A person who is willing to correct their mistakes is truly valuable.(過而能改善莫大焉)
During China's Spring and Autumn period,
there was a king of the Kingdom of Jin named Ji Yigao. His story is recorded in
historical texts.
He ascended the throne at the age of four.
Because of his royal status and his mother's doting nature, he received little
strict discipline from that age.
His background and status shaped his
personality. As a teenager, he became unrestrained and committed many cruel
acts, which he found amusing.
Ji Yigao announced a tax increase, using
the proceeds to beautify his palace.
From a high palace platform, he attacked
people walking in the streets with a slingshot. He found this amusing and
laughed as people scattered in terror.
He once ordered the execution of the royal
chef simply because he was dissatisfied with his cooking.
In the Kingdom of Jin, there was a very
loyal and upright minister named Shi Hui.
After witnessing the execution of the cook,
Shi Hui offered his advice directly.
He said:
'A king should care for and cherish the
people of his kingdom. You should not kill people arbitrarily.'
We have heard that you ordered the
execution of the royal chef because you were unhappy with his cooking. This was
the wrong thing to do, and you should correct your mistake.
Ji Yigao replied perfunctorily.
'I know I was wrong, and I will correct my
mistake.'
Although Shi Hui could sense that Ji
Yigao's words were not sincere, he still offered him some encouragement.
Shi Hui said,
'Everyone makes mistakes and has made
mistakes. A person who is willing to correct their mistakes is truly valuable.'
However, the young Ji Yigao did not correct
his mistakes; he continued to act as he pleased. This behaviour continued to
anger the people and ministers. In 607 BC, a coup occurred in the Jin Kingdom
and Ji Yigao was killed. He was only 17 years old.
The idiom translates directly as follows: A
person who is willing to correct their mistakes is truly valuable.
It is used to describe someone who is
willing to correct their mistakes.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
did you gain from this story?
How did your parents discipline you when
you were young? Which methods do you think are best for disciplining children?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
過而能改善莫大焉 (A person who is willing to
correct their mistakes is truly valuable.)
中國的春秋時代的晉王國，有一個名字叫做(姬夷皋)的國王，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
他四歲就透過繼承成為晉王國的國王，他的母親非常的寵愛他，因為國王的身分，所以他從四歲之後就沒有受到嚴格的管教。
他的身分與背景形塑了他的個性，他到了十幾歲的青少年時期，他變得不受拘束，他做了很多很殘忍的事，但是他覺得這些事情非常有趣。
(姬夷皋)宣布要增加稅收，他拿這些稅收來美化他所住的皇宮。
他拿著彈弓從皇宮中的高台上攻擊那些正在街道上走路的百姓，他看到百姓們因為驚恐而到處躲避的樣子，他覺得有趣且哈哈大笑。
他曾經下令處決皇家廚師就只因為皇家廚師的廚藝令他覺得不滿意。
晉王國中有一個很忠誠而且很正直的大臣，這個大臣的名字叫做(士會)。
(士會)看到(姬夷皋)的處死廚師的這件行為後，他直接向(姬夷皋)提出自己的勸告。
(士會)說。
一個國家的國王應該要關心與照顧王國中的百姓，你不應該隨便的殺人。
我們聽說有你因為覺得皇家廚師所煮的料理讓你不滿意，你就下令殺了皇家廚師，你這件行為是錯的，你應該要改正自己的錯誤。
(姬夷皋)用一種很敷衍的語氣回答。
我知道我錯了，我會改正我的錯誤。
(士會)雖然可以感覺的到(姬夷皋)說這些話並不誠懇，但他還是正面的鼓勵(姬夷皋)。
士會說。
我們每個人都會犯錯也都曾犯過錯，一個人在犯了過錯後，這個人願意改正自己的錯誤，這個人的這種願意改正自己的錯誤的行為非常的可貴。
年輕的(姬夷皋)後來沒有改正自己的錯誤，他還是繼續照他的方式去做，他的行為持續地引起百姓與大臣們的憤怒，西元前607年，晉王國發生了一場政變，(姬夷皋)被殺，那年他才只有17歲。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是一個人在犯了過錯後，這個人願意改正自己的錯誤，這個人的這種願意改正自己的錯誤的行為非常的可貴。
這句成語被用來形容一個人願意改正自己的錯誤。
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。
你小時候，你的父母親如何管教你呢?你認為小孩應該要用那種方式去管教比較好呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為左傳-宣公2年