This house is like an ancient Chinese
hollow percussion instrument floating in the air.(室如懸磬)
In China's Jin Dynasty, there was a famous
minister. His name was Tao Kan. There is a story about him in the history
books.
Since the Han Dynasty, China has had a
policy of allowing 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.
When he first started working for the Jin
dynasty government, his position was very low and his job was to guard a state
pond.
One winter day, when it was snowing
heavily, something happened that changed his life.
After finishing work, he returned to his
public dormitory near the pond. While he was talking to his mother at home, he
suddenly heard someone knocking on the door.
Both he and his mother were confused. How
could someone be knocking on the door in the heavy snow?
He and his mother went to the door and
opened it.
There was a very elegant looking man at the
door, and behind him were several servants and horses.
The man said to him and his mother
My name is (Fan Kui). Because I have a
noble character and am very filial, the county magistrate recommended me to
work in the central government this year.
I am going to the capital to meet the King
of the Jin Dynasty. Because of the heavy snow, I would like to find a place to
escape the wind and snow. Can you accommodate me, my servants and my horses?
He thought in his heart after hearing the
man's words.
I was happy to accommodate this man because
he really needed a place to hide from the heavy snow.
But I am very poor. There is a classic book
in ancient China, and the name of this book is (Mandarin). There is a sentence
in this book which means that my home is like an ancient Chinese hollow
percussion instrument that hangs in the air. My home is like that musical
instrument. I have no money, not enough firewood and not enough food.
I really want to accommodate these people,
but I don't have enough resources. What am I going to do?
His mother stood next to him. She seemed to
see the dilemma in his heart and suddenly said
We welcome you very much and are happy to
host you. Please come into our home to escape the heavy snow.
He looked at his mother in surprise, and
she smiled and winked at him, as if to say, "Don't worry, I'll make
arrangements.
He followed his mother's instructions and
invited (Fan Kui) and his servants into his house.
The literal translation of this phrase is
that the house is like an ancient Chinese hollow percussion instrument floating
in the air. (The name of this instrument is Qing) This phrase is used to
describe a person's family is very poor.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you get after listening to this story?
Have you ever experienced embarrassing
moments? How do you think his mother would have dealt with this group of
people?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
室如懸磬(This house is like an ancient Chinese
hollow percussion instrument floating in the air.)
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。
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。
他下班後，回到他在池塘附近的公家宿舍，他與他的母親在家中聊天的時候，突然聽到有人敲門的聲音。
他與他的母親非常的疑惑，大風雪中，怎麼會有人敲門呢?
他與他的母親一起走到他家的門口並且打開大門。
門外有一個看起來很高雅的男人，這個男人的身後還有好幾個僕人與好幾匹馬。
這個人對他與他的母親說。
我的名字叫做(範逵)，因為我的品德很高尚而且我很孝順，所以今年縣長推薦我進入中央政府工作。
我正要去首都見晉王朝的國王，因為遇到大雪，所以我想要找個地方躲避風雪，請問你可接待我與我的僕人和馬匹嗎?
他聽到這個男人的話後，他的心中這樣想。
我很樂意接待這個男人，因為他的確需要有一個地方躲避大雪。
但是我非常的貧窮，中國古代有一本經典的書籍，這本書籍的名字叫做(國語)。這本書中用一句話，這句話的意思是我的家就好像一個懸在空中的中國古代的一種中空的打擊樂器一樣。我的家就好像這句話一樣，我沒有錢也沒有足夠的木柴也沒有足夠的食物。
我很想要接待這些人，但我的資源不足，我該怎麼辦呢?
他的母親站在他的旁邊，他的母親彷彿看出他心中的為難，他的母親突然說。
我們非常的歡迎你們，我們很樂意接待你們，你們快進入我們的家中躲避這場大雪。
他驚訝地看著他的母親，他的母親對他微笑的眨一下眼睛，好像在對他說你不用擔心，我會有安排。
他就順著他的母親的話，招呼(範逵)與他的僕人門進到他的家中。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是這間房子就如同一個懸在空中的中國古代的一種中空的打擊樂器一樣。(這種樂器的名字是磬)
這句成預備用來行形容一個人家中非常的貧窮。
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。
你曾經遇過那些令你很為難的時刻呢?你認為他的母親會用哪些方式來接待這群人呢?
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