His life ended at the age ordained by
Heaven.(終其天年)
Following the collapse of the Jin dynasty
in China, the country descended into a prolonged period of chaos.
Between 439 and 581 AD, five dynasties rose
and fell in northern China. These dynasties were: Northern Wei, Eastern Wei,
Western Wei, Northern Qi and Northern Zhou.
Meanwhile, from 420 to 589 AD, four
dynasties rose and fell in southern China. These dynasties were: Liu Song,
Southern Qi, Southern Liang and Southern Chen.
A very famous minister of the Southern
Liang dynasty at that time was Zhang Sheng, whose story is recorded in
historical books.
He had a good friend named Xiao Yi who was
well-versed in the I Ching. One day, while Zhang Sheng and Xiao Yi were
chatting, Xiao Yi said to Zhang Sheng, 'Let me divine your future.' A few
minutes later, Xiao Yi said to Zhang Sheng, looking very serious...
'You will enter the administrative system
of the Southern Liang dynasty and serve as governor of a prefecture. However,
according to this divination, your life will not end at the age ordained by
Heaven. You will die young.'
Hearing this, Zhang Sheng calmly replied,
'We will all die. The length of my life makes no difference to me. As long as
one's death is meaningful and valuable, I don't care how old one is.'
In 548 AD, a military general named Hou
Jing launched an armed rebellion in the Southern Liang dynasty. That year,
Zhang Sheng was the leader of Wuxing County, which is now part of Zhejiang
Province in China.
During this turbulent time, he bravely led
his officers and soldiers to the front lines to fight against Hou Jing's army.
However, due to Hou Jing's overwhelming military strength, Zhang Sheng's army
was defeated and he was captured.
Zhang Sheng was brought before Hou Jing.
Hou Jing said to him, " 'If you surrender and join my army, I will spare
your life. If you don't, I will kill you and your entire family.'
Zhang Sheng said solemnly to Hou Jing.
'My family and I will never surrender. We
will never join your rebellion. We will never submit to you. Kill us.'
Hou Jing killed Zhang Sheng and his entire
family.
Years later, after the rebellion had been
quelled, the King of Liang publicly praised Zhang Sheng's noble character and
bestowed the highest honour upon him for his actions.
This idiom translates as "his life
ended at the age ordained by Heaven".
It is used to describe someone who lives a
very long life and dies naturally in old age.
Dear friend, what insights or inspiration
did you gain from this story?
How do you think a person should live to
make their life meaningful? Are you satisfied and at peace with your life?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
終其天年(His life ended at the age ordained by
Heaven.)
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。
當時的中國的南方的南梁王朝一個非常著名的大臣，他的名字叫做(張嵊)，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
他有一個名字叫做蕭繹的好朋友，蕭繹對於易經很有研究。有一天，張嵊與蕭繹在聊天的時候，蕭繹對張嵊說。讓我為你占卜，看看你之後的人生際遇會如何?
幾分鐘後，蕭繹臉色很沉重的對張嵊說。
你未來會進入南梁王朝的行政體系內，你會擔任一個州的州長，但是根據這個占卜的結果顯示，你的一生不能夠結束在上天給人們設定的那個年限，你會在很年輕的時候就過世。
張嵊聽完這些話後，他的表情很平靜地說。
我們每個人都會死，活的時間的長短對我而言沒有差別，只要一個人死得有意義而且有價值，那麼幾歲死我都覺得無所謂。
西元548年，南梁王朝中一個名字叫做侯景的軍事將領發動了武裝叛亂，那一年，張嵊擔任位於現在中國的浙江省的吳興郡的領導。
在這個情勢動亂的時候，張嵊勇敢地帶領著軍官與士兵們站在第一線對抗侯景的軍隊，但是由於侯景的軍事實力太過強大，張嵊這一方戰敗，張嵊被俘虜。
張嵊被帶到侯景面前。侯景對他說。
只要你願意投降被且加入我的陣營，那麼我可以讓你活下去。如果你不投降，我要殺了你跟你的所有家人。
張嵊很嚴肅地對侯景說。
我與我的家人們都不可能會投降，我們絕對不會加入你的叛亂組織，我們絕對不會向你屈服，你殺了我們吧。
侯景殺了張嵊與他的所有家人。
幾年後，當侯景所發動的這場叛亂被平定後，梁王朝的國王特別的公開表揚張嵊的高尚品德，並且針對張嵊的行為給予最高的榮譽。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是他的一生能夠結束在上天給人們設定的那個年限。
這句成語被用來形容一個人非常長壽，這個人活到年紀老邁後自然死亡。
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。
你認為人要怎樣活著才有價值呢?你活著的每一天是否都感覺到滿足與安心嗎?
我希望這個故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為南史-卷31-張嵊傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%8D%97%E5%8F%B2/%E5%8D%B731