Clothes and hats worn by the highest
administrative officials(衮冕之志)
The Han Dynasty in China is divided by
historians into the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC - 8 AD) and the Eastern Han
Dynasty (25 AD - 220 AD).
Between these two dynasties there was a
short-lived New Dynasty (9 AD - 23 AD).
The name of the king who founded the New
Dynasty was (Wang Mang).
There was a famous minister in the Xin
Dynasty. His name was Cui Zhuan. There is a story about him recorded in history
books.
After Wang Mang founded the new dynasty, he
made harsh punishments and harsh laws, and he made many reforms in the social
system.
Cui Zhuan was a very learned and respected
man, so Wang Mang invited him to join the central government of the new
dynasty.
After he joined the central government of
the new dynasty, one day he had a conversation with a good friend of his named
(Kong Zijian).
He said to (Kong Zijian)
I have entered the central government of
the new dynasty, and I am a very important official. I have the power to
appoint you to the department I head. Would you like to work with me in the
department I head?
(Kong Zijian) answered him.
Your goal in life is to wear the clothes
and hats that only the highest ranking officials can wear. In order to gain a
prominent identity and status, you are joining the central government of the
new dynasty.
I am very disappointed in your behaviour. I
do not agree with your behaviour. I am not willing to join you in the central
government of the new dynasty. I believe that the New Dynasty regime
established by Wang Mang has no legitimacy.
My goal in life is to become a reclusive
scholar. I hope to lead an ordinary life. My goal in life is different from
yours.
The day after he said these words, (Kong
Zijian) left the capital of the new dynasty and returned to his hometown.
Cui Zhuan was very hurt by what Kong Zijian
had said, but he did not explain.
Cui Zhuan didn't want to join the central
government of the new dynasty, but he reluctantly accepted the position for the
safety of his family.
After he officially took office, he began
to take sick leave, and he took sick leave for three consecutive years. He used
sick leave to escape the reality he did not want to face.
Wang Mang didn't care that Cui Zhuan had
been on sick leave for three years in a row, because Cui Zhuan's joining the
central government led by Wang Mang was a statement.
After Cui Zhuan joined the new dynasty
established by Wang Mang, Wang Mang began to publicise the rationality and
legitimacy of the regime he had established, thus consolidating the regime he
had established.
The literal translation of this idiom is
'the clothes and hats that only the highest administrative officials can wear'.
This idiom is used to describe a person who
aspires to a high political position.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you get after listening to this story?
Have you ever been misunderstood by your
friends? If you were Cui Zhuan, do you think you would explain to your friends
your motivation for joining the central government of the new dynasty?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
衮冕之志(Clothes and hats worn by the highest
administrative officials)
中國的漢王朝時代，歷史學家將其分為西漢王朝(西元前202年-西元8年)與東漢王朝(西元25年-西元220年)。
這兩個王朝中間，夾帶著一個短暫的新王朝(西元9年-西元23年)。
建立新王朝的國王的名字叫做(王莽)。
新王朝中有一個著名的大臣，他的名字叫做崔篆，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
王莽建立新王朝後他制定了嚴苛的刑罰與苛刻的法律，他進行了很多項的社會制度改革。
崔篆是一個很有學問而且很有名望的人，所以王莽邀請他加入新王朝的中央政府。
在他加入新王朝的中央政府後，有一天，他與他的一個名字叫做(孔子建)的好朋友對話。
他對(孔子建)說。
我已經進入新王朝的中央政府內工作，我擔任一個很重要的官員，我有權力聘用你到我所領導的部門，你要到我所領導的部門跟我一起工作嗎?
(孔子建)回答他。
你的人生目標是穿上最高級的行政官員才能穿的衣服與戴上最高級的行政官員才能戴的帽子，你為了讓自己獲得顯赫的身分與地位所以你加入的新王朝的中央政府，
我對你的行為非常失望，我不認同你的行為，我不願意跟著你一起加入新王朝的中央政府，我認為王莽所建立的這個新王朝的政權沒有合法性。
我的人生目標是在成為一個隱居的學者，我希望過的平淡的生活，我的人生目標跟你不一樣。
說完這些話後的隔天，(孔子建)離開新王朝的首都回到自己的家鄉。
(孔子建)的話讓崔篆感到非常痛苦，但是他沒有解釋。
崔篆的內心也不想要加入新王朝的中央政府工作，他是因為考慮到自己的家人的生命安全所以才勉強自己答應接受這個職位。
他正式上任後，他就開始請病假，他連續請了三年的病假，他藉由請病假來逃避他不想面對的現實。
崔篆連續請了三年的病假的這件事情王莽並不在乎，因為崔篆加入王莽所領導的中央政府就是一個表態。
崔篆加入王莽所建立的新王朝後，王莽就開始對外宣傳自己所建立的政權具備合理性與合法性，王莽因此鞏固了自己所建立的政權。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是最高級的行政官員才能穿的衣服與才能戴的帽子。
這句成語被用來形容一個人有著想要在政壇上位居高位的目標。
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。
你曾經被朋友誤會嗎?你如果是崔篆你認為你會跟你的朋友解釋你加入新王朝的中央政府的動機嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為東漢觀記-傳12-崔篆傳
https://ctext.org/dong-guan-han-ji/cui-zhuan/zh
出處為後漢書-卷79-孔僖傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%BE%8C%E6%BC%A2%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B779%E4%B8%8A#%E5%AD%94%E5%83%96