Past mistakes cannot be undone, but future
problems can be corrected.(往者不諫來者可追)
Wang Xizhi, a renowned minister of the Jin
dynasty in China who is widely recognised as one of the greatest calligraphers
in Chinese history, features in a story recorded in history books.
In 316 AD, the Former Han Kingdom, which
was established by nomadic people in northern China, captured the capital of
the Western Jin Dynasty. The Western Jin king was killed, the dynasty
collapsed, and much of northern China fell to the Former Han Kingdom. Many of
the Western Jin Dynasty's ministers and officials fled south of the Yangtze
River.
In 317 AD, a member of the Western Jin
royal family, with the support of several key ministers, proclaimed himself
emperor and founded the Eastern Jin dynasty, establishing Jiankang (present-day
Nanjing) as its capital.
Wang Xizhi lived during this chaotic era
and was only 14 years old when the Eastern Jin dynasty was established.
The Jin dynasty comprised several prominent
families, the most powerful of which was the Wang family, who produced many
notable figures. Many officials in the central government of the Eastern Jin
dynasty were members of the Wang family, including Wang Xizhi.
Following the establishment of the Eastern
Jin Dynasty, several brave generals emerged within the central government who
were eager to lead armies and reclaim the vast territories north of the Yangtze
River that had originally belonged to the Western Jin Dynasty. Yin Hao was one
such general. He believed that the Eastern Jin army was ready to launch a
campaign north of the Yangtze River and attack the kingdoms that had occupied
Western Jin territory.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xizhi, who thought
the Eastern Jin dynasty was weak, wrote to Sima Yu, a powerful member of the
royal family, in the hope of dissuading him.
In the third paragraph of this letter, Wang
Xizhi opens with a quotation from the Analects of Confucius. The gist of the
third paragraph and part of the fourth is as follows:
Past mistakes cannot be undone, but future problems
can be corrected.
You have the power to decide whether or not
to mobilise the army. I urge you to carefully consider this and amend your
current plan to launch an attack.
I believe we should first strengthen our
border defences. Our primary strategy should be defensive, allowing us to
consolidate our position. Only once our foundations are secure and all our
capabilities and resources are in place should we consider reclaiming the lands
north of the Yangtze River that originally belonged to the Jin Dynasty.
I believe this is the most appropriate
strategy for us right now. If we refuse to change and continue with the current
plan, our nation will face immense turmoil after the military action.
Now is a crucial moment. The overall
situation is very clear. I implore you to reconsider, observe carefully and
understand the true state of affairs within and outside the Jin Dynasty. Then
you can make the correct judgement and uphold your decision.
I am not qualified to offer my opinion on
such important decisions, as my position is lowly. I also experienced an
intense internal struggle before writing this letter.
I ultimately decided to offer these candid
suggestions because I saw many ordinary citizens and soldiers who were far more
concerned than I am, and who were also worried about the country's development
and expressed their anxieties in conversation. As a central government
official, I should speak out when I feel I must. That's why I have decided to
offer you my advice.
The idiom literally translates as 'past
mistakes cannot be undone, but future problems can still be corrected'.
This idiom reminds us to cherish and strive
for every moment that we can still control.
Dear friend, what are your thoughts or
feelings after hearing this story?
Do you spend a lot of time regretting past
mistakes? Have you taken any steps today towards your future?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
往者不諫來者可追(Past mistakes cannot be undone,
but future problems can be corrected.)
中國晉王朝的一個著名的大臣，他也是中國歷史上公認最優秀的書法家，他的名字叫做王羲之，歷史書上記載過一個關於他的故事。
西元316年，中國北方一個由遊牧民族建立的前漢王國攻佔了西晉王朝的首都後，西晉王朝的國王被殺，西晉王朝滅亡，中國北方的許多土地都被前漢王國所佔領。西晉王朝中的許多大臣與官員們逃亡到中國的長江的南邊。
西元317年，一個西晉王朝的王室成員在幾個重要的大臣的協助下，自行宣布自己成為國王並且建立了東晉王朝，然後這個國王設立建康市為首都。
王羲之就生活在這個混亂的年代，東晉王朝成立的時候，他才只有14歲。
晉王朝有幾個著名的家族，這幾個家族中勢力最大而且名人最多的就是王氏家族，東晉王朝的中央政府內有很多的官員都是王氏家族的成員，王羲之就是其中一員。
東晉王朝自從成立之後，中央政府內陸陸續續地出現好幾位勇敢的將軍想要帶領軍隊收回那些長江以北的那片廣大的原本屬於西晉王朝的土地，殷浩就是其中一位勇敢的將軍，他認為東晉王朝的軍隊已經準備好了，他想要發動軍隊前往長江的北邊攻打那些佔領了西晉王朝的土地的王國。
王羲之聽到這個消息後，他認為東晉王朝當時國力不足所以他寫了一封信給當時掌握著極大權力的一個名字叫做司馬昱的皇室成員，他希望可以阻止這件事情。
這封信的第三段，王羲之先引用了一句論語的話作為開始，第三段與部分第四段的大概意思如下。
過去的錯誤已經無法挽回，但未來的事還來得及改正。
你掌握著決定是否可以發動軍隊的權力，我希望你能夠慎重思考，並且改變當前決定要發動軍隊的計畫。
我認為我們現在應該先加強邊界的防衛，我們應該以加強防守為主要的策略，讓，我們應該先站穩的腳步，等到我們的根基穩固，所有的各方面的能力與資源都齊備之後，再發動軍隊去收復我們長江以北的那些原本屬於晉王朝的土地。
我認為我的想法是當下我們最應該執行的策略，如果我們不肯改變，依舊要照目前的計畫去執行，那麼我們國家將在發動軍隊後陷入極大的動亂與麻煩。
現在是一個很重要的關鍵時刻，我認為整體的情勢已經非常的清楚，我懇求你能夠再次的思考與觀察，看清楚晉王朝內部與外部目前的真實狀況，然後做出正確的判斷，並且堅持你的決定。
我的職位很低，我根本沒有資格針對這些重要的決策提出自己的意見，我在寫這封信之前，內心也經過了激烈的掙扎。
我為何最終決定要提出我的這些諍言，那是因為我看到有很多比我更平凡的百姓與軍人，他們都在關心國家的發展並且在談話中表達出對國家發展的擔憂，我是一個中央政府的官員，我不應該在這個應該發聲的時候沉默，所以我才決定對你勇敢的說出我的這些建議。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是過去的錯誤已經無法挽回，但未來的事還來得及改正。
這句成語被用來提醒我們要把握好當下我們還可以掌握與努力的每一刻。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的感受或有怎樣的想法呢。
你會花很多時間在後悔之前的過錯嗎?你今天是否有為了自己的未來做了那些努力呢?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為晉-王羲之-與會稽王箋
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hans/%E8%88%87%E6%9C%83%E7%A8%BD%E7%8E%8B%E7%89%8B