Too many to be fully recorded.(不可勝記)
Sima Qian was China's most eminent
historian. Both he and his father served as officials in the central
government, responsible for recording history. While this position was not
particularly high-ranking or well-paid, it was highly respected.
Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian
is China's most classic history book. In his youth, he travelled throughout
China conducting detailed fieldwork. In middle age, he began to compile Chinese
history from 2700 BC to 100 BC based on the materials he had collected.
In 99 BC, an event occurred that would
profoundly impact his life.
A Han Dynasty general named Li Ling was
defeated and captured in a battle against the Xiongnu.
The Han king and his ministers considered
Li Ling's actions to be treasonous. However, Sima Qian offered a different
perspective. He told the king and his ministers:
Li Ling's defeat was due to the fact that
the Han army was far outnumbered by the Xiongnu. He argued that Li Ling had
only feigned surrender and that, if given the opportunity, he would have found
a way to escape back to the Han Dynasty. The Han Dynasty emperor was angered by
Sima Qian's words and sentenced him to a punishment that would severely damage
his male dignity: castration.
Upon hearing this verdict, Sima Qian was
unable to accept the humiliation and contemplated suicide.
However, thinking of his father and his
unfinished book, he ultimately chose to accept his fate bravely.
He wrote a letter to a close friend named
Ren An describing his experience after the punishment.
Throughout China's long history, there have
been many wealthy and powerful people.
There have been too many of these people to
be fully recorded.
They held great positions in life, but who
remembers them now?
Only the truly outstanding leave a mark on
history and are remembered, and they are usually remembered through the books
they wrote.
The founder of the Zhou dynasty wrote the
'Book of Changes' (Zhou Yi) while imprisoned, and Confucius compiled the
'Spring and Autumn Annals' (Chun Qiu) while trapped in the kingdoms of Chen and
Cai. Qu Yuan, China's first poet, wrote the poem Li Sao after being exiled.
Despite being blind, Zuo Qiuming wrote the book Guoyu. Sun Bin, a great ancient
military strategist, wrote Sun Bin's Art of War after losing the ability to
walk. Lü Buwei, the Prime Minister of Qin, compiled the Lüshi Chunqiu after
being demoted. Han Fei, a Legalist, completed many important works while
imprisoned in Qin.
All of these individuals were of great
character and ambition, and are worthy of our emulation. They all wrote their
most important works when facing hardship and setbacks.
At their lowest points, when they were
overcome with sorrow and depression, they believed that they might never
realise their ideals. Therefore, they wrote these books, hoping that their
thoughts and perspectives would be seen by future generations.
They succeeded. We, their descendants,
remember their great character and lofty ideals because we have read these
books.
This idiom translates as 'too many to be
fully recorded'.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
have you gained from this story?
Have you ever thought about what you could
leave behind for the world after you die? Would you like to share your life
experiences with the younger members of your family?
I hope this story will provide you with
some new insights.
不可勝記(Too many to be fully recorded.)
司馬遷是中國最傑出的歷史學家。他的父親與他都在中央政府內擔任負責記錄歷史的官員，這個工作沒有非常高的地位與非常好的薪水，但是這是一個非常令人尊敬的職位。
司馬遷寫的史記是中國最經典的歷史書。他在青年時代走遍了全中國，進行詳細的田野調查。他在中年之後根據所蒐集的材料，開始整理中國從公元前2700年到公元前100年間的中國歷史。
西元前99年，發生了一件對他的生命影響巨大的事情。
漢王朝有一個名字叫做李陵的將軍，他在一場與匈奴王國的戰役中被打敗後被俘虜。
漢王朝的國王與其他的大臣們認為李陵的行為屬於叛變，司馬遷卻提出了不同的觀點，司馬遷對國王與其他的大臣們說。
李陵會打敗仗是因為這場戰役中漢王朝的軍隊人數遠遠少於匈奴王國的軍隊人數，李陵只是假裝投降，只要有機會，李陵一定會想辦法逃回到漢王朝。
司馬遷的話惹怒了漢王朝的國王，他被判處一個極度損害男性尊嚴的刑罰，他被判處宮刑。
司馬遷聽到這個判決之後，他的內心無法接受這種屈辱，他想要自殺。
但是他想到他的父親，他想到自己尚未完成的這本書，他最後選擇勇敢接受這個刑罰。
他曾經寫信給他的一個名字叫做(任安)的好朋友，他在這封信中描繪了他被刑罰之後。
中國漫長的歷史中，有許多有錢有權的人，。
這些有錢有權的人多到沒有辦法完全記錄。
這些人活著的時候很有地位，但是現在還有誰記得他們呢?
真正能夠在歷史上留下痕跡而且被我們記得的只有那些非常傑出的人物，而且這些人通常透過他們所寫的書被我們所記得。
周王朝的奠基者被囚禁的時候寫出(周易)這本書，孔子受困在陳王國與蔡王國時編寫了(春秋)這本書。中國第一個詩人屈原被流放後寫下來(離騷)這首詩，(左丘明)雙目失明但是他撰寫了(國語)這本書，古代偉大的軍事家(孫臏)在雙腳無法行走後寫下(孫臏兵法)這本書，秦王國的宰相(呂不韋)被貶官之後編著了(呂氏春秋)這一套書，法家的(韓非)被囚禁在秦國時完成了許多篇重量級的文章。
上述這些例子中，這些具有偉大的人格與抱負的值得我們效法的人，他們都是在人生遭遇困難與挫折時寫下他們人生中最重要的著作。
他們在人生的低潮時感覺憂愁鬱悶，他們認為自己可能無法實踐自己的人生理想，所以他們寫下了這些書，他們希望自己的很多想法與觀點可以透過這些書讓後世的人們看見。
他們成功了，我們後代的人們因為看了這些書，所以記得他們偉大的人格與崇高的理想。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是多到沒有辦法完全記錄。
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。
你是否想過你死後可以留下甚麼東西給這個世界呢?你是否曾經想要把自己的人生經驗分享給家族中的晚輩呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為司馬遷-報任少卿書
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E5%A0%B1%E4%BB%BB%E5%B0%91%E5%8D%BF%E6%9B%B8