The official willow tree planted outside
the Western Gate(西門官柳)
There was a famous minister in the Jin
Dynasty of China. His name was Tao Kan. There is a story about him recorded in
history books.
His father died when he was a teenager, and
he was raised by his mother, a woman of noble character who had a great
influence on him.
When he first started working for the Jin
Dynasty government, his position was very low and his job was to guard a state-owned
pond.
One day he brought home some fish and said
to his mother
These fish are very fat. They are in bad
health. Eating these fish will be very good for your health,"
His mother asked, confused.
Where did you buy these fish?
he replied.
I caught them today in the pond I'm in
charge of.
After hearing his answer, his mother spoke
to him seriously.
Your behaviour is trespassing on public
property. I do not agree with your behaviour. Not only does your behaviour not
make me happy, but it also makes me very worried.
He replied shamefacedly after hearing what
his mother had said.
This behaviour was definitely wrong, and I
will return these fish to my pond tomorrow.
He went on to become a very important
general in the Jin Dynasty.
He was once sent to what is now Hubei
Province in China, where he garrisoned an army outside the western gate of
Wuchang City in Hubei Province.
He once allocated a budget to beautify the
military camps and ordered an officer to plant many willow trees around the
camp he was in charge of.
After completing the task, the officer
discovered that there were still some willow saplings left.
The officer took the saplings home and
planted them in front of his house.
About a month after this incident, one day
in the military camp, Tao Kan said to the officer in charge of planting trees
I passed by your house yesterday and
suddenly I saw several willow trees planted in front of your door.
I'm going to ask you a question, and you
must answer me honestly.
Is the willow tree in front of your house
related to the willow trees in our military camp outside the city gate on the
west side?
Are the willow trees planted in front of
your house public property?
After hearing his words, the officer was
very frightened and immediately knelt down on the ground. The officer said in a
trembling voice.
Those willow trees planted in front of my
house are indeed public property. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have taken
public property. Please forgive me.
The literal translation of this idiom is
'the official willow tree planted outside the Western Gate' .
The idiom is meant to describe trees that
belong to the public and not to private individuals.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
What do you remember most about your
mother? Have you ever taken public property for yourself?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
西門官柳(The official willow tree planted
outside the Western Gate)
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。
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，他的母親對他造成很大的影響。
他剛進入晉王朝的政府單位工作的時候，他的職位非常的低，他的工作內容是負責看守一個國有的池塘。
有一天，他拿了好幾隻魚回家，他對他的媽媽說。
這幾條魚非常的肥美，妳的身體不好，你把這些魚吃了之後對你的健康會有很大的幫助。
他的母親很疑惑地問。
這些魚你去那裡買的呢?
他回答。
這幾條魚是我今天從我看管的那個池塘中釣起來的啊。
他的媽媽聽到他的回答後很嚴肅地對他說。
你的這種行為是侵占公家的財產，你的這種行為我不認同，你的這種行為不但不會讓我開心，反而還會讓我覺得很憂慮。
他聽到他媽媽的話之後很羞愧地回答。
這件行為的確是錯的，我明天就讓這些魚回到我所管理的池塘內。
他後來成為晉王朝一個很重要的將軍。
他曾經被派任到現在中國的湖北省，他帶著一支軍隊駐守在湖北省的武昌市的西邊的城門的城外。
有一次，他撥出一份預算做軍營中的美化工作，他命令一個軍官在他所管理的軍營中的週邊種了很多柳樹。
這個軍官執行完這個任務後發現還有剩了好幾株柳樹的樹苗。
這個軍官就把這些柳樹的樹苗帶回家並且種在自己家中的門口。
這件事情發生的大概一個月後，有一天，陶侃在軍營中對那個被指派負責種樹的軍官說。
我昨天經過你的家，我突然看到你家的門口種了幾棵柳樹。
我問你一件事情，你要老實地回答我。
這個問題就是你家門口的那棵柳樹跟我們位於西邊的城門外的軍營中的那些柳樹有關係嗎?
你家門口種的的那幾棵柳樹是屬於公家的財產嗎?
這個軍官聽到他的話後非常的害怕就立刻跪在地上，這個軍官聲音顫抖的說。
我家門口所種的那幾棵柳樹的確是屬於公家的財產，我犯了錯，我不應該把公家的財產據為己有，請你原諒我。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是西邊的城門外的官方的柳樹。
這句成預備用來行形容那些屬於公家的非私人的樹木。
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。
你最記得你的母親的那一件事嗎?你是否曾經把公家的資產占為己有呢?
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