The wind changed direction, which helped to
extinguish the fire.(反風滅火)
There was a very famous official in China's
Eastern Han dynasty. His name was Liu Kun, and his story is recorded in history
books.
Historians divide the Han Dynasty into the
Western Han (202 BC – 8 AD) and Eastern Han (25 AD – 220 AD) Dynasties.
Between these two dynasties, there was the
short-lived Xin Dynasty (9–23 AD).
Liu Kun lived in this chaotic era.
He was a renowned scholar with more than
500 students. After the New Dynasty was established, the king was worried that
Liu Kun would incite his students to rebel, so he ordered his arrest. He was
released only after the Eastern Han Dynasty was established.
He was very knowledgeable and had high
moral standards. He also treated others with tolerance. For this reason, the
king of the Eastern Han Dynasty appointed him as the mayor of Jiangling. Due to
his effective management of the city, a few years later, the king transferred
him to become mayor of Hongnong.
In 46 AD, he returned to the central
government in the capital.
Following a meeting, the king of the
Eastern Han Dynasty spoke to him informally.
After the establishment of the Xin Dynasty,
the political situation in China became very unstable. After I led the
revolutionary army to defeat the Xin Dynasty and establish the Eastern Han
Dynasty, I found many capable people to help me manage this huge kingdom.
Under your management, Jiangling City has
become stable, and people's lives have improved. Something wonderful happened
while you were in charge of Jiangling City. A fire broke out in Jiangling City.
It was very fierce, but just as it was about to get out of control, the wind
suddenly changed direction and the fire was extinguished.
The city of Hongnong is surrounded by
several large mountains, home to many ferocious tigers. In the early days of
the Eastern Han dynasty, people in this city were often mauled to death by
tigers.
However, since you became mayor, the number
of deaths caused by tiger attacks has decreased significantly. It has been a
long time since we heard any news about tigers killing people.
The people of these two cities respect and
trust you very much. I heard that the people of Jiangling City believed you to
be a very upright person with high moral standards. When a fire broke out in
Jiangling City, you prayed sincerely to God, hoping he would help you put out
the fire.
God listened to your prayers and the wind
direction suddenly changed.
I also heard that the people of Hongnong
City believed that you were a kind person who treated all people and animals
equally. When disaster struck in the form of a tiger, you prayed to God, hoping
that he would allow people and tigers to live in peace.
God heard your prayers and the tigers later
moved to other places.
Having said this, the King of the Eastern
Han Dynasty smiled and asked Liu Kun.
'What do you think of what these people
say?'
Liu Kun answered the king with a smile.
'I think these people have too much
imagination. It is not my doing that the fire was put out and the tiger did not
bite anyone. These things are just coincidences.'
The king listened to him and then said,
'You are a humble person, and your good
character and reputation are genuine.'
This idiom means that the wind direction
changed, which helped to extinguish the fire.
It is used to describe a politician who
governs with mercy and justice.
Dear friends,What thoughts or feelings did
you have after listening to this story?
Have you ever experienced something that
science cannot explain? How do you usually react to praise?
I hope this story provides you with some
new insights.
反風滅火(The wind changed direction, which
helped to extinguish the fire.)
中國的東漢王朝有一個很著名的官員，他的名字叫做(劉昆)，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
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)。
他就生活在這個混亂的時代。
他是一個著名的學者，他有超過500個學生。新王朝建立後，新王朝的國王擔心他會鼓動他的學生叛亂，因此新王朝的國王下令逮捕他。東漢王朝建立後，他才被釋放。
他的道德水平很高，他用寬容的心對待他人，他也很有學問，所以東漢王朝的國王聘任他擔任江陵這座城市的市長，因為他把這座城市管理得很好，幾年後東漢王朝的國王又調任他到弘農市擔任市長。
西元46年，他被調任回到首都的中央政府。
在一次的會議之後，東漢王朝的國王在聊天中對他說。
新王朝建立之後，中國的政治情況就變得很不穩定，我率領革命軍打敗新王朝建立東漢王朝之後，我找了很多有能力的人來協助我管理這個龐大的王國。
江陵城在你的管理下，江陵城的變的安定，人們的生活也跟著變好。你在擔任經江陵城的時候還發生過一件很奇妙的事，這件事情就是江陵城中發生大火，這場火燒得非常猛烈，但是在火勢將要失控的時候，突然風的方向改變，所以這場大火就很順利地被撲滅。
弘農市這座城市的周圍有好幾座大山，山中有很多兇猛的老虎，在東漢王國建立初期，這座城市中常常發生老虎咬死人的意外。
但是自從你擔任弘農市的市長後，老虎咬死人的情況一天比一天更少，目前已經好久沒有聽到老死咬死人的新聞了。
這兩座城市的百姓都們都很尊敬你而且很信任你，我聽說江陵城中的百姓們認為因為你有很高的道德水平，你是一個很正直的人，所以當江陵城發生火災時，你很誠心地跟上天祈禱希望上天可以協助你撲滅火災。
上天傾聽你的禱告所以風向才會突然改變。
我聽說弘農城中的百姓們認為因為你是一個很仁慈的人，你用平等的心對待所有人與動物，所以你面對老虎帶來的災禍時，你很誠心地跟上天祈禱希望上天可以讓人民與老虎和平相處。
上天傾聽你的禱告所以那些山中老虎後來都搬家到別的地方。
東漢王朝的國王說完這些話後微笑著問劉昆。
你如何看到這些百姓們說的這些話。
劉昆微笑的回答國王。
我認為這些百姓們的想像力太豐富了，我認為火災可以被撲滅與老虎不咬人並不是我的功勞，這些事情只是巧合罷了。
國王聽到他說的這些話後對他說。
你是一個謙遜的人，你的好品德與好名望是真實的。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是風向改變所以火災順利撲滅。
這句成語被用來形容一個政治人物用慈悲與公義管理一個地方。
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。
你遇過那些科學無法解釋的事情嗎?當你被讚美時你通常會有怎樣的反應呢?
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-劉昆傳
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