A plum tree willingly takes the place of a peach tree and endures insect bites; it would rather wither and die than allow the peach tree to suffer.(李代桃僵)
A plum tree willingly takes the place of a
peach tree and endures insect bites; it would rather wither and die than allow
the peach tree to suffer.(李代桃僵)
During the Northern Song dynasty in China,
there was a famous writer named Guo Maoqian.
He loved music and poetry. He spent a great
deal of time collecting and organising poems from over a thousand years before
the Song dynasty, compiling them into a 100-volume book.
In this book, he divided the poems into
twelve categories and provided detailed explanations of their characteristics.
He also provided detailed explanations of the poems' origins and nature, how to
perform them, and which instruments were suitable.
This book is extremely valuable for the
study and preservation of ancient Chinese poetry.
One poem in the book is titled 'The Rooster
Crows', and its general meaning is as follows:
The rooster crows high in the tree and the
dog barks in the vast palace. This is a peaceful and prosperous age in which
everyone lives in stability.
The law regulates the common people, but
not the wealthy nobles.
Look at those nobles living incredibly
luxurious lives. Their palaces are made of gold and jade, and they spend their
days drinking and dining there while enjoying daily music and dance
performances.
Their private estates are vast, with
enormous ponds teeming with mandarin ducks in their courtyards.
Several members of each noble family hold
official positions in the central government and wield immense power. Their
carriages and horses are lavishly decorated.
However, these noble families are not
harmonious.
Beside the well, where everyone gathers,
grow a peach tree and a plum tree. The two trees are very close, having stood
side by side for many years.
One day, pests appeared and began gnawing
at the peach tree's roots, causing it great pain.
Seeing the peach tree suffer, the plum tree
told the pests, 'You can bite my roots instead. I am willing to bear this pain
in the peach tree's place.'
This plum tree would rather be bitten by
insects than let another peach tree be harmed; it would rather wither and die
than see the peach tree suffer.
If the peach and plum trees can care for
each other, why can't brothers in noble families do the same?
This idiom literally means 'This plum tree
was willing to be bitten by insects in place of another peach tree; this plum
tree would rather wither and die than let the peach tree be harmed.'
It is used to describe someone who takes
punishment or hardship for someone else.
Dear friend, what insights have you gained from this story?
Would you be willing to suffer hardship for someone else? Is your relationship with your siblings good?
I hope this story
gives you some new insights.
李代桃僵(A plum tree willingly takes the place
of a peach tree and endures insect bites; it would rather wither and die than
allow the peach tree to suffer.)
中國的北宋王朝有一個著名的文學家，他的名字叫做(郭茂倩)。
他很喜歡音樂與詩歌，他花了很多時間蒐集並整理了中國宋王朝前的超過一千年以上的一些詩歌然後寫成了一套共100卷的書。
他在這套書中把他所蒐集到的所有音樂分成了12大類，每一類中都仔細的說明其特點，他還把這些詩歌的起源與性質還有如何演唱和適合搭配那些樂器來演奏都有詳細的說明。
他的這套書對於中國古代的詩歌研究與保存具有非常高的價值。
這套書中有一首詩的名字是雞鳴，這首詩的大概意思如下。
公雞在高高的樹上鳴叫，狗在廣大的宮殿中吠，這是個太平盛世，所有人都生活在安定之中。
法律規範了平民但無法規範那些有錢的貴族。
看啊，那些貴族生活的非常的奢侈，他們出入的宮殿是用黃金與美玉所建造，他們每天在宮殿中喝酒吃飯，他們每天在宮殿中每天與欣賞音樂與舞蹈的演出。
他們私人的房產佔地非常的廣闊，他們的院子中有非常大的水池，水池中有著非常多的鴛鴦。
每個貴族的家庭中都有好幾個人都在中央政府內擔任官員，他們的權力極大，他們外出時所搭乘的馬車與馬上都有著極其豪華的裝飾。
但是這些貴族的家庭並不和睦。
在大家聚集的水井旁，長著一棵桃樹與李樹，這兩棵樹的感情非常好，它們相互陪伴已經好幾年了。
有一天，有害蟲出現，這些害蟲咬著桃樹的樹根，桃樹感到非常痛苦。
李樹看到桃樹非常痛苦的樣子後就對那些害蟲說，你們來咬我的樹根吧，我願意代替桃樹承受這些痛苦。
這顆李樹願意替代另一棵桃樹被蟲咬，這顆李樹寧願自己枯死也不希望桃樹受傷害
為何桃樹與李樹能夠互相關懷，但是這些貴族的家庭中的兄弟們卻像是仇人一樣互相傷害呢。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是這顆李樹願意替代另一棵桃樹被蟲咬，這顆李樹寧願自己枯死也不希望桃樹受傷害
這句成語被用來形容一個人代替別人遭受懲罰或遭受到患難。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有什麼樣的或有什麼樣的啟發呢。
你願意為了誰遭受到患難嗎?你跟你的兄弟姊妹的關係好嗎?
我希望這個故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為樂府詩集-卷28-相和歌辭三-3條