They pursued benevolence and ultimately
reaped the rewards.(求仁得仁)
China has a very long history. The second
dynasty in Chinese history was the Shang dynasty.
Established around 1600 BC, the Shang
Dynasty lasted approximately 500 years before falling around 1046 BC.
During this period, several small kingdoms
existed within China, one of which was the Guzhu Kingdom.
According to historical records, the
founder of the Guzhu Kingdom was a member of the Shang royal family. The Guzhu
Kingdom's capital was located near Tangshan City in present-day Hebei Province,
China.
The eighth king of the Guzhu Kingdom was
named Yawei.
He had three sons: the eldest was named
Boyi, the second Yaping and the youngest Shuqi.
Yawei loved his third son the most, so he
appointed Shuqi as his heir in his will.
Shuqi said to his two brothers: 'Our
father's decision was foolish. I do not wish to succeed him as king.'
According to the rules established by our
ancestors, it should be Boyi who becomes king.'
However, Boyi and Yaping refused to accept
this, insisting that Shuqi become the new king.
Unable to change their minds, Shuqi
ultimately fled Guzhu.
After escaping, Boyi told Yaping, 'Our
father is leaving his throne to Shuqi. I have failed in my duty to fulfil our
father's wishes. If I become the new king, the people of the kingdom will
undoubtedly think that I drove my brother away in order to seize the throne. I
do not wish to succeed him as the new king.'
The day after this incident, Boyi also fled
Guzhu.
After leaving Guzhu, he travelled
extensively and one day he encountered Shuqi. He was overjoyed to see him, but
Shuqi was surprised.
After a heartfelt conversation, the two
brothers forgave each other for their previous actions.
They later travelled together throughout
China. As they grew old, they heard that the Zhou Kingdom's king was kind and
benevolent, so they decided to spend their final days there.
However, when they arrived, the old king
had just passed away and been succeeded by a new king named Ji Fa.
The last king of the Shang dynasty was
Emperor Xin. He was a brutal and cruel man who cared little for his people,
focusing only on his own pleasure. Under his leadership, the people lived in
extreme misery.
The people and princes of the time were
dissatisfied with his leadership. After succeeding him as king of Zhou, Ji Fa
led them in a military revolution aimed at overthrowing the Shang dynasty.
Upon arriving at the Zhou capital, Boyi and
Shuqi heard the news and went to see Ji Fa.
They told Ji Fa,
'Your father has just passed away, so you
should observe mourning for him.
You should not attack the Shang Dynasty. We
are all mere vassal states. Even if the Shang king had misbehaved, he was still
our leader and we should not have rebelled against him.'
However, Ji Fa ignored Boyi and Shuqi's
advice and chose to lead his army in an attack on the Shang capital.
In 1046 BC, he successfully defeated the
entire Shang army, establishing the Zhou dynasty and becoming ruler of all
China.
Upon hearing the news, Boyi and Shuqi were
furious and heartbroken. Believing the establishment of the Zhou dynasty to be
unjust, they began a hunger strike to express their disapproval of Ji Fa's
actions.
Both Boyi and Shuqi later died as a result
of the strike.
Confucius once shared his thoughts on Boyi
and Shuqi with his students.
Confucius said:
'Bo Yi and Shu Qi pursued benevolence and
performed what they believed to be benevolent acts. They later died of
starvation.
They pursued benevolence and ultimately
achieved the fruits of their labour. Therefore, I believe they must have felt
at peace when they died.'
This idiom literally means, 'They pursued
benevolence and ultimately reaped the rewards.'
It is used to describe someone who achieves
the desired result after doing something.
It can also be used to describe someone who
is able to realise their ideals and aspirations.
Dear friends, what insights or thoughts have
you gained from this story?
What do you think of their hunger strike?
Would you be willing to sacrifice your life for your ideals?
I hope this story brings you new insights.
求仁得仁(They pursued benevolence and
ultimately reaped the rewards.)
中國的歷史非常的悠久，中國歷史上的第二個王朝是(商)王朝。
商王朝的建立時間大约是在西元前1600年，商王朝的滅亡時間大約是在西元前1046年，王朝續時間大約500年。
商王朝存在的同時，中國境內還有好幾個小王國，其中有一個小王國的名字叫做(孤竹)國。
根據歷史書的記載，孤竹國的創立者是商王朝的一個皇室成員，孤竹國的首都位置大約在現在中國的河北省的唐山市附近。
孤竹國的第八任國王的名字叫做(亞微)。
亞微有三個兒子，大兒子的名字叫做(伯夷)，二兒子的名字叫做(亞憑)，小兒子的名字叫做(叔齊)。
(亞微)最喜歡他的第三個兒子，所以他立下遺囑，讓(叔齊)成為他的王位繼承人。
(叔齊)對他的兩個哥哥說。
我們的父親做的這個決策是愚昧的，我不願意繼任成為新國王。
按照祖先立下來的規定，應該要讓(伯夷)成為我們的國王。
(伯夷)與(亞憑)不肯接受叔齊的提議，他們兩個人堅持要(叔齊)成為新的國王。
(叔齊)無法改變他的兩個哥哥的想法，他最後選擇逃離孤竹國。
(叔齊)逃離孤竹國之後，(伯夷)對(亞憑)說。
我們的父親要將把他的王位交給(叔齊)，我沒有盡到我的責任去完成我們的父親的遺願。
如果我成為了新的國王，王國中的百姓會一定會誤會我為了爭取王位所以趕走我的弟弟。
我不願意接任成為新的國王。
這件事情發生的隔天，(伯夷)也逃離的孤竹國。
(伯夷)離開孤竹國後，他到了各地地方遊歷，有一天，他巧遇了(叔齊)。
他看到叔齊時非常高興，但叔齊看到他的時候非常驚訝。
他們兩個兄弟經過一番很深切的交談後，他們兩個人原諒了彼此之前的行為。
他們兩個人後來一起在中國的各地遊歷，他們兩個人的年紀進入老年，他們聽說當時周王國的國王是一個又仁慈又善良的人，所以他們兩個人便決定要到周王朝度過他們人生最後的日子。
他們兩個人到周王國的時候，老的周王國的國王剛好離世，新繼任的周王朝的國王的名字叫做(姬發)。
商王朝的最後一任國王的名字叫做(帝辛)，帝辛是一個非常殘暴的人，他不關心百姓，他只在乎自己的享樂，在他的領導下，所有的百姓都過著非常痛苦的生活。
當時的百姓與諸侯們都對(帝辛)的領導感到不滿，(姬發)在繼任為周王國的國王後，他就帶領著這些百姓與諸侯們發動軍事革命，他們的目標是推翻商王朝。
伯夷與叔齊到的周王朝的首都之後，他們聽到了這個消息，他們兩個人就去見了(姬發)。
他們兩個人對姬發說。
你的父親也剛過世，所以你應該要為你的父親守喪。
你不應該發動軍隊攻打商王朝，我們都只是諸侯，商王朝的國王就算行為很壞，但他仍舊是我們的領導者，我們不應該反叛他。
姬發沒有聽從伯夷與叔齊的勸告，他仍舊選擇帶領軍隊進攻商王朝的首都。
西元前1046年，姬發成功地打敗了商王朝的所有軍隊，他建立了周王朝，他成為全中國的統治者。
伯夷與叔齊聽到這個消息後，他們兩個人非常的氣憤與傷心，他們認為周王朝的建立是不正義的，他們就開始絕食，他們用這種激烈的方式來表達他們對於姬發的行為的不認同。
伯夷與叔齊兩個人後來都因為絕食而死。
孔子曾經對他的學生們說他對伯夷與叔齊兩個人的看法。
孔子說。
他們兩個人追求仁德而所以做出他們所認為的仁德的行為。他們兩個人後來絕食而亡。
他們追求仁德而且他們最終獲得了他們追求仁德的成果。所以我認為他們兩個人死的時候一定感到安心。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思他們追求仁德而且他們最終獲得了他們追求仁德的成果。
這句成語被用來形容一個人做一件事情後得到他們所想要的結果。
這句成語也可以被用來形容一個人比喻能夠實現自己的理想和願望。。
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。
你如何評價他們兩個人的絕食的行為呢?你是否願意為了自己了理念而犧牲自己的生命呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為史記-卷61-伯夷列傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98/%E5%8D%B7061