道路以目(When people encountered friends in the street, they only dared to exchange glances and a slight nod; they did not dare to speak.)
道路以目(When people encountered friends in
the street, they only dared to exchange glances and a slight nod; they did not
dare to speak.)
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，這這些諸侯各自成立的自己的王國，在周王朝建立的初期，管理這些王國的諸侯們會經常性的回到首都與國王見面。
中國的周王朝的第十任國王的名字叫做姬胡，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
姬胡是一個很固執的人，他堅持自己的想法，他的個性很殘暴，他不願意聽取別人的意見。他成為國王之後，他所推行的一些政策遭到諸侯們還有首都內的百姓們的反對。
有一天，有一個很忠誠的名字叫做(姬虎)的大臣對他說。
我們應該檢討一下你所推行的這些政策，因為這些政策引起首都內的百姓們與諸侯們的怨言，百姓與諸侯們因為這些政策而感到痛苦。
姬胡聽到這些話後，他做了一個決定，他對當時一個協助辦理祭祀活動的組織說，從今天開始，你們要負責幫我到社會上去監聽百姓們的言論，如果有人反對我的政策，那麼你們要立刻舉報這些人，我會將這些人處以死刑。
這個負責監聽百姓言論的組織開始運作之後，首都內的百姓批評政策的聲音立刻變得很少，那些諸侯們為了避免自己到遭遇到災難，也都開始選擇不回到首都會見姬胡。
這個負責監聽百姓言論的組織開始運作之後幾個月後，百姓們感受到愈來愈高的壓力，百姓們隨便說一句話都有可能被這個組織的人錯誤解讀並且加以舉報，所以百姓們愈來愈恐懼，百姓們走在路上如果遇到自己的朋友時，只敢彼此用眼神交會一下接著輕輕點個頭，百姓們都不敢交談。
整個周王朝的首都中內變得非常安靜。
姬胡看到這個情況之後，他很開心地找來姬虎並且對姬虎說。
我新推出的這個管理百姓的方式效果太好了，現在整個首都中再也沒有批評我的政策的聲音了。
這句成語的直接翻譯的意思是百姓們走在路上如果遇到自己的朋友時，只敢彼此用眼神交會一下接著輕輕點個頭，百姓們都不敢交談。
這句成語被用來形容百姓們在高壓統治下不敢說話也不敢隨便表達自己的意見。
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。
你認為你的國家真的沒有任何的禁忌話題嗎?你認為真正的自由就是沒有任何的規定與約束嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為史記-卷4-周本紀-周厲王
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98/%E5%8D%B7004
When people encountered friends in the
street, they only dared to exchange glances and a slight nod; they did not dare
to speak.(道路以目)
This blog was originally created to
introduce Chinese culture to international friends. For the sake of simplicity
and ease of understanding, traditional titles such as 'Emperor' and 'King' have
been simplified, and names are used as much as possible. This is for the
convenience of translation, not historical accuracy. If you wish to consult
more rigorous historical materials, please refer to the sources listed at the
end of the article.
The Zhou dynasty in China lasted for 791
years. The Zhou king established more than 100 vassal states, each of which
became a kingdom in its own right. In the early years of the dynasty, the
leaders of these kingdoms frequently returned to the capital to meet the king.
The tenth Zhou king was named Ji Hu, and
history books tell a story about him.
Ji Hu was a very stubborn person. He was
set in his ways, had a cruel personality and was unwilling to listen to the
opinions of others. After becoming king, some of his policies were opposed by
the feudal lords and the capital's population.
One day, a loyal minister approached him
and said,
'We should review your policies because
they have caused resentment among the people and feudal lords, who are
suffering because of them.'
Upon hearing this, Ji Hu made a decision.
He told an organisation that organised sacrificial rites, 'From today onwards,
you will be responsible for listening to the people's opinions. If anyone
opposes the king's policies, you must report them immediately, and they will be
executed."
After this organisation had been operating
for several weeks, criticism of its policies among the capital's population
decreased immediately. To avoid disaster, the feudal lords began to avoid
returning to the capital to meet with Ji Hu.
Several months later, the organisation
responsible for monitoring people's speech began to exert increasing pressure.
Any word uttered by an ordinary citizen could be misinterpreted and reported by
members of the organisation, leading to a growing sense of fear. When people
encountered friends in the street, they only dared to exchange glances and a
slight nod — they did not dare to speak.
The entire Zhou Dynasty capital became
eerily quiet.
Seeing this, Ji Hu happily summoned Ji Hu
and said,
'My new method of governing the people has
been incredibly effective! Now, there is no longer any criticism of my policies
in the entire capital.'
The idiom literally translates as follows:
'When people encountered friends in the street, they only dared to exchange
glances and a slight nod; they did not dare to speak.'
It is used to describe how people dared not
speak freely or express their opinions.
Dear friend, what are your thoughts or
feelings after hearing this story?
Do you think free and democratic countries have no taboo topics? Do you think that true freedom means having no rules or constraints?
I hope this story gives you some new insights.