She cut her hair and sold it, then used the money to entertain guests.(截髮留賓)
There was a famous minister in the Jin
Dynasty of China. His name was Tao Kan. There is a story about him in the
history books.
China has had a policy since the Han
Dynasty that allows central government officials to recommend people of high
moral character, or those who are honest and filial, to work in the central
government. This policy continued into the Jin dynasty.
His father died when he was a teenager and
he was brought up by his mother, a woman of noble character, determination and
intelligence who had a great influence on him.
One winter day, when it was snowing
heavily, something happened that changed his life.
A man called Fan Kui and his servant wanted
to go to Tao Kan's house to avoid the heavy snow. Tao Kan's family had no
money, not enough firewood and not enough food. But Tao Kan's mother resolutely
welcomed these people into her home.
Tao Kan's mother told him.
You stay in the living room and chat with
the guests while I prepare food to entertain them.
Tao Kan's mother went to her bedroom and
cut off her long black hair. Then she used her hair to barter with her
neighbours for a lot of food.
People in ancient China attached great
importance to their hair. They believed that hair had strong vitality and that
hair was a spiritual symbol of everyone's life. Because hair is very important
to everyone, it is very precious.
Tao Kan's mother then took an axe and demolished
a small firewood shed behind their house and his mother used the wood to make a
fire.
Tao Kan's mother used to cut up the thick
straw mats in her house and use the pieces as fodder for the guests' horses.
While Tao Kan's mother was doing these things,
Tao Kan sat in the hall and talked to (Fan Kui) very happily.
Because Tao Kan was very smart and loved to
learn, he came up with many unique ideas and views while talking to (Fan Kui).
About two hours later, Tao Kan's mother
prepared dinner and took out a lot of food from his kitchen and brought it to
the living room for Tao Kan and the guests to enjoy.
When Tao Kan and Fan Kui saw Tao Kan's
mother, they were both shocked. Tao Kan spoke to his mother with a trembling
voice.
What has happened to your hair?
Tao Kan's mother smiled and said to Tao Kan
and (Fan Kui).
It's rare for us to have guests in our
house, so we should treat our guests well.
I cut my hair and traded it for some food
to entertain the guests. Come and eat soon.
When Fan Kui heard what Tao Kan's mother
said, he was shocked. He had not expected this woman to cut off her hair, which
symbolised life, to welcome him.
Fan Kui was both moved and ashamed. He
looked at Tao Kan's mother and was speechless.
When Tao Kan's mother saw Fan Kui's
reaction, she smiled and said to Fan Kui
This is my own choice. I believe that the
most important virtue is to help others when they are in need. So many of you
have come here today, and I feel that my hair has played its greatest value.
Come and eat, I have prepared a lot of food
and I guarantee that each of you will be able to eat your fill.
That evening, Tao Kan held a family banquet
at his home, which touched everyone.
A few days later, Fan Kui arrived in the
capital and became an official in the central government of the Jin dynasty. He
recommended Tao Kan to many important ministers in the capital.
Thanks to Fan Kui's great help, Tao Kan was
able to break away from his original social class. He later worked in the
central government of the Jin dynasty. Relying on his own abilities, he became
a very great general of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
This idiom literally means that she cut off
her hair and sold it, and then used the money from the sale of her hair to
entertain guests.
It is used to describe a person who is
enthusiastic about entertaining guests.
It is also used to describe the great
sacrifice a woman makes for her children.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
What are some of the things you miss about
your mother? Have you ever been so touched by someone's hospitality that you
didn't know how to repay them?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
截髮留賓(She cut her hair and sold it, then
used the money to entertain guests.)
中國的晉王朝時代有一個著名的大臣，他的名字叫做陶侃，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
中國從漢王朝開始實行一項政策，這項政策就是中央政府的官員可以推薦一些品德高尚或是清廉且孝順的人進入中央政府工作。這項政策延用到晉王朝。
他的父親在他還是少年的時候死了，他的母親扶養他長大，他的母親的品德很高尚而且非常的果斷與聰明，他的母親對他造成很大的影響。
有一年的冬天的某一天的一個下大雪的冬天，發生了一件改變他的一生的事情。
有一個名字叫做(範逵)的男人與他的僕人想要到陶侃的家中躲避大雪，陶侃的家中沒有錢也沒有足夠的木柴也沒有足夠的食物。但陶侃的母親果斷地迎接這些人進到他家。
陶侃的母親對他說。
你留在客廳中與這些客人們聊天，我去準備食物來接待他們。
陶侃的母親走到她的臥房內，她先把自己一頭烏黑的長髮剪掉，接著她把她的頭髮拿去跟她的鄰居換了許多食物。
中國古代的人們非常重視自己的頭髮，他們認為頭髮具有旺盛的生命力，他們認為頭髮是每個人的生命的精神象徵。因為頭髮對於每個人都非常的重要，所以頭髮非常的有價值。
陶侃的母親接著拿著一斧頭把他們家中後方的一間小柴房拆掉，他的母親利用這些木頭來生火。
陶侃的母親又把他們家中的厚草蓆割碎，他的母親用這些草蓆的碎片給客人們的馬匹當作食物。
陶侃的母親做這些事情的時候，陶侃坐在大廳中與(範逵)聊天聊得非常的開心。
因為陶侃本身就很聰明而且又很熱愛學習，所以他在與(範逵)聊天的過程中提出了很多獨特的觀點與看法。
大約兩個小時後，陶侃的母親準備好晚餐後，從他家的廚房拿出很多的食物到客廳中給陶侃與客人們享用。
陶侃與範逵看到陶侃的母親的時候，他們兩個人都嚇了一大跳，陶侃聲音顫抖著對他的母親說。
妳的頭髮怎麼了。
陶侃的母親微笑著對陶侃與(範逵)說。
我們家中難得有客人來訪，我們按理應該要好好的接待我們的客人。
我把頭髮剪掉拿去換了一些食物來招待客人，你們大家快點來吃飯吧。
範逵聽到陶侃的母親的話後，他感到非常的震驚，他沒有想到，這個婦人竟然為了接待自己，剪掉了那象徵生命的頭髮。
範逵又感動又慚愧，他看著陶侃的母親說不出話。
陶侃的母親看到範逵的反應後，她微笑著對範逵說。
這是我自主的選擇，我認為在別人需要幫助的時候提供幫助是最重要的品德，你們今天一次來了那麼多人，我覺得我的頭髮發揮了它的最大價值。
你們快吃，我準備了非常多的食物，我保證你們每個人都可以吃得很飽。
當天晚上，陶侃的家中舉開了一場感動了所有參與者的家庭宴會。
幾天後，範逵到了首都，他成了晉王朝的中央政府的官員，他跟首都中的很多重要的大臣們特別推薦了陶侃。
因為範逵的大力幫忙，陶侃脫離了原本的社會階層，他後來進入了晉王朝的中央政府內工作，他憑藉著自己的能力，成為東晉王朝一個非常偉大的將軍。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是她剪掉頭髮去賣，然後把賣頭髮得到的錢用來招待賓客
這句成預備用來行形容一個人用非常熱誠的心對待來到他的家中拜訪的客人。
這句成語也被用來形容一個女人為了自己的孩子作出的巨大的犧牲。
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。
你懷念你的母親的那些事呢?你是否曾經被別人的熱誠接待而覺得非常感動並不知道該如何回報呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為世說新語-賢媛-20條
https://ctext.org/shi-shuo-xin-yu/xian-yuan/zhs
出處為晉書-卷66-陶侃傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%99%89%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7066