In front of him stands a large table laden
with dishes.(方丈盈前)
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 Zhan.
History records a story about him.
He was tall — nearly 190 cm — with a high
forehead and a large nose. He was quiet and unsociable, and his relatives
considered him dull.
However, Wang Zhan's father disagreed with
the other relatives' views of him. He believed he was a very special person and
they had a close relationship.
After his father's death, Wang Zhan
observed a three-year mourning period according to ancient Chinese ritual. Once
the period was over, he lived alone in a small, thatched-roof house next to his
father's tomb. There, he studied and meditated, avoiding all social activities.
He was so inconspicuous and silent that all
his relatives looked down on him; even his nephews despised him.
One day, his family held a dinner party.
When he and his relatives arrived at the restaurant, they began ordering their
own meals.
A young nephew named Wang Ji was also in
attendance.
He was very young and ordered a large
number of expensive dishes, filling the 242 cm by 242 cm table in front of him.
When Wang Zhan's meal was placed on the
small table in front of him, all the relatives laughed.
His meal consisted of just a few cheap
vegetables.
Despite being ridiculed by his relatives,
he remained calm, enjoying the food in front of him.
About two or three months after this
incident, Wang Ji's father ordered him to go to Wang Zhan's house to discuss
some family matters.
Wang Ji arrived at Wang Zhan's house and
did everything his father had asked him to do. Then he sat down with Wang Zhan
and had a chat.
During their conversation, Wang Ji suddenly
noticed a book by Wang Zhan's bedside. It was the most difficult book in
Chinese history: the Book of Changes.
Wang Ji asked, 'Do you read this book every
day?'
Wang Zhan smiled and replied, 'I usually
read it when I'm not feeling well.'
Wang Ji asked, somewhat questioningly, 'Do
you understand this book? What are your thoughts after reading it?'
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhan naturally
shared some of his insights from studying the Book of Changes with Wang Ji.
As Wang Ji listened to Wang Zhan's
reflections, he was deeply moved.
Not only was Wang Zhan's explanation
incredibly detailed, but his perspectives were also unique. His study of the
Book of Changes had reached a masterful level. Many of the questions and
perspectives he raised were new to Wang Ji. Wang Zhan shared his reading
experience for hours. Wang Ji listened while constantly asking questions. In
turn, Wang Zhan offered his own perspectives and opinions in response to Wang
Ji's questions. Their conversation was so engrossing that they lost track of
time. They chatted well into the evening and Wang Ji ended up staying at Wang
Zhan's house that night.
That night, Wang Ji couldn't sleep.
Reflecting on their conversation, he felt enriched, yet many questions he had
never considered before also surfaced. The next day, Wang Ji met Wang Zhan
again to discuss the I Ching.
They continued their conversation from day
to night. They continued their discussions and dialogues for several more days
before Wang Ji finally concluded this lengthy conversation to his satisfaction.
When they had finished talking, Wang Ji
sighed and said to his uncle with great respect and deference, "I am truly
a superficial person. I'm already 30 years old and have only just realised that
someone as knowledgeable and insightful as you exists in our family.'
This idiom literally means 'there is a
large table in front of you, laden with dishes'.
It is used to describe someone's
extravagant diet or a life of luxury.
Dear friends, what insights or thoughts
have you gained from this story?
Do you judge others based on their
appearance? Who do you respect and admire the most?
I hope this story brings you new insights.
方丈盈前(In front of him stands a large table
laden with dishes.)
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，他的名字叫做王湛。
歷史書記載了一個他的故事。
他的身材很高大，他的身高接近190公分，他的額頭很高而且鼻子很大，他不喜歡說話，他很安靜，他的親戚們都覺他是一個愚笨的人。
王湛的父親不認同其他的親戚對王湛的看法，王湛的父親認為他是一個很特別的人，他們父子的感情很好。
他的父親死後，他按照中國古代的禮儀為他的父親守喪三年，三年期滿之後，他一個人住在他的父親的墓的旁邊的一間用茅草做屋頂的小小的房子內，他一個人住在這間房子裡念書與思考，他不參加任何的交際活動。
因為他太不起眼又太沉默了，所以他的家中的所有親戚們都輕視他，連他的侄子都瞧不起他。
有一次，他的家族中舉辦一場家族餐會，他與他的家族中的親戚們到了餐廳，每個人開始點自己想要吃的餐點。
他有一個名字叫做(王濟)的年輕侄子也參加的這一場家族餐會。
王濟很年輕，他一個人就點了非常多的價格很昂貴的菜餚，他點的這些菜餚擺滿了他面前一張242公分乘以242公分的大桌子。
王湛所點的餐點被放置在他面前的小桌子上時，所有的親戚都笑了。
王湛點的餐點只有幾樣價格廉價的蔬菜。
雖然他被他的所有親戚嘲笑，但是他表現得非常的平靜與自在，他很愉悅地享受他眼前的那些食物。
這件事情發生過後大約兩三個月，有一天，王濟的父親命令他去王湛的家中聯絡一些家族上面的事宜。
王濟到了王湛的家中並且把所有他的父親交代他的事情完成後，他就跟王湛坐著聊了一下天。
聊天的過程中，王濟突然看王湛的床頭有著一本書，這本書就是中國歷史上最難被人們所理解的(周易)。
王濟問。
這本書你每天都看嗎?
王湛微笑的回答。
通常在我感覺身體不太舒服時候，我就會看看這本書。
王濟用有點質疑的口氣問。
你看得懂這本書嗎?你看完這本書有那些讀書心得呢?
聽到王濟的問題後，王湛表情很自然地跟王濟分享他對於易經這本書的一些研究心得。
王濟聽著王湛的讀書心得分享時，他的內心感到極度的震撼。
王湛不只解說非常的細膩，他的觀點更是非常的特別，王湛對易經這本書的研究已經到了大師級的程度，王湛所提出的許多問題與看法都是王濟從來沒有聽過也沒有想過的。
王湛連續分享他的讀書心得好幾個小時，王濟在傾聽的同時也不斷地提出許多問題，王湛也針對王濟的問題一一的提出自己的觀點與看法，他們兩個人聊得太深入了，他們聊天聊到忘了時間，他們聊到晚上，當晚，王濟就住在王湛家中。
當天晚上，王濟失眠了，他回想起今天的聊天內容，他的內心覺得很有收穫，但同時又湧出了很多他以前從來沒有想過的問題，隔天起床後，王濟又找王湛繼續討論易經這本書。
第二天，他們又從白天對話到黑夜，第三天、第四天、第五天、他們兩個人連續討論與對話了好幾天後，王濟才滿足地結束了這次漫長的對話。
當他們兩個人正式結束這場對話之後，王濟嘆了一口氣，他態度非常恭敬且尊敬的對著他的叔叔說。
我真的是一個膚淺的人，我已經30歲了，我竟然直到今天才知道我們家中有像你這樣的見識與知識如此廣博的人。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是面前有一張大桌子，這張大桌子上面擺滿了菜餚。
這句成語被用來形容一個人的飲食非常的奢侈鋪張，也被用來形容一個人過著非常奢糜的生活。
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。
你會因為一個人的外表去評斷一個人嗎?你的心目中最尊敬與敬佩的人是誰呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為晉書-卷75-王湛傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E6%99%89%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7075