Knowing Nothing(一無所知)
During the Tang dynasty in China, there was a famous poet named Bai Juyi.
Once, he wrote a letter to a good friend in
which he discussed his approach to writing.
He said:
'As I grow older and experience more, my
creative ideas gradually change from those of my youth. I believe that an
intellectual's writing should reflect the current state of society, and their
poetry should mirror real life.'
He wrote a poem, the gist of which is as
follows:
'I see many idealistic intellectuals around
me, people who study very diligently.
They study until their eyesight
deteriorates and write until their hands are calloused.
They spend the best years of their lives
studying, taking the imperial examinations many times before finally
succeeding, and achieving their dream of becoming officials in the central
government only in middle age. However, this success seems to come too late.
By the time they finally obtain the money
and power they desire, their bodies have aged, their heads are full of white
hair, and their health has deteriorated.
I
also noticed several wealthy, aristocratic families around me.
The young men in these families were
physically frail, almost like girls. They had never done any hard labour,
disliked studying and reading, and had no grand vision for their future.
However, because they came from noble
families, they immediately inherited their fathers' titles upon reaching
adulthood.
They frequently went on outings to the
countryside, wearing well-tailored, expensive clothes and riding tall,
beautiful horses.
They went to casinos to gamble and drink in
the mornings and to nightclubs and brothels in the evenings.
Their families could support their enormous
daily expenses, which they squandered recklessly. Aside from matters related to
eating, drinking and entertainment, they knew nothing of the common sense and
knowledge a person should possess to live a fulfilling life.
I sighed. Those diligent, intellectuals are
like a tall pine tree at the bottom of a valley, while the children of wealthy
families are like wild grass growing high up on a mountain. Although wild grass
is far less valuable than a pine tree, because it grows high, it can look down
on and mock the pines.
This is an unfair situation, but it is the
norm in the world and we cannot change it. We should view this phenomenon
rationally, without feeling resentful or indignant.
This idiom translates literally as 'knowing
nothing'.
It is used to describe someone who is
extremely ignorant and lacks common sense.
Dear friend, what inspiration or insights
did you gain from this story?
Have you ever envied people with better
family backgrounds? Do you think it's lucky or unlucky to be born into a
wealthy family?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
一無所知(Knowing Nothing)
中國的唐王朝時代有一個著名的詩人，他的名字是(白居易)。
有一次他寫了一封信給一個好朋友，他在這封信中提到他的寫作理念。
他說。
隨著我的年紀愈來愈大，我經歷的事情愈來愈多，我的創作想法也漸漸變得與年輕時不同。我認為一個知識份子，寫的文章應該要能夠反映社會的現況，寫的詩歌應該要能夠反映真實的人生。
他寫過一首詩，這首詩的大概意思如下。
我看到我周圍有許多有理想的知識份子，這些人非常認真的學習。
他們念書念到眼睛近視，他們寫作寫到手上長繭。
他們的人生的最精華的時刻都花在念書上，他們考了好幾次的科舉考試才終於成功考取，他們在中年之後才實現他們的願望成為中央政府的一個官員，但是這成功好像來的太遲了。
他們終於獲得了他們想要的金錢與權力，但他們的身體已經衰老，他們的頭上長滿了白頭髮，他們的身體失去了健康。
我又看到我的周圍有一些有錢的貴族的家庭。
在這些家庭中的那些男青年們的身體嬌弱就如像是一個女孩子一樣，他們從來沒有做過粗重的工作，他們不喜歡學習，他們很討厭讀出，他們對自己的未來沒有偉大的願景。
但是因為他們在一個貴族的家庭中，所以他們在成年後就立刻繼承了他的父親的爵位。
他們經常到郊外遊玩，他們穿的剪裁合身的昂貴衣服，他們騎著高大漂亮的駿馬。
他們早上會去賭場去賭博與喝酒，他們晚上就到歌廳與特種營業場所。
他們的家庭可以支撐他們每天花費的鉅額的金錢，他們恣意揮霍享受，他們除了跟吃喝玩樂相關的事情之外，對於那些人活著應該具備的相關常識與知識他們什麼都不知道。
我發出嘆氣，那些認真念書的人就像是一顆長在山谷底部高大的松樹，而那些有錢人家的小孩就像是這就像一株長在高山上的野草，野草遠遠比不上高大的松樹有價值，但是因為野草長在高山上，所以這些野草可以俯視那些松樹並且嘲笑那些松樹。
這種不公平的情況是人世間的常態，我們都沒有辦法改變，我們應該理性地看到這種現象，我們不用為此感到不平與悲憤。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是什麼都不知道
這句成語被用來形容一個人非常的無知，這個人連常識都不知道。
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。
你是否曾經羨慕那些家庭背景比你好的人呢?你認為出生在這種有錢家庭對一個人是幸運還是不幸運呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為白居易-悲哉行
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E6%82%B2%E5%93%89%E8%A1%8C_(%E7%99%BD%E5%B1%85%E6%98%93)