A wave propelled and amplified by external
forces(推波助瀾)
The Sui dynasty in China was short-lived,
lasting only 38 years from 581 to 619 AD, but it was historically significant.
Following the end of the Jin Dynasty, China
descended into a prolonged period of chaos.
From 439 to 581 AD, five dynasties rose and
fell in northern China: the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi
and Northern Zhou.
Meanwhile, from 420 AD to 589 AD, four
dynasties rose and fell in southern China: the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Southern
Liang and Southern Chen.
The Sui Dynasty's emergence ended the
chaotic period from the Jin Dynasty to the Northern and Southern Dynasties,
reuniting China. During this chaotic era, a remarkably talented Confucian
scholar emerged: Wang Tong.
He was born in 584 AD and died in 617 AD.
He wrote many books, but most of them have been lost. Only a short passage from
his conversations with his students has survived.
A student asked:
'In China today, Confucianism, Taoism and
Buddhism are intertwined and influencing each other in both public and academic
circles. What is your view on this phenomenon?"
Wang Tong replied:
'That's a very good question. It is indeed
a common phenomenon in academic and public circles today, and an important one
at that. Scholars of these three schools of thought attack and fight each
other, causing social chaos.'
A student asked:
'As Confucian scholars, should we use our
influence to eliminate and suppress Taoist and Buddhist thought?'
Wang Tong replied:
'Such a radical approach to eliminating a
school of thought is ineffective and very likely to backfire.' During the
Northern Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties, both dynasties attempted to suppress
and eradicate Buddhism by force, but both attempts failed.
Moreover, history shows that, following
these two forceful actions, Buddhism grew stronger and more steadfast in its
faith, like a wave propelled and amplified by external forces. Therefore, I
believe this approach is absolutely unworkable.
'How should we then deal with scholars from
the other two schools of thought?' asked Wang Tong's students.
Wang Tong replied, "If the core tenets
of an ideology can soothe people's hearts, satisfy their spiritual needs and
enrich their lives, then we cannot forcibly suppress it.
Based on my reading of ancient Chinese
political philosophy, I believe we should promote reconciliation and
coexistence with the other two schools of thought.'
This idiom translates directly as 'a wave
propelled and amplified by external forces'.
It describes someone or a group of people
instigating the development of an event and causing it to escalate.
Dear friend, what insights or thoughts did
you gain from this story?
How do you view people whose ideas differ
greatly from yours? How would you interact with such people?
I
hope this story gives you some new insights.
句ㄌㄥ
A wave propelled and amplified by external forces(推波助瀾)
The Sui dynasty in China was short-lived, lasting only 38 years from 581 to 619 AD, but it was historically significant.
Following the end of the Jin Dynasty, China descended into a prolonged period of chaos.
From 439 to 581 AD, five dynasties rose and fell in northern China: the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi and Northern Zhou.
Meanwhile, from 420 AD to 589 AD, four dynasties rose and fell in southern China: the Liu Song, Southern Qi, Southern Liang and Southern Chen.
The Sui Dynasty's emergence ended the chaotic period from the Jin Dynasty to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, reuniting China. During this chaotic era, a remarkably talented Confucian scholar emerged: Wang Tong.
He was born in 584 AD and died in 617 AD. He wrote many books, but most of them have been lost. Only a short passage from his conversations with his students has survived.
A student asked:
'In China today, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism are intertwined and influencing each other in both public and academic circles. What is your view on this phenomenon?"
Wang Tong replied:
'That's a very good question. It is indeed a common phenomenon in academic and public circles today, and an important one at that. Scholars of these three schools of thought attack and fight each other, causing social chaos.'
A student asked:
'As Confucian scholars, should we use our influence to eliminate and suppress Taoist and Buddhist thought?'
Wang Tong replied:
'Such a radical approach to eliminating a school of thought is ineffective and very likely to backfire.' During the Northern Wei and Northern Zhou dynasties, both dynasties attempted to suppress and eradicate Buddhism by force, but both attempts failed.
Moreover, history shows that, following these two forceful actions, Buddhism grew stronger and more steadfast in its faith, like a wave propelled and amplified by external forces. Therefore, I believe this approach is absolutely unworkable.
'How should we then deal with scholars from the other two schools of thought?' asked Wang Tong's students.
Wang Tong replied, "If the core tenets of an ideology can soothe people's hearts, satisfy their spiritual needs and enrich their lives, then we cannot forcibly suppress it.
Based on my reading of ancient Chinese political philosophy, I believe we should promote reconciliation and coexistence with the other two schools of thought.'
This idiom translates directly as 'a wave propelled and amplified by external forces'.
It describes someone or a group of people instigating the development of an event and causing it to escalate.
Dear friend, what insights or thoughts did you gain from this story?
How do you view people whose ideas differ greatly from yours? How would you interact with such people?
I hope this story gives you some new insights.
推波助瀾(A wave propelled and amplified by
external forces)
中國的隋王朝事一個很短但是在歷史上有著很重要影響的朝代，從西元581年開始到西元619年為止，隋王朝只維持了38年。
中國的晉王朝結束之後，中國陷入一段長時間的混亂狀態。
西元439年到西元581年，這段期間內中國的北方更換了五個王朝。這五個王朝的名字依序是北魏王朝、東魏王朝、西魏王朝、北齊王朝和北周王朝。
西元420年到西元589年，這段期間內中國的南方更換了四個王朝，這四個王朝的名字依序是劉宋王朝、南齊王朝、南梁王朝與南陳王朝。
隋王朝的出現結束了中國從晉王朝開始到南北王朝時代的混亂局面，中國再次從分裂的狀態回歸統一，在這個混亂的時代中，出現了一個非常天才的儒家學者，這個學者的名字叫做王通。
王通出生於西元584年，他在西元617年逝世，他寫過很多書但這些書大部分都已經失傳，目前僅存的有他與他的學生們的對答集之中，有一小段文字的記錄如下。
王通的學生問。
現在中國的民間與學界，儒家與道家與佛教的思想混雜且彼此影響，你怎樣看待這個現象呢?
王通回答。
你提出的這個問題很好，這個問題的確是我們現在學界與民間一個很普遍的現象，也是一個很重要的問題。這三種思想的學者們彼此攻擊且相互鬥爭，這種情況造成了當今的社會混亂。
王通的學生問。
我們身為儒家學者，我們是否應該發揮我們的影響力，想辦法消滅與壓制道家與佛教的思想呢?
王通回答。
這種激進的想要消滅一種思想的方式是沒有效果的，而且還很有可能造成反效果。
在北魏王朝與北周王朝還存在的時候，這兩個王朝中都曾經發生過想要用強力的手段去消滅與壓制佛教思想的行動，但是這兩次行動都以失敗告終。
而且我們從歷史書上可以看到，在這兩次強力的行動之後，佛教的思想反而就像是一陣因為受到推動與幫助因此變的很非常巨大的波浪一樣，佛教的信徒們反而愈來愈多且愈來愈堅定他們的信仰，因此我認為這種方式絕對不可行。
王通的學生問。
那我們要怎樣與另外兩種思想流派的學者們相處呢?
王通回答。
只要一種思想中的核心要點是能夠安頓人心，而且能夠滿足人們的精神上的需求且讓百姓在精神上感到富足，那麼這種思想我們就無法強行禁絕。
根據我讀過著中國古代的政治哲學的書籍中的看法，我認為我們應該推動與其它兩種思想流派的和解與並存。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是一陣因為受到推動與幫助因此變的很非常巨大的波浪。
這句成語被用來形容一個人或一群人從旁鼓動一件事情的發展，這個事情的事態因此變的擴大。
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。
你如何看待那些與你的想法有著巨大差異的人呢?你會怎樣去跟那些想法與你有著巨大差異的人們相處呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為文中子中說-卷五-問易篇-12條13條