He promoted his inner sincerity and applied
it to his interactions with others.(推誠接物)
During China's Jin Dynasty, there was a
famous minister. His family was one of the most powerful in the land, with many
of its members serving in the central government. His name was Wang Cheng, and
his story is recorded in history books.
He was a deeply sincere man who promoted
this sincerity within himself and applied it to his interactions with others.
He applied this attitude to his family,
friends and work, as well as to the common people and those who were less
powerful and influential than him.
The Jin Dynasty was a period of great
turmoil, characterised by constant warfare and severe inflation.
The social class system was also very
pronounced at the time. Without being born into one of the prominent families
of the time, it was virtually impossible to become a minister in the central
government.
Life was extremely difficult for the local
people and minor officials. Meanwhile, powerful tycoons and prominent families
lived in extreme luxury.
Wang Cheng served as governor of Donghai
County, during which time two notable events occurred. On one occasion, a minor
official was arrested for stealing a few fish from an official pond. When the
case was brought before him, he conducted a private investigation and
discovered that the official's life was extremely difficult. Realising that
systemic problems in the bureaucracy resulted in many minor officials earning
very little, he adopted a lenient approach in his adjudication. He offered his
advice to the mid-level officials judging the case. He told them a story about
a great ancient Chinese leader named Ji Chang. He opened up his forests,
allowing everyone to hunt there.' We should emulate the magnanimity of this
great leader." The minor official's offence was minor; he had only caught
a few fish. As long as he promises not to do it again, we should give him a
chance to mend his ways.'
On another occasion, a young man was
arrested in the street in the middle of the night. Because there was a curfew
in place, he was sentenced. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that
he was a diligent student. He was so engrossed in his studies at his teacher's
home that he failed to notice it had got dark, thus breaking the law.
The judge adopted a lenient approach when
adjudicating the case.
He offered advice to the mid-level
officials handling the case.
The purpose of our laws is not to instil fear
in people by punishing them.
This young man accidentally broke the law
because of his studies; he didn't do it maliciously.
I believe he deserves forgiveness.
Wang Cheng was respected and loved by
everyone because of his kindness and tolerance.
The idiom means that he was sincere and
used this sincerity in his interactions with others.
Dear friends, what insights or thoughts have
you gained from this story?
What do you think the purpose of laws is?
Can you truly empathise with others?
I hope this story will provide you with new
insights.
推誠接物(He promoted his inner sincerity and
applied it to his interactions with others.)
中國的晉王朝有一個著名的大臣，他的家族是晉王朝中最有權力的一個家族，他的很多家人都在中央政府內擔任大臣，他的名字叫做王承，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
他是一個很真誠的人，他推展自己內心的真誠，他用這種真誠的心與他人交往。
他用這種態度面對他的家人朋友與工作，他也用這種態度對待所有的百姓與那些權力與地位比不上他的人。
晉王朝的時代是一個非常動亂的時代，戰亂仍然持續發生，通貨膨脹的情況非常的嚴重。
當時的社會階級制度非常的明顯，如果一個人不是出身於當時幾個著名的家族，那麼這個人幾乎不可能進入中央政府內擔任大臣。
地方上的百姓與很多小官吏的生活非常的艱難，同一時間，掌握巨大權力的財閥與名門們過著極度奢侈的生活。
王承曾經擔任東海郡的省長，在這段期間發生了兩件事。
有一次，有一個小官員因為偷釣了幾隻官方的池塘中的魚而被逮捕。
這個案件送到他的面前，他經過私底下調查後發現，這個小官吏的生活非常的困難。他理解當時的官僚體系的系統性問題造成很多小官吏的收入非常的少，所以他在裁決這個案件的時候，他採取仁慈的態度。
他對審判這個案件的中級官員提出他的建議。
他說。
有一個關於中國古代有一個非常名字叫做(姬昌)的偉大領導者的故事。他開放他所擁有的森林，他讓所有的百姓都可以到他所擁有的森林中去打獵。
我們應該學習這個偉大的領導者的心胸，這個小官吏所犯的罪行很小，他只是釣了幾條魚。
只要他答應以後不要再犯，我們這次應該給他一個改過的機會，
又有一次，有一個年輕人半夜在路上被逮捕，因為當時有宵禁，所以這個人要被判刑。他深入了解後，他發現這個人是一個很用心的學生，這個學生太用心學習、他在老師家念書時沒有注意到已經天黑了，他也因此觸犯法律。
他在裁決這個案件的時候，他採取的寬容的態度。
他對審判這個案件的中級官員提出他的建議。
他說。
我們設立法律的目的不是為了藉著處罰百姓來讓百姓感到恐懼。
這個年輕人因為讀書的關係所以不小心觸犯法律，他並非惡意的犯法。
我認為他是值得原諒的。
王承因為非常的仁慈與寬容，所以他受到所有人的尊敬與喜愛。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是他推展自己內心的真誠，他用這種真誠的心與他人交往。
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。
你認為法律的設立為何呢?你是否能夠站在別人的立場去為他人著想呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為晉書-卷75-王承傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E6%99%89%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7075