The opportunity presented to us now is the
best in the past millennium.(千載一時)
Wang Xizhi, a renowned minister of the Jin
Dynasty in China who is widely recognised as one of the greatest calligraphers
in Chinese history, is mentioned in historical records.
The Jin Dynasty lasted 154 years and can be
divided into two periods:
the Western Jin (265–316 AD) and the
Eastern Jin (317–420 AD).
In 316 AD, the Former Han Kingdom, which
was founded by nomadic people in northern China, captured the capital of the
Western Jin Dynasty. The Western Jin king was killed and the dynasty collapsed.
Much of northern China then 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 influential ministers, proclaimed
himself emperor and founded the Eastern Jin dynasty. He then established
Jiankang (modern-day Nanjing) as its capital.
Wang Xizhi lived during this chaotic
period; he 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 Eastern Jin Dynasty's central government
were members of the Wang family, including Wang Xizhi.
Following the establishment of the Eastern
Jin dynasty, several brave generals within the central government wanted to
lead troops 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 attack the kingdoms
that had occupied Western Jin territory north of the Yangtze River.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xizhi concluded
that the Eastern Jin dynasty was not yet strong enough, so he wrote to Sima Yu,
a powerful member of the royal family, in the hope of stopping this action.
The first paragraph of this letter can be
roughly translated as follows:
Throughout Chinese history, every king
aspired to achieve great feats like the revered kings of antiquity, and every
minister hoped to help their king accomplish similar feats.
Some generals believe that the opportunity
presented to us now is the best in the past millennium and that we should
attack the northern kingdoms. However, I believe that our military strength and
overall strategic considerations are insufficient. Therefore, we must carefully
and seriously consider this proposal.
While we have indeed made significant
military and economic progress in recent years, an objective assessment reveals
many serious internal problems. Our nation is currently unstable both
internally and externally.
Throughout Chinese history, a few visionary
leaders have made wise decisions without consulting others, leading their
kingdoms to great achievements — an undeniable fact.
However, based on my observations and
judgement, I believe that some of our current leaders lack such vision and that
we should not hastily launch a war.
This idiom translates as "the
opportunity presented to us now is the best in the past millennium"
It is used to describe a very good time or
opportunity.
Dear friend, what are your thoughts or
feelings after hearing this story?
Do your country's leaders have the wisdom
to know when to go to war? What problems, both internal and external, do you
think your country currently faces?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.
千載一時(The opportunity presented to us now
is the best in the past millennium.)
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。
中國的晉王朝維持了154年，晉王朝分為兩個時期。
西晉王朝為西元265年到西元316年。東晉王朝為西元317年到西元420年。
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。
這封信的第一段的大概意思如下。
中國歷史上的每個國王都希望自己像那些上古時期的令人景仰的國王一樣有著偉大的功績，中國歷史上的每個大臣也都希望可以幫助自己那個時代的國王完成偉大的功績。
有些將軍認為我們現在這一個時期的機會是這一千年中最好的，我們應該發動對北方的那些王國的進攻，但我認為我們的軍事力量與整體考量都還不夠，因此我認為我們要慎重且認真地考慮這個提議。
我認為我們最近幾年在軍事與經濟上的確有很好的發展，但是我們如果認真且客觀的評估，我認為我們內部其實還存在著許多很嚴重的問題，我們的國家現在正處於一種外部與內部都很不安定的情況之下。
中國歷史上，有少數幾個眼光非常卓越的領導者可以不跟眾人商議就自己做出明智的決定，這些領導者帶領整個王國建立偉大的功績，這的確是一項令人無法否定的事實。
但是根據我的觀察與判斷，我認為我們現在的一些領導者缺乏如此卓越的眼光，我們不應該輕易地就發動戰爭。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是這一個時期的機會是這一千年中最好的。
這句成語被用來形容一個非常好的時機或機會。
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。
你的國家的領導者是否具有知道何時該發動戰爭的智慧呢?你認為你的國家中目前有那些外部與內部的問題呢?
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