He painted a picture that started out as a dragon, but when he finished it turned out to be a dog.(畫龍不成反為狗)
He painted a picture that started out as a
dragon, but when he finished it turned out to be a dog.(畫龍不成反為狗)
There was a very famous official in China's
Eastern Han Dynasty. His name was (Kong Xi). There is a story about him in the
history books.
Kong Xi was a very learned man who,
together with some of his friends, studied the history of China's Spring and
Autumn Period.
One day he said to one of his friends
I recently studied the history of the Wu
Kingdom during China's Spring and Autumn Period, and I felt very moved.
Kong Xi's friend asked,
Would you like to share your reading experience
with me?
Kong Xi said.
The last king of the Wu Kingdom was called
Fu Chai. When he was young, he was very industrious. He appointed many capable
people and made the Wu Kingdom a very powerful kingdom. But after his success,
he became lax and indulgent. He drank and feasted all the time and did not
listen to the opinions of those upright ministers. In 473 BC, after the Wu
Kingdom was defeated by the Yue Kingdom, the Wu Kingdom fell during his reign.
I feel very sorry, I think he is like a
very talented painter, he was painting a picture, he started to paint a dragon,
but when he finished the painting, he ended up painting a dog.
After listening to what he said, Kong Xi's
friend said to him.
After listening to what you said, it
reminded me of the story of a great king of the Western Han Dynasty recorded in
history books. The king's name was Liu Che, and he was the seventh king of the
Western Han Dynasty.
He became king at the age of 16 and ruled
the Western Han Dynasty for 53 years. When he was young, he led the Western Han
Dynasty to become strong in military, economy and culture. But as he grew
older, he became superstitious and suspicious. He stayed away from many upright
ministers and listened to the words of some treacherous officials. His life was
like that of the king of the Wu Kingdom called Fuchai.
Kong Xi said with a sigh.
Yes, Liu Che's life is very similar to
Fuchai's, and there are many such stories in history books.
At this time, one of the friends sitting
next to them and listening to their conversation said
I don't agree with what you said. I think
your statement is insulting to our Western Han Dynasty King Liu Che. You said
that his life was like a painting. He wanted to paint his life as a dragon, but
in the end he painted his life as a dog.
What you have said is a grave blasphemy to
our dead king.
Kong Xi replied to his friend.
I didn't mean to blaspheme our dead king,
you twisted my meaning.
A few days later, Kong Xi's remarks reached
the king's ears. The king was very angry and ordered Kong Xi to be arrested.
The literal translation of this idiom is
that he painted a picture that was supposed to be a dragon, but when the
painting was finished it turned out to be a dog.
This idiom is used to describe a person who
has great ambitions when he is young, but becomes decadent and unsuccessful
when he is old.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
Have you ever read a story in a history
book that made a deep impression on you? Have you ever had someone misinterpret
something you said?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
畫龍不成反為狗(He painted a picture that started
out as a dragon, but when he finished it turned out to be a dog.)
中國的東漢王朝有一個很著名的官員，他的名字叫做(孔僖)，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
孔僖是一個很有學問的人，他與他的幾個朋友一起研究中國春秋時代的歷史。
有一天，他對他的一個朋友說。
我最近研究了中國的春秋時代的吳王國的歷史後，我覺得很感嘆。
孔僖的朋友問，
你願意跟我分享你的讀書心得嗎?
孔僖說。
吳王國的最後一任國王的名字叫做夫差，他年輕的時候非常的勤奮，他任用了很多有能力的人，他帶領吳王國變成一個非常強大的王國，但是在他成功之後，他鬆懈了，他開始變得放縱，他每喝酒與宴樂，他不聽那些正直的大臣的意見，在西元前473年，吳王國被越王國打敗後，吳王國在他任內滅亡。
我覺得很惋惜，我覺得他就像是一個很有才能的畫家，他畫了一副畫，這幅畫一開始是畫一條龍，但畫作完成後卻畫出了一隻狗。
孔僖的朋友聽完他的話後對他說。
聽完你說的這一段話後，我想到歷史書上也記載了西漢王朝一個很偉大的國王的故事。這個國王的名字是劉徹，他是西漢王朝第七任國王。
他16歲成為國王，他統治西漢王朝長達53年的時間。他年輕的時候帶領西漢王朝在軍事、經濟、文化各方面變的強大，但是在他老了之後，他變得迷信與多疑，他遠離很多正直的大臣，他聽信一些奸詐的官員的話，他的一生就像是吳王國的那個名字叫做夫差的國王。
孔僖嘆了一口氣後說。
對啊，劉徹的一生的確跟夫差很像啊，這類型的故事在歷史書上還有很多。
這個時候，坐在他們兩個人身邊聽他們聊天的其中一個朋友說。
我不認同你們的說法，我認為你們這種說法是在污辱我們西漢王朝的劉徹國王，你們說他的人生就像是一幅畫，他想要把自己的人生畫成一條龍，但他最後把自已的人生畫成一隻狗。
你們這種說法這對我們那個已經死去的國王是一種嚴重的褻瀆。
孔僖回答這個朋友。
我並沒有要褻瀆我們那個已經死去的國王的意思，你扭曲我的意思了。
幾天後，孔僖的這些言論傳到國王的耳中，國王非常生氣，國王下令逮捕孔僖。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是他畫了一副畫，這幅畫一開始是畫一條龍，但畫作完成後卻畫出了一隻狗。
這句成語被用來形容一個人年輕的時候有著遠大的志向，但這個人年老後變的墮落與失敗。
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。
你曾經從歷史書中讀過那些令你覺得印象深刻的故事呢?你是否曾經被別人曲解你說的話的意思呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
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