He adopted a non-greedy attitude towards
money.(臨財不苟)
Following the fall of the Tang dynasty,
China entered the fragmented and turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
period. During this time, the renowned author Wang Dingbao wrote a book
chronicling the lives of notable figures from the Tang Dynasty. One passage in
the book reads as follows:
Xu Tang was a very talented man. After
reaching adulthood, he began taking part in the triennial imperial
examinations, but he failed several times. As he grew older, his spirits sank.
One day, through a mutual friend, he met Ma
Dai, a high-ranking military advisor in Taiyuan.
Ma Dai was about twenty years older than Xu
Tang. Despite Xu Tang being just an ordinary citizen, Ma Dai did not look down
on him. He invited Xu Tang to stay in Taiyuan for several months. During this
time, the two men often chatted and Ma Dai frequently treated Xu Tang to meals
and drinks. After a grand banquet several months later, Xu Tang told Ma Dai
privately, "I've been away from my hometown for several months. I must
return because my family needs me."
Upon hearing this, Ma Dai smiled and took a
letter from his pocket and handed it to Xu Tang.
Xu Tang was puzzled. He opened the letter
and found that it was a reply from his parents to Ma Dai.
In the letter, Xu Tang's parents wrote:
'Thank you for taking care of Xu Tang. He
has been preparing for the imperial examinations for the past few years and has
no main source of income. Thank you for supporting his living expenses.
We were relieved to receive your letter and
to know that he is safe and sound.
We also want to thank you especially. As
well as supporting Xu Tang's living expenses, you also sent us, two elderly
people, a large sum of money. We will never forget your kindness to our family,
and we sincerely wish you peace.
Upon reading the letter, Xu Tang was deeply
shocked and moved. He thanked Ma Dai repeatedly. Ma Dai smiled and told him,
"You should stay here and focus on preparing for the imperial examination.
You are very talented, and as long as you persevere and work hard, I believe
you will definitely pass and enter the central government of the Tang dynasty.'
Xu Tang finally passed the imperial
examination at the age of 49.
Wang Dingbao wrote his commentary after
this story, which included the following:
'How do you judge whether a person is
honest and upright? Observe their attitude towards money — one of non-greed.
How do you make truly worthwhile friends?
Only by spending a long time together can you truly see a person's character.
This idiom translates directly as, 'He
adopted an attitude of non-greed when it came to money.'
Dear friend, what inspiration or insights
did you gain from this story?
How do you view and use money? Do you have
any generous and sincere friends? I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
臨財不苟(He adopted a non-greedy attitude
towards money.)
中國在唐王朝滅亡之後，進入了一個分裂又動亂的五代十國王朝時代，在這段期間內有一個著名的文學家，他的名字叫做(王定保)，他寫了一本書，記錄下他所知道的唐王朝時期的一些名人生前所發生的故事，他在這本書中有一段記載如下。
許棠是一個很有才華的人，他成年後就開始參加三年一次的科舉考試，但是他接連好幾次都沒有通過考試，隨著他的年紀愈來愈大，他的心情也愈來愈沮喪。
有一天，經過朋友的介紹，許棠認識的一個名字叫做馬戴的官員，馬戴在太原這座城市擔任軍隊中的高級幕僚。
馬戴比許棠的大概大了20幾歲，馬戴沒有因為許棠的身分只是一個普通的百姓就輕視許棠，馬戴邀請許棠就在太原這座城市住了好幾個月，在這段時間內，馬戴與許棠常常一起聊天，馬戴也常常請許棠吃飯與喝酒。
幾個月後，在一場盛大的宴會之後，許棠私底下對馬戴說。
我已經離開我的家鄉好幾個月了，我必須要回去我的家鄉，因為我的家人需要我的照顧。
馬戴聽完許棠的話後，他微笑地從他的口袋中拿出一封信並交給許棠。
許棠覺得很疑惑，他把這封信打開之後，發現這是他的雙親寫給馬戴的回信。
許棠的雙親在這封信中寫著。
謝謝你照顧許棠，許棠這幾年都在準備科舉考試，他沒有主要的經濟收入，謝謝你資助他的生活所需。
我們收到你的信後，我們感到很安心，因為我們知道許棠平安的消息。
我們還要特別感謝你，你除了資助許棠的生活所需之外，還寄了一大筆錢給我們這兩個老人，我們會把你對我們家的恩惠記在心裡，我們衷心的祝福你平安。
許棠看到這封信後，他感到非常震驚與感動，他再三地跟馬戴道謝。
馬戴微笑地對他說。
你就待在這裡好好地專心準備科舉考試，你是一個很有才華的人，我相信只要你堅持持續努力，你一定可以順利通過科舉考試然後進入唐王朝的中央政府內工作。
許棠最後終於在49歲的時候通過科舉考試。
王定保在這個故事後寫下他的評論，他的評論中有幾句話如下。
如何判斷一個人是否清廉呢?只要看到這個人面對金錢時採取一種不貪心求取的態度就可以確定。
如何結交到真正值得結交的好朋友呢?只有在一起相處一段長時間之後我們才可以真正地看出一個人的品行。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是面對金錢時採取一種不貪心求取的態度。
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。
你如何看待與使用金錢呢?你是否有那種對待人非常大方與真誠的朋友呢
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為-唐摭言-卷4