桑梓之邦(Your hometown, where mulberry and
catalpa trees are grown.)
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。
中國的明王朝有一個著名的小說家與劇作家，他的名字叫做馮夢龍(西元1574-西元1646)，他寫過許多本短篇故事集。
他曾經以北宋王朝一個非常著名的名人為主角創造了一個虛構的故事，這個名人的名字叫做蘇軾(西元1037-西元1101)。
蘇軾是宋王朝的一個著名的大臣，他也是一個著名文學家與詩人。在馮夢龍的這篇小說中，他因為得罪了當時的一個名字叫做王安石的宰相，所以被調任到中國的浙江省的湖州市，他遠離了當時的政治權力中心。
這件事情發生三年後，蘇軾在湖州市的任期滿了，他再度回到首都等候新的職位的分配。
蘇軾沒有想到這次回到首都之後，他又再次得罪了王安石，王安石利用自己的權力將蘇軾調任到中國的湖北省的黃州市，這是一座發展程度非常落後的城市。
人事命令公布當天，王安石突然對蘇軾說。
今天中午來我家吃飯。
蘇軾聽到這些話後感到有點錯愕，但他還是點頭答應。
當天中午，蘇軾抱著忐忑的心情到了王安石的家赴約。
蘇軾到了王安石的家中，王安石主動且熱情的招呼蘇軾，在兩人吃飯的時候，王安石對蘇軾說。
這次的人事調動，主要的決策者是國王，跟我沒有關係，你千萬不要以為是我的安排。
蘇軾聽完這些話後心中感到很生氣但他還是很禮貌的回答。
我是一個學識與能力都很差的人，所以才會被調任到黃州市，我認為國王的安排很好。
王安石聽完蘇軾的話後笑著說。
你的學識與能力是頂尖的，我想國王調派你到那邊，一定有他的用意。站在我個人的立場，我覺得你到那邊也好，那邊比較落後所以事情比較少，你可以利用空閒時間多念一點書。
蘇軾聽完王安石的話後，他的心中覺得更不滿了，他的心中這樣想。
我看過的書至少超過一萬本，我的能力絕對超過一千人，你還要我多讀書，我真想不出有哪一本重要的經典我還沒有讀過。
蘇軾的心中雖然不開心但他的臉上還是保持禮貌，他對王安石說。
謝謝您的提醒，我一定會利用時間多念一點書。
吃飽飯後，王安石送蘇軾離開，當兩個人走到王安石的家門口時，王安石拉著蘇軾的手對蘇軾說。
我的身體最近感到很不舒服，皇宮中的宮廷老中醫師診斷之後，他對我說。
我因為長年勞累所以身體的內部的機能已經失去協調，如果要完全的治癒我的病，我就要喝一種很特別的地方的茶，而且這種茶要一種很特別的地方的水去煮才會有效。
我現在已經得到了這種很特別的茶，接下來我想要取得那種很特別的地方的水。
宮廷老中醫師說那種水就在四川省境內、長江上游的一個特別的峽谷中，但是四川省離我太遠了。
你是四川人，那個地方靠近種植了桑樹與梓樹的你的故鄉，離你現在要任職的黃州市也不遠，如果你有機會，我希望你能夠幫我一個忙，你幫我去長江上游的那個峽谷中取一壺水回來首都給我。
王安石說完這些話後用期待的眼睛看著蘇軾，蘇軾接下了這個任務，他對王安石說。
沒問題，我有機會一定幫你去那座峽谷中取一壺水來讓你治病。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是你種植了桑樹與梓樹的故鄉。
這句成語需要特別解釋一下，中國古代人的房屋周圍常種植桑樹與梓樹，因為這兩種樹木與當時的人們的日常生活密切相關，所以桑樹與梓樹演變成為故鄉的代稱。
這句成語被用來形容一個人的故鄉。
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。
你身上是否有那些很難治癒的慢性病呢? 你有吃過中藥或看過中醫嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為明-馮夢龍-警世通言-卷3王安石三難蘇學士
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E8%AD%A6%E4%B8%96%E9%80%9A%E8%A8%80/%E7%AC%AC03%E5%8D%B7
Your hometown, where mulberry and catalpa
trees are grown.(桑梓之邦)
This blog was originally intended as an
introduction to Chinese culture for international friends. For the sake of
simplicity and ease of understanding, official titles have been translated into
their commonly used names today. This is for the sake of translation
convenience, not historical accuracy. If you wish to consult more rigorous
historical materials, please refer to the sources listed at the end of the
article.
During the Ming dynasty in China, there was
a famous novelist and playwright named Feng Menglong (1574–1646 AD) who wrote
many collections of short stories.
He once wrote a fictional story featuring
Su Shi (1037–1101 AD), a very famous figure from the Northern Song dynasty.
Su Shi was a renowned minister, writer and
poet of the Song Dynasty. In Feng Menglong's novel, Su Shi offends a prime
minister named Wang Anshi and is consequently transferred to Huzhou in Zhejiang
Province, far from the political centre.
Three years later, Su Shi's term in Huzhou
ended and he returned to the capital to await a new assignment.
Unexpectedly, upon returning to the
capital, Su Shi offended Wang Anshi again. Wang Anshi used his power to
transfer Su Shi to Huangzhou, a very underdeveloped city in Hubei Province.
On the day the personnel order was
announced, Wang Anshi suddenly invited Su Shi to his house for lunch.
Su Shi was somewhat taken aback, but nodded
in agreement.
That afternoon, Su Shi went to Wang Anshi's
house feeling apprehensive.
Upon arriving, he was warmly greeted and
made to feel welcome. During their meal, Wang Anshi said to Su Shi, "
'This personnel reshuffle was primarily
decided by the King; it has nothing to do with me. Please don't assume it was
my doing."
Su Shi was angry inside after hearing this,
but he still replied politely.
'I am a person of very limited learning and
ability, which is why I was transferred to Huangzhou. I think the King's
decision is excellent.'
Wang Anshi smiled when he heard Su Shi's
words.
'Your learning and ability are top-notch. I
think the King must have his reasons for sending you there. From my personal
perspective, I think you will benefit from being there. It's relatively
backward, so there's less work, and you can use your free time to study."
However, Su Shi felt even more dissatisfied
after hearing Wang Anshi's words. He thought to himself, 'I've read at least
ten thousand books, and my abilities far surpass those of a thousand people.
You want me to read more? I can't think of a single important classic that I
haven't read.'
Although Su Shi was unhappy, he remained
polite and said to Wang Anshi, 'Thank you for your reminder. I will definitely
make the most of my time to study.'
After the meal, Wang Anshi saw Su Shi off.
When they reached the doorstep, Wang Anshi took Su Shi's hand and said,
'I've been feeling quite unwell lately. The
old court physician in the palace examined me and said that
'Because of years of overwork, my body's
internal functions have become disordered. To completely cure my illness, I
need to drink a very special tea, which must be brewed with water from a very
special place.
I have now obtained this special tea, and
my next step is to obtain that special water.
The old court physician said the water comes
from a canyon in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in Sichuan Province.
However, Sichuan Province is too far away.
You are from there, though, and the canyon
is near your hometown, where mulberry and catalpa trees are grown. It's also
not far from Huangzhou, where you are currently serving. If you have the
opportunity, could you do me a favour and fetch a pot of water from the canyon
in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and bring it back to the capital for
me?
Once Wang Anshi had finished speaking, he
looked at Su Shi expectantly. Su Shi accepted the task and replied,
'No problem. I'll definitely fetch a pot of
water from the canyon to cure your illness when I get the chance.'
This idiom translates literally as 'Your
hometown, where mulberry and catalpa trees are grown'.
It needs a special explanation. In ancient
China, people often planted these two trees around their houses because they
were closely related to people's daily lives. Consequently, the trees evolved
into a metaphor for one's hometown.
This idiom is used to describe a person's
hometown.
Dear friend, what thoughts or feelings did
you have after hearing this story?
Do you have any chronic illnesses that are
difficult to cure? Have you ever tried Chinese medicine or visited a
traditional Chinese medicine practitioner?
I hope this story gives you some new
insights.