不期而會(Meeting before the agreed date.)
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，例如將官員職稱，統一簡化轉譯為現今通用的名稱。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。
中國的周王朝持續長達791年，周王朝的國王把土地分封給100多個諸侯，這些諸侯各自成立的自己的王國，這些王國之間為了爭奪土地與資源而發生許多慘烈的戰爭，那是一個極度混亂的年代。
西元前770年到西元前476年這段時間是中國的春秋時代，西元前476年到西元前221年這段時間是中國的戰國時代。
春秋時代開始，這些王國之間開始出現一種合作方式，這些王國為了聯合彼此的政治、經濟、與軍事力量開始組成各個不同的聯盟組織，這個聯盟組織會定期的聚會與交換彼此的意見。
這些聯盟通常是由一個強大的王國所發起，這個強大的王國周圍的一些小王國為了自己的政治利益就會選擇加入。
春秋時代的齊王國就是這樣一個強大的王國，齊王國發起了一個聯盟組織，有許多比較弱小的王國都加入了這個組織。
西元前715年左右，齊王國主導的聯盟組織中的宋王國與衛王國與鄭王國這三個王國之間發生了一些政治糾紛，齊王國的國王想要調解這個糾紛，便私底下跟這三個國家的國王碰面。
這三個國家的國王願意接受齊王國的國王所主導的調解，並且在聯盟組織的聚會上正式簽訂協議。
在聯盟組織定期的聚會之前，這三個國家中間還有一些細節要先談定，西元前715年，宋王國與衛王國的國王先進行了一場會議，史書上面記載說。
沒有到約定的日期前就先見面，這場見面是很特別的，我們用一個專門的字來形容這種狀況。
這場會面後來衍生出這句成語。
這句成語的直接翻譯的意思是沒有到約定的日期前就先見面。
這句成語被用來形容兩個人在沒有約定的情況下巧遇。
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。
你是否有常常巧遇的人嗎?你的國家有參加那些聯盟組織嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為穀梁傳-隱公8年
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E6%98%A5%E7%A7%8B%E7%A9%80%E6%A2%81%E5%82%B3/%E9%9A%B1%E5%85%AC
Meeting before the agreed date.(不期而會)
The Zhou dynasty in China lasted for 791
years. The Zhou kings established more than 100 vassal states, each of which
became a kingdom. These kingdoms engaged in many fierce wars for land and
resources, making it an extremely chaotic era.
The period from 770 BC to 476 BC is known
as the Spring and Autumn Period, and the period from 476 BC to 221 BC as the
Warring States Period.
From the Spring and Autumn Period onwards,
these kingdoms began to cooperate with each other. In order to unite their
political, economic and military power, they formed various alliances and held
regular meetings to exchange ideas.
These alliances were typically initiated by
a powerful kingdom, with smaller surrounding kingdoms joining for their own
political gain.
The Kingdom of Qi was such a powerful
kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period. It initiated an alliance to which many
weaker kingdoms subsequently joined.
Around 715 BC, however, political disputes
arose among the three kingdoms in the alliance led by Qi: the kingdoms of Song,
Wei and Zheng. The King of Qi sought to mediate, secretly meeting with the
kings of these three kingdoms.
The three kings agreed to this mediation
and formally signed an agreement at the alliance's meeting.
Prior to the alliance's regular meetings,
however, some details needed to be agreed upon among the three kingdoms.
In 715 BC, the kings of Song and Wei held a
meeting, as recorded in historical texts.
It was quite unusual to meet before the
agreed date, and we have a specific word to describe this situation.
This meeting later gave rise to the idiom.
The idiom translates directly as 'to meet
before the agreed date'.
It is used to describe two people meeting
unexpectedly without prior arrangement.
Dear friend, what are your thoughts or
feelings after hearing this story?
Do you often encounter people by chance? Does your country participate in any alliances or organisations?
I hope this
story has given you some new insights.