么麼小醜(Ugly and wicked people of low status
and little power.)
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，例如將地名或官員職稱，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。
中國的清王朝有一個著名的官員，他的名字叫做(葉映榴)，歷史書上記載的一個他的故事。
他在很年輕的時候就透過科舉考試進入中央政府內擔任官員，他是一個非常有原則的人，他很清廉而且他每天從早忙到晚，連續30幾年，他都抱持著一種很謹慎與恭敬的態度面對他的工作。
西元1688年，那一年他在現在的湖北省的省政府擔任一個非常高階的官員，就在這一年，湖北有一批士兵因為不滿省長的一些政策，所以這批士兵組織起來發動了叛亂，這批士兵的力量迅速地集結，這些叛亂份子很快地就控制了湖北省的(武昌市)，這座城市是湖北省的政治與經濟中心，也是湖北省的省政府的所在地。
這批叛軍要求他投降並且加入叛軍的陣營，他最後做出了決定，他先秘密安排自己76歲的母親與妻子和女兒在夜裡從一條祕密的排水溝潛逃出武昌市。
他送走自已的家人之後，他洗好澡然後穿上代表著自己的身分與地位與榮耀的只有官員才能穿的衣服，他一個人坐在他的辦公室內，他寫下了給他的遺書，
他在這封遺書中寫著。
我代表國家管理這座城市，現在這座城市已經落入叛亂份子的手中，但我不應該逃亡，我也不應該投降，我決定要保衛這座城市到最後一刻，我願意為了捍衛自己的信念與國家的尊嚴而犧牲自己的生命。
在這封信的最後，他寫下幾句話。
在我死了之後，我相信在國王的英明領導之下，政府軍隊一定可以很快戰勝這批地位低下且力量微小的醜陋的壞人。
他寫完這封信後，他來到那批反叛份子面前，他大聲地斥責那些叛亂份子並且表明自己部會投降的決心，說完這些話後，他自刎身亡。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是地位低下且力量微小的醜陋的壞人。
這句成語被用來比喻那些力量微弱且起不了什麼作用的壞人。
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。
你如果是他你會做出怎樣的選擇呢?你的心中有沒有比自己的生命更重要的價值呢?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為清-鈕琇-觚賸-卷6-兩大文章
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E8%A7%9A%E8%B3%B8/%E5%8D%B7%E5%85%AD
Ugly and wicked people of low status and
little power.(么麼小醜)
The purpose of this blog is to introduce
Chinese culture to international friends. For the sake of simplicity and ease
of understanding, place names and official titles have been translated into
commonly used modern terms. This is for the convenience of translation, not
historical research. If you wish to consult more rigorous historical materials,
please refer to the sources listed at the end of the article.
There was a famous Qing Dynasty official
named Ye Yingliu. His story is recorded in history books.
He entered the central government as an
official through the imperial examination at a very young age. He was a
principled and honest person who worked from morning till night for over 30
years, maintaining a cautious and respectful attitude towards his work.
In 1688, while holding a senior position in
the provincial government of what is now Hubei Province, he was caught up in a
rebellion organised by a group of soldiers who were dissatisfied with some of
the governor's policies. They quickly amassed forces and soon seized control of
Wuchang, the political and economic centre of Hubei and the seat of the
provincial government.
They demanded his surrender and that he
join their ranks. He made his decision. He secretly arranged for his
76-year-old mother, wife and daughter to escape Wuchang at night via a hidden
drainage ditch.
After seeing his family off, he bathed and
put on the official robes that symbolised his status, rank and honour — clothes
reserved for officials. Alone in his office, he wrote his will.
In it, he wrote:
'I govern this city on behalf of the
nation, and now it has fallen into the hands of rebels. But I should neither
flee nor surrender. I have decided to defend this city to the very end and am
prepared to sacrifice my life to uphold my beliefs and the dignity of my
country.'
At the end of the letter, he added a
postscript:
'After my death, I believe that, under the
wise leadership of the King, the government army will surely defeat these ugly
and wicked people of low status and little power.'
Having written this letter, he went to the
rebels, loudly rebuked them, and declared his unwavering resolve. Having said
these words, he committed suicide.
The idiom literally translates as 'Ugly and
wicked people of low status and little power.'.
It is used to describe weak and ineffective
villains.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
did you gain from this story?
If you were him, what choice would you
make? Is there anything more important than your own life?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.