The man who fainted from hunger in Yisang.(翳桑餓人)
Throughout China's long history, ordinary
people are sometimes recorded in official historical books. Although they are
only mentioned briefly, these short passages offer later generations of readers
much inspiration.
During the Spring and Autumn period, in the
kingdom of Jin, there was a man named Ling Zhe. He was an ordinary man with no
particular talent. After reaching adulthood, he left his hometown for a large
city, hoping to become a low-ranking official through his own efforts.
Ling Zhe had been away from his hometown
for three years. Perhaps due to bad luck, not only did he fail to become a
low-ranking official, he also spent all his money.
Ling Zhe said to himself,
'I have tried my best, but I cannot achieve
my ideal. Am I going to die here? I should go back to my hometown — my mother
is waiting for me there.'
He left the city and headed towards his
hometown. On the third day, he arrived in a small village called Yisang. He had
no money and hadn't eaten for three days, so he collapsed on the road in the
village.
On that same day, a minister named Zhao Dun
was on his way to hunt in the forest with his servants. As they rode past
Yisang village, they saw Ling Zhe lying by the roadside.
Zhao Dun immediately stopped his horse and
ordered his servants to carry Ling Zhe to rest under a large tree by the
roadside. Thanks to the servants' prompt assistance, Lingzhe regained
consciousness after about ten minutes.
Zhao Dun asked him, "Who are you? What
happened to you? Why did you collapse by the roadside?'
After hearing Lingzhe's story, Zhao Dun
immediately ordered his servants to give Lingzhe the food they were carrying.
Lingzhe's eyes lit up when he received the
food, as he was hungry. He thanked Zhao Dun and began to eat immediately.
About ten minutes into the meal, Ling Zhe
turned to Zhao Dun and said, "The food you gave me is so delicious! I have
never tasted anything so exquisite. May I keep half of it to take back to my
mother?
My hometown is only about a half-day's
journey from here."
Zhao Dun laughed heartily when he heard
Ling Zhe's words. "You are a very filial man," he said to Ling Zhe.
Eat as much as you like. I will instruct my servants to prepare another portion
for you to take back to your mother.'
Ling Zhe returned home safely that day. He
was very grateful to Zhao Dun for his help.
Years later, Ling Zhe entered the palace of
the Jin Kingdom by chance, as a guard.
One day, the King of Jin issued an order to
the palace guards. The king said: 'I despise Minister Zhao Dun; he constantly
criticises me. I want you to arrest and kill him.'
As the guards attempted to capture Zhao
Dun, Ling Zhe recognised him as the man who had helped him years ago. Ling Zhe
immediately decided to help Zhao Dun in return, enabling him to successfully
evade capture by the guards.
After escaping, Zhao Dun gratefully asked
Ling Zhe,
'Why did you help me?' Who are you? I want
to thank you properly.'
Ling Zhe smiled and said to Zhao Dun,
'I'm the man who fainted from hunger in
Yisang years ago.
You helped me then, and I am very grateful.
Today, I have this opportunity to repay your kindness.'
Afterwards, Ling Zhe immediately returned
to his hometown and fled to other kingdoms with his mother.
This idiom translates directly as 'the man
who fainted from hunger in Yisang'.
It describes someone who, after receiving
help from others, remembers it and finds an opportunity to repay them.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
did you gain from this story?
Have you ever received kindness from
others? Are you a grateful person who wants to repay that kindness?
I
hope this story gives you some new insights.
翳桑餓人(The man who fainted from hunger in
Yisang.)
中國漫長的歷史中，有時候會看到一些很平凡的普通人被記錄在官方的歷史書中。這些人的出現雖然只有短短的篇章，但是卻讓後代的讀者可以從這些簡短的文字中得到許多的啟發。
中國的春秋時代，晉王國中有一個名字叫做(靈輒)的男人，他是一個很平凡的人，他沒有特別的專長，他成年後離開自己的故鄉，他到了大都市中，他希望可以透過自己的努力成為一個低階的官員。
(靈輒)離開自己的家鄉已經三年，可能是他的運氣不好，他不但沒有成為一個低階的官員，他還花光了自己身上的所有錢。
(靈輒)對自己說。
我已經努力過了，但是我沒有辦法實現我的理想，難道我要死在這個地方嗎?我應該要回去我的故鄉，我的母親還在故鄉等著我回去。
(靈輒)離開大都市往他的故鄉前進，到了第三天，他走到了一座名叫(翳桑)的小村莊。因為他身上沒有錢，所以他已經連續三天都沒有吃飯了，他昏倒在(翳桑)這座小村莊中的路上。
(靈輒)昏倒的那一天，有一個名字叫做(趙盾)的大臣正好帶著他的僕役們要去森林中打獵，趙盾與他的僕役們騎著馬經過(翳桑)這座村莊時，他們看到(靈輒)昏倒在路邊。
趙盾立刻停下馬，他吩咐手下的僕役把(靈輒)抬到路邊的一棵大樹下休息。在趙盾的僕役們的緊急救助下，經過十幾分鐘後，(靈輒)恢復清醒。
趙盾問靈輒。
你是誰?你發生意外了嗎?你為何昏倒在路邊?
(靈輒)對趙盾說了自己的故事後，趙盾立刻吩咐他的僕役們把他們所攜帶的食物取出並拿給(靈輒)吃。
飢餓的(靈輒)拿到這些食物後眼睛發光，他對趙盾說聲謝謝後立刻開始吃東西。
(靈輒)吃了大概十分鐘後，他對趙盾說。
你給我的這些食物太美味了，我從來沒有吃過那麼好吃又精緻的食物，我可以留下一半，帶回去給我的母親吃嗎?
我的故鄉離這座村莊不遠，大概半天的路程，我就可以回到我的故鄉了。
趙盾聽到靈輒的話後哈哈大笑，他對靈輒說。
你是一個很孝順的男人，你盡量吃，我吩咐我的僕役們另外準備一份食物讓你帶回去給你的母親。
(靈輒)那一天順利地回到自己的家鄉，(靈輒)的心中非常感謝趙盾對他的幫助，
幾年後，因為一個偶然的機會，(靈輒)進入了晉王國的皇宮內擔任衛兵的職位。
有一天，晉王國的國王對皇宮內的衛兵隊下達了一個指令，國王說。
我很討厭趙盾這個大臣，他常常批評我，我要你們把他抓起來，我要殺了他。
衛兵隊抓捕趙盾的過程中，(靈輒)認出趙盾就是幾年前幫助過自己的那個人，(靈輒)當下就做出一個決定，他決定反過來幫助趙盾，他幫助趙盾讓趙盾成功逃避衛兵隊的抓捕。
趙盾在脫離追捕後很感激地問(靈輒)。
你為何要幫助我，你是誰，我要好好地感謝你。
(靈輒)微笑著對趙盾說。
我就是幾年前在翳桑那個地方的那個飢餓到昏倒的男人。
幾年前你幫助過我，我很高興，我今天能夠有這個機會回報你對我的恩情。
(靈輒)做完這件事後，他就立刻回到故鄉並且帶著他的母親逃亡到其他王國。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是在翳桑那個地方的那個飢餓到昏倒的男人。
這句成語被用來形容一個人在接受別人的幫助後，這個人記在心裡並且找到機會去回報那些幫助過自己的人。
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。
你曾經接受過別人的恩惠嗎?你是一個知道感恩與會想要報恩的人嗎?
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
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