mother's graves for more than
20 years.
Chen Fan asked Zhao Xuan.
How many people in your family? Are you
married? If you are married, do you have any children?
Chen Xuan replied.
I have been married for over 20 years and
have five children, the eldest of whom is almost 16.
After listening to Zhao Xuan's answer, Chen
Fan remained silent for several minutes and then said to Zhao Xuan
We Chinese believe that from the time a
person is born until he is three years old, he must rely on his parents' care
in every way. Therefore, in order to repay his parents for their care, when a
person's father or mother dies, he must stop working, wear simple clothes, not
drink, have fun or have sex with his partner. This period lasts for three
years, during which time the person must live alone near their parents' graves.
This custom has a history of several
hundred years. Because this custom represents our remembrance and respect for
our father and mother, each of us follows this custom.
You do not follow this custom like ordinary
people. You have lived by your parents' graves for more than 20 years, so many
people respect you, and many people praise you for your higher moral standards.
But I think you are a hypocritical person.
Your actions are not sincere. Your actions are meant to deceive and confuse all
people.
The reason I say this is because if you are
really following this custom for more than 20 years, then you should not have
children.
In order to make others think that you have
a very high level of morality, you boast that you have taken the initiative to
extend the period of following this custom, which is originally only three
years. You have lived next to the graves of your father and mother for more
than 20 years.
But you and your wife have given birth to
five children in these 20 years, which makes me see your hypocrisy.
Your actions must be condemned and I will
hold you accountable.
The literal translation of this idiom is to
deceive and confuse people.
Dear friends, what are your feelings or
thoughts after listening to this story?
How do you judge if a person is
hypocritical? Are there any prominent people in your society who you think are
hypocrites?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
誑時惑眾(Deceiving and misleading the public)
中國的東漢王朝有一個著名的大臣，他名字叫做陳蕃，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
他是一個非常正直的人，當時的國王的身旁有一些擅長奉承與性格奸詐的官員不喜歡他，所以他被毀謗，國王就把他調離首都，他被調任到現在中國的江西省的南昌市。
漢王朝有一項制度，漢王朝的國王會要求由各個地方的官員推薦推薦當地的一些有才能的人給他，國王針對這些人進行考核確認之後會讓這些有才能的人進入中央政府工作。
陳蕃到了這座城市後，便開始觀察這座城市內有沒有品德卓越或是知識很豐富的名人。
他聽說有一個名字叫做(趙宣)的男子的道德水平很高所以受到當地人民的尊敬。
他便主動去認識這個男人。
陳蕃與趙宣見面後，他對趙宣說。
我聽說你在你的父親與母親死了之後，你很懷念你的父親與母親對你的愛，因此你住在你的父親與母親的墓地旁邊，你已經住了20幾年了。
趙宣點點頭說。
沒有錯，這20年來，我都沒有回家，我已經住在我的父親與母親的墳墓旁超過20年。
陳蕃問趙宣。
你家中有幾個人呢?你結婚了嗎?如果你已經結婚了，那麼你有沒有小孩呢?
陳宣回答。
我已經結婚超過20年了，我有五個孩子，我的孩子中，年紀最大的那一個已經快16歲了。
陳蕃聽到趙宣的回答後沉默好幾分鐘後對趙宣說。
我們中國人認為一個人從出生之後到這個人三歲的這段期間，這個人在各方面都必須依賴自己的父母親的照顧，因此為了報答父母親對自己的照顧，所以當這個人的父親或母親過世後，這個人要停止工作，這個人要穿著簡單的衣服與不可以喝酒也不可以玩樂也不可以與自己的伴侶有性行為，這段期間要維持三年，這個人在這三年之間要一個人住在自己父母親的墳墓旁。
這個習俗已經延續超過好幾百年的歷史，因為這個習俗代表了我們對父親與母親的思念與尊敬，所以我們每個人都遵循這一套習俗。
你不像一般人一樣遵循這個習俗，你已經住在你的父母親的墳墓旁已經超過20年，所以很多人都很尊敬你，很多民眾都讚美你的道德水平高過他們。
但我認為你只是一個虛偽的人，你的行為不是出於真心，你的行為是為了欺騙與迷惑所有的民眾。
何我會這樣說呢，因為如果你是真正的遵循這個習俗超過20年，那麼你就不應有小孩。
你為了讓別人認為你的道德水平特別高，所以你對外展現出自己主動延長遵循這個原本只需要3年的習俗，你已經住在你的父親與母親的墳墓旁超過20年。
但你卻與你的妻子在這20年內生了五個小孩，這讓我看到你的虛偽。
你的行為必須要受到譴責，我要追究你的罪責。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是欺騙與迷惑民眾。
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。
你如何評斷一個人是否虛偽呢?你居住的社會中有那些你認為虛偽的名人嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為後漢書-卷66-陳蕃傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%BE%8C%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B766