披甲執兵(Put on armour and take up arms.)
本部落格寫作緣起，原是為了向國際友人介紹中華文化。因此行文中，為求簡明易懂，例如將皇帝、王等傳統頭銜，統一簡化為國王，並盡量直稱其名。此為譯介之便，非為考據之疏。若您欲查閱嚴謹史料，請以文末所附典籍出處為準。
中國的晉王朝結束之後，中國陷入一段長時間的混亂狀態，這段時代被歷史學家稱為南北王朝時代。
西元439年到西元581年，這段期間內中國的北方更換了五個王朝。這五個王朝的名字依序是北魏王朝、東魏王朝、西魏王朝、北齊王朝和北周王朝。
西元420年到西元589年，這段期間內中國的南方更換了四個王朝，這四個王朝的名字依序是劉宋王朝、南齊王朝、南梁王朝與南陳王朝。
在南北王朝時代，有一個著名的大臣與文學家，他的名字是顏之推。
他寫了一本書分享自己的人生經驗給他的孩子，他所寫的這本書被大家所喜愛與傳播，這本書其中的許多內容至今為止仍然深刻地影響著許多中國人。
他在這本書中寫過一段話如下。
我們家族的有紀錄的最早的祖先，他們最早是住在春秋時代的魯王國與鄒王國那一帶，儒家的創始者是孔子，他是魯王國的人，我們的祖先們有很多人都在系統性地研究儒家的學問與學習儒家的知識，根據歷史書的記載，孔子的學生超過3000個人，其中有著特殊成就的總共72個人，這72個人之中，我們顏家的祖先們就有8個人。
我們家族的歷史中，只有很少部分的一些人不想學習儒家的知識，這些人轉而進入軍隊，這些人之中，當到將軍的只有五六個人，其他都大多只晉升到中階軍官。
漢王朝的時代，我們有兩個祖先從事軍職，這兩個人還都進入了首都的中央政府系統，但是這兩個人的人生結局都很不好。
我告訴你們這些我們祖先們的例子，我希望你們可以從他們的人生故事中得到啟發。
我們生活在一個混亂的時代，社會上的大多數人認為讀書沒有用，大多數人沒有考慮到自己本身的條件是否合適，這些人隨著時代的潮流進入軍隊，他們認為進入軍隊之後可以建立偉大的功勳，並且提升自己的社會地位。
我和這些人不同，我知道自己的身體並不強壯，我又看到我們的祖先們中沒有人在軍隊系統中有好的發展，所以我選擇持續地用心在儒家的學問的研究上。
孔子是一個著名的學者，但是很少人知道，他的身體非常強壯而且他有著很好體力與很大的力量，他絕對有資格與條件成為一個武官，但是他知道腦袋中的知識比外在的力氣更重要，所以他選擇在學問上進行深入的研究。
現在的中央政府中，有很多官員沒有認清本身的實力，它們對於自己的認識不夠客觀，他們披上鎧甲然後拿起兵器之後，他們就認為自己有足夠的能力上戰場打仗，他們這些人的結局通常不是在戰場上被敵人羞辱就是被敵人殺死，他們希望的人生結局都非常的悲慘，我希望你們以他們的人生故事為戒。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是他披上鎧甲然後拿起兵器。
這句成語目前被用來形容一個人穿上軍裝與拿起武器，這個人進入一種隨時可以戰鬥的狀態。
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。
你對自己的認識客觀嗎?你的家族中有沒有留下那些關於你的祖先的故事呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為顏之推-顏氏家訓-卷5－誡兵篇
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E9%A1%8F%E6%B0%8F%E5%AE%B6%E8%A8%93/%E5%8D%B7%E7%AC%AC5
Put on armour and take up arms.(披甲執兵)
This blog was originally intended as an
introduction to Chinese culture for international readers. For the sake of
simplicity and ease of understanding, traditional titles such as 'Emperor' and
'King' have been simplified to 'King', and the rulers' names are used directly
wherever possible. This is for ease of translation, not historical accuracy.
For rigorous historical research, please refer to the sources listed at the end
of the article.
Following the end of the Jin dynasty in
China, the country entered a long period of chaos known to historians as the
Northern and Southern Dynasties period.
From 439 to 581 AD, five dynasties rose and
fell in northern China. These five dynasties, in order, were the Northern Wei,
Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, and Northern Zhou.
From 420 to 589 AD, four dynasties rose and
fell in southern China. These four dynasties, in order, are the Liu Song,
Southern Qi, Southern Liang, and Southern Chen.
During this period, there was a famous
minister and writer named Yan Zhitui.
He wrote a book in which he shared his life
experiences with his children. This book was widely loved and disseminated, and
many of its ideas still influence Chinese people today.
In the book, he wrote the following:
'Our earliest recorded ancestors lived in
the area of the Kingdoms of Lu and Zou during the Spring and Autumn Period.'
Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, was from the Kingdom of Lu. Many of our
ancestors systematically studied Confucianism. According to historical records,
Confucius had over 3,000 students, 72 of whom achieved exceptional
accomplishments. Of these 72, eight were ancestors of the Yan family.
In our family history, only a few people
did not wish to study Confucianism. These individuals turned to the military
instead. Of these, only five or six rose to the rank of general; most of the
rest only reached the rank of mid-level officer.
During the Han dynasty, two of our
ancestors served in the military and entered the central government system in
the capital, but both met tragic ends.
I am telling you these stories in the hope
that you can learn from our ancestors' experiences.
We live in a chaotic era where most people
believe that education is useless. They don't consider whether their own
abilities are suitable; they just follow the trend and join the army, believing
it will bring great achievements and elevate their social status.
I am different from these people. I know
that I am not physically strong and that none of our ancestors had a successful
career in the military. Therefore, I have chosen to dedicate myself to studying
Confucianism.
Confucius was a renowned scholar, but few
people know that he was also physically very strong and possessed great
stamina. He certainly had the qualifications to be a military officer, but he
believed that intellectual knowledge was more important than physical strength,
so he pursued in-depth scholarship instead.
Many officials in the current central
government fail to recognise their own capabilities. Their self-assessment is
not objective. Once they put on armour and take up arms, they believe they are
fully capable of fighting on the battlefield. They usually meet with
humiliation or death at the hands of the enemy. Their desired end is always tragic.
I hope you will learn from their stories.
The idiom literally translates as 'he put
on armour and take up arms'.
It is currently used to describe someone
who dons a military uniform and takes up arms, entering a state of readiness
for battle.
Dear friend,What inspiration or insights
have you gained from this story?
Are you objective when you assess yourself?
Does your family have any stories about your ancestors?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.