The Chinese Winter Solstice Festival 冬至节

This year the winter solstice will occur on 21 December at 23:38 pm.

The Dongzhi Festival or Winter Solstice Festival is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians.

Dongzhi literally means the extreme of winter in Chinese. It occurs exactly when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26'. As early as 2,500 years ago, about the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), China had determined the point of Winter Solstice by observing movements of the sun with a sundial. It is the earliest of the 24 seasonal division points. The time will be on either 21 or 22 December according to the Gregorian calendar.

After the Winter Solstice, days will become longer and longer. As ancient Chinese thought, the yang, muscular, or positive things will become stronger and stronger after this day, so it should be celebrated. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. So, Dongzhi is a turning point and the philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram Returning.

The Winter Solstice became a festival during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) and thrived in the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Winter Solstice was a day to offer scarifies to Heaven and ancestors. Emperors would go to suburbs to worship the Heaven; while common people offered sacrifices to their deceased parents or other relatives.

There is a Chinese saying that ‘the Winter Solstice is more important than the new year Spring Festival’. So the Winter Solstice festival is highly valued by the Chinese.

Traditionally, the Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during the get together (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyan or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. The Tangyuan are normally brightly coloured and stuffed with various ingredients such as black sesame paste, peanut paste and red bean paste and cooked in a sweet soup. Each family member receives at least one large Tangyuan in addition to several small ones.

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汤圆 Glutinous Rice Balls

今年的冬至发生在阳历12月21日晚上11时38分。

冬至节是华人与东亚人所庆祝的最重要的节目之一。

中文‘冬至’指的是冬天的至极，发生在太阳直射的纬度为23° 26'，离开地球最远的时候。早在2千5百年前的春秋时代（公元前770至476年），中国人已经用日晷仪来欢察太阳的运行以断定冬至的时间点了。它是二十四节令的起点。在阳历，冬至大约在12月21日或22日。

冬至以后，白天越来越长。古老华人看法认为在这天以后，阳气、刚强或正面的东西会逐渐强大，所以值得庆祝。庆祝过后，昼长夜短，所以刚正之气的流入增加。所以，冬至是个传折点，它的哲学性的重要就以《易经》中的‘复’卦为代表。

冬至于汉朝（公元前206年至公元220年）成为一个节日，而在唐宋（618-1279）盛行。在唐宋时期，冬至是一个祭拜天与祖先的日子。皇帝会到郊外祭天，而一般老百姓则祭拜死去的父母与其它亲戚。

华人俗语说：‘冬大过年。’可见华人对冬至节的重视。

传统上，冬至节是一家团聚的时候。团聚时所进行的一项活动，尤其是在中国南方与华人集聚的海外，是做与吃汤圆。汤圆象征团圆。一般上，汤圆都染上亮丽颜色，里面塞满了如芝麻、花生、红豆糊之类，以糖水来煮。每个家庭成员最少要吃一粒大汤圆加上几个较小的汤圆。

Zhuangzi: I Prefer to Wag my Tail in the Mud 庄子：吾将曳尾于涂中

Zhuangzi was born in a poor family, lived primarily on making straw sandals. However, he was indifferent to fame and gain, which seemed to him like devils rather than angels, and had long pursued spiritual freedom. Zhuangzi advocates respecting life and nourishing life instead of being caught up by outside matters and being destroyed by desires.

Zhuang Zi preferred non-action. He has always been viewed as the paragon of high moral character and purity of spirit. One story (extracted from the book ‘Zhuangzi’) illustrates these qualities well.

Zhuangzi was fishing on the Pu River when the king of the state of Chu sent two high officials to see him and said, "Our king desires to burden you with the administration of the Chu State."

Zhuangzi went on fishing without turning his head and said, "I have heard that in Chu there is a sacred tortoise which died when it was three thousand years old. The king keeps this tortoise carefully enclosed in a chest in his ancestral temple. Now would this tortoise rather be dead and have its remains venerated, or would it rather be alive and wagging its tail in the mud?"

"It would rather be alive," replied the two officials, "and wagging its tail in the mud."

"Begone!" cried Zhuangzi. "I too will wag my tail in the mud."

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庄子生长于贫苦家庭，主要以作草鞋为生。但是，他不热衷于名利，对他而言这些是恶不是善。他追求的是精神自由。庄子提倡尊敬生命，丰富生活，而不是拘禁于外在事物与为欲所毁。

庄子主张无为。所以常常被认为是高尚品德与纯净精神的模范。以下出自《庄子》一书的故事可说明他的这些素质。

庄子钓于濮水，楚王使大夫二人往先焉，曰：“愿以境内累矣！”

庄子持竿不顾，曰：“吾闻楚有神龟，死已三千岁矣，王巾笥而藏之庙堂之上。此龟者，宁其死为留骨而贵乎？宁其生而曳尾于涂中乎？”

二大夫曰：“宁生而曳尾涂中。”

庄子曰：“往矣，吾将曳尾于涂中。”

The Lady of Yanzhou 延州妇人

The Taiping Anthologies is a collection of about 7000 stories compiled under the editorship of Li Fang of Song Dynasty, first published in 978. The stories were selected from over three hundred books and novels from the Han Dynasty to the early Song Dynasty, many of which have long been lost. Some stories are historical or naturalistic anecdotes, each is replete with historical elements, and qualifies as fiction, but the topics are mostly supernatural, about Buddhist and Daoist priests, immortals, ghosts, and various deities.

One of the most unexpected stories is about a lady of Yanzhou who is willing to have sex with any man she came across. She turned out to be an incarnation of Bodhisattva.

Once there was a lady in Yanzhou in eastern Shaanxi who was of fair complexion and quite beautiful, about 24 or 25 years of age. She wandered through the city alone, and the young lads would follow her around. She had sexual relations with them all, rejecting none of them.

Several years later she died, and the people of Yanzhou were all grieved at this and felt sorry for her. They collected a sum of money and paid her funeral expenses. Because she had no home, they buried her beside a road.

In the middle of the reign of Tang Daicong Dali (766-779 AD), a Central Asian monk came from the northwest. He saw the lady's grave, and immediately set up a prayer mat there, prostrating himself and burning incense while praising the virtue of the deceased for several days.

People saw this and said to him, "This was an immoral woman who treated every man like her husband, and we buried her here because she had no family. Why do you as a monk show such respect to her?"

The monk replied, "My benefactors, there is something you do not know. This lady was a holy being indeed, compassionate and generous in submitting to the desires of all worldly men. She is the Chained-bone Bodhisattva, and she has fulfilled her destiny and achieved enlightenment. If you do not believe me, you can open up the grave and see."

The people exhumed the grave, and sure enough all the bones were linked as in a chain. They were astonished and held a Buddhist feast for her, and also built a pagoda to honour her.

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宋代李昉编的《太平广记》大约收集了7000个故事，第一次出版于978年。故事选自汉朝至宋初超过300本书与小说，其中有不少已经失传了。这些故事有历史或自然奇闻逸话，充满了历史元素，创造素质，内容则都是一些有关超自然、佛教、道士、长生不老、鬼怪及各种神仙的事物。

其中一个令人意想不到的故事是有关一个延州妇女对所有男人来者不拒，而她原来是菩萨的化身。

昔，延州有妇人，白皙，颇有姿貌，年可二十四五，孤行城市，年少之子，悉与之游，押呢荐 枕，一无所却。

数年而殁，州人莫不悲惜，共醵丧具，为之葬焉。以其无家，瘗于道左。

（唐代宗）大历中（776－779），忽有胡僧自西域来，见墓，遂趺坐，具礼焚香，围绕赞叹数日。

人见，谓之日：此一淫纵女子，人尽夫也。以其无属，故瘗于此，和尚何敬耶？

僧曰：非檀越所知，斯乃大圣，慈悲喜舍，世所之 欲，无不徇焉。此即销骨菩萨，顺缘已尽。圣者云耳不信，即启以验之。

众人即开墓，视遍身之骨，钩结皆如锁状。果如僧言。州人异之，为设大斋起塔焉。

The Foolish Old Man Removed Mountains 愚公移山

The saying that “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” can be illustrated by a Chinese story about ‘The foolish old man removed mountains.’ It is actually a Chinese folktale about a foolish old man who removed a mountain that was blocking the path from his home. His children told him that he would be dead before he moved it. The old man instructed them to continue his work after he was gone, ‘My line will go on and on, but the mountain can never get taller or bigger, so what do I have to worry about?’

Why the old man didn’t just simply move his family to a more convenient location? It is said that the concept of home in Chinese culture is extremely important and one does not move his home unless lives are at stake. Another explanation is that the old man is foolish and that's why he didn't pick the easier task; but conveniently, his story told later generations to be persistent at doing anything.

The story became famous after Mao Zedong mentioned it in one of his speeches, ‘There are now two mountains on the heads of the Chinese people. One is called imperialism, and the other is called feudalism. The Communist Party of China must resolve to dig away at these two mountains. We must be absolutely firm, and continue to work away without stopping. Even the God will be moved. This god is not another person; it is the masses of the people of the entire nation. If the masses of the people of the entire nation were to rise up in unison, and help us to dig away at these two mountains, what is there that we could not flatten?’

Here is the original story as recorded in Liezi (Master Lie), an early philosophical Daoism text written during the 3rd century AD.

The two mountains Taihang and Wangwu, which cover an area of 700 square li (about 0.5 km), and rise to an enormous altitude, originally stood in the south of Jizhou and north of Heyang. The Simpleton of the North Mountain, an old man of ninety, dwelt opposite these mountains, and was vexed in spirit because their northern flanks blocked the way to travellers, who had to go all the way round. So he called his family together, and broached a plan.

'Let us,' he said, 'put forth our utmost strength to clear away this obstacle, and cut right through the mountains until we come to Hanyin. What say you?' They all assented except his wife, who made objections and said: 'My good man has not the strength to remove a spoonful of dirt from your father's burial mound, let alone two such mountains as Taixing and Wangwu. Besides, where will you put all the earth and stones that you dig up?' The others replied that they would throw them on the promontory of Bohai.

So the old man, followed by his son and grandson, sallied forth with their pickaxes, and the three of them began hewing away at the rocks, and cutting up the soil, and carting it away in baskets to the promontory of Bohai. A widowed woman who lived near had a little boy who, though he was only just shedding his milk teeth, came skipping along to give them what help he could. Engrossed in their toil, they never went home except once at the turn of the season.

The Wise Old Man of the River-bend burst out laughing and urged them to stop. 'Great indeed is your witlessness!' he said. 'With the poor remaining strength of your declining years you will not succeed in removing a hair's breadth of the mountain, much less the whole vast mass of rock and soil.' With a sigh, the Simpleton of the North Mountain replied: 'Surely it is you who are narrow-minded and unreasonable. You are not to be compared with the widow's son, despite his puny strength. Though I myself must die, I shall leave a son behind me and through him a grandson. That grandson will beget sons in his turn, and those soils will also have sons and grandsons. With all this posterity, my line will not die out, while on the other hand the mountain will receive no increment or addition. Why then should I despair of levelling it to the ground at last?' The Wise Old Man of the River-bend had nothing to say in reply.

One of the serpent-brandishing deities heard of the undertaking and, fearing that it might never be finished, went and told God Almighty, who was touched by the old man's simple faith, and commanded the two sons of Kua-e to transport the mountains, one to the extreme north-east, the other to the southern corner of Yong. Ever since then, the region lying between Jizhou in the north and Hanyin in the south has been an unbroken plain.
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Mao's Speech as read by a Canadian Lady 加拿大女士念毛泽东的谈话
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英语‘有志者事竟成’可以用‘愚公移山’的故事来加以说明。它其实有关一个老人把当在他家门口的大山的故事。老人告示他打孩子如果他过世时山还没有移掉，他们应该继续移山的工作。他说，‘我的子孙会一代一代转下去，而山却不会长高或变大，所以我有什么值得担心的？’

为什么老人不搬到另一个更方便的地点？据说华人文化重安土，没有特殊情况决不搬家。另一个解释是老人就是愚蠢，这就是为什么他不取容易的办法，而他的故事告诉子子孙孙坚持他们的所作所为。

毛泽东在一次演讲中提到了这个故事后，它就变成家喻户晓了：‘现在也有两座压在中国人民头上的大山，一座叫做帝国主义，一座叫做封建主义。中国共产党早就下了决心，要挖掉这两座山。我们一定要坚持下去，一定要不断工作。我们也会感动上帝的。这个上帝不是别人，就是全中国的人民大众。’

以下是公元前三世纪所写的道家哲学经典《列子》的记载:

太行、王屋二山，方七百里，高万仞。本在冀州之南，河阳之北。

北山愚公者，年且九十，面山而居。惩山北之塞，出入之迂也，聚室而谋曰：‘吾与汝毕力平险，指通豫南，达于汉阴，可乎？’杂然相许。其妻献疑曰：‘以君之力，曾不能损魁父之丘。如太行、王屋何?且焉置土石?’杂曰：‘投诸渤海之尾，隐土之北。’遂率子孙荷担者三夫，叩石垦壤，箕畚运于渤海之尾。邻人京城氏之孀妻有遗男，始龀，跳往助之。寒暑易节，始一反焉。

河曲智叟笑而止之曰：‘甚矣，汝之不惠。以残年余力，曾不能毁山之一毛，其如土石何?’北山愚公长息曰：‘汝心之固，固不可彻，曾不若孀妻弱子。虽我之死，有子存焉；子又生孙，孙又生子；子又有子，子又有孙；子子孙孙无穷匮也，而山不加增，何苦而不平？’河曲智叟亡以应。

操蛇之神闻之，惧其不已也，告之于帝。帝感其诚，命夸娥氏二子负二山，一厝朔东，一厝雍南。自此，冀之南，汉之阴，无陇断焉。

Yu Rang: Giving One's Life for Righteousness 豫让：舍生取义

Yu Rang Bridge

Mencius said, ‘Fish is what I want, and bear's paw is also what I want. If I cannot have both, I prefer bear's paw to fish. Life is what I treasure, and righteousness is also what I treasure. If I cannot have both, I will give my life for righteousness.’ The assassin Yu Rang did just that. The story of Yu Rang who lived in the Warring States Period (475 to 221 BC) was recorded by Sima Qian in his ‘Records of the Grant Historian’.

Yu Rang was a native of Jin, who served the noble clans of Fan and Zhonghang but whose talents went unrecognised. However, when he joined Duke Zhi, Duke Zhi treated him with high respect. Later Duke Zhi attacked Duke Xiang of Zhao. Duke Xiang allied with Han and Wei to defeat Duke Zhi, wiping out his clan and dividing his land into three. Because of the deep hatred he bore Duke Zhi, Duke Xiang lacquered Duke Zhi’s skull and used it as a wine vessel. Yu Rang escaped to the mountains and lamented, ‘Alas! A woman adorns herself for her lover, and a true man dies for one who appreciates him. Duke Zhi appreciated me, so I must die to avenge him. Then my ghost need feel no shame.’ He changed his name and went, disguised as a convict, to mend the palace’s rest rooms, carrying a dagger to assassinate Duke Xiang. But as Duke Xiang was about to enter the rest room, he acted on a premonition and had Yu Rang seized. A weapon was found in Yu Rang’s hand. Yu Rang admitted, ‘I meant to avenge Duke Zhi.’ The attendants wanted to kill him but Duke Xiang said, ‘This is a man of honour. I shall keep out of his way. Duke Zhi died without heirs, yet this follower tried to avenge him. He must be a most noble man.’ He then released Yu Rang.

Later Yu Rang lacquered his skin to cause scabies and swallowed charcoal to hoarsen his voice, changing himself beyond recognition. Begged in the market and even his wife could not recognise him. But he met a friend who saw through his disguise and asked, ‘Are you not Yu Rang?’ He replied, ‘Yes, I am.’ The friend was in tears and pleaded with him, ‘A man of your talent should seek Duke Xiang’s patronage. You would soon be close to Duke Xiang and could then easily carry out your plan. Why should you mutilate yourself and inflict so much suffering on yourself to take revenge? This is too hard a way.’ Yu Rang answered, ‘If I entered his service to assassinate him, I should be guilty of disloyalty to him as my lord. This way is very hard, but my aim is to shame all those who in future are guilty of disloyalty to their lords.’

He went off then, for soon Duke Xiang was to come out, and Yu Rang hid under the bridge which he had to cross. When Duke Xiang reached the bridge his horse shied and he said, ‘Yu Rang must be here!’ He sent men to investigate and it was so. Then Duke Xiang reproached Yu Rang saying, ‘Formerly you served dukes Fan and Zhonghang. When Duke Zhi destroyed them, instead of avenging them you took service under him. Why are you so determined now to avenge Duke Zhi’s death?’ Yu Rang replied, ‘When I served dukes Fan and Zhonghang, they treated me as ordinary man and I treated them as ordinary men in return. But Duke Zhi treated me as the finest man in the state, and that is how I must treat him.’ Duke Xiang lamented and cried, ‘Ah, Yu Rang, you have made a name by your loyalty to Duke Zhi, and I have given you enough quarter. Now settle this business yourself. I am not letting you off again.’ He ordered his troops to surround him. Yu Rang said, ‘I have heard that a wise master does not conceal men’s quality, while a loyal subject will die for fame. Already the whole world is praising the generosity with which you spared me. Now I am ready to take my punishment, but first give me your coat to run through as a token of revenge, and I shall die content. Presumptuous as it is, please grant my request.’ Greatly moved by is royalty, Duke Xiang ordered his coat to be given to Yu Rang, who unsheathed his sword, leapt and ran the coat through three times. He cried, ‘Now I can go down to report to Duke Zhi.’ With that he fell upon his sword and died. News of his death made all true men of Zhao shed tears.

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孟子曰：‘鱼，我所欲也，熊掌，亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍鱼而取熊掌者也。生，我所欲也，义，亦我所欲也，二者不可得兼，舍生而取义者也。’刺客豫让所做的正是舍生取义。战国时期（公元前475年至公元前221年）的豫让的故事记载于司马迁的《史记•刺客列传》。

豫让者，晋人也，故尝事范氏及中行氏，而无所知名。去而事智佰，智佰甚尊宠之。及智佰伐赵襄子，赵襄子与韩魏合谋灭智伯，灭智伯之后而三分其地。赵襄子最怨智伯，漆其头以为饮器。豫让遁逃山中，曰：‘嗟乎！士为知己者死，女为说己者容。今智伯知我，我必为报仇而死，以报智伯，则吾魂魄不愧矣。’乃变名姓为刑人，入宫涂厕，中挟匕首，欲以刺襄子。襄子如厕，心动，执问涂厕之刑人，则豫让，内持刀兵，曰：‘欲为智伯报仇！’左右欲诛之。襄子曰：‘彼义人也，吾谨避之耳。且智伯亡无后，而其臣欲为报仇，此天下之贤人也。’卒释去之。

居顷之，豫让又漆身为厉，吞炭为哑，使形状不可知，行乞于市。其妻不识也。行见其友，其友识之，曰：‘汝非豫让邪？’曰：‘我是也。’其友为泣曰：‘以子之才，委质而臣事襄子，襄子必近幸子。近幸子，乃为所欲，顾不易邪？何乃残身苦形，欲以求报襄子，不亦难乎！’豫让曰：‘既委质臣事人，而求杀之，是怀二心以事其君也。且吾所为者极难耳！然所以为此者，将以愧天下后世之为人臣怀二心以事其君者也。’

既去，顷之，襄子当出，豫让伏于所当过之桥下。襄子至桥，马惊，襄子曰：‘此必是豫让也。’使人问之，果豫让也。于是襄子乃数豫让曰：‘子不尝事范、中行氏乎？智伯尽灭之，而子不为报仇，而反委质臣于智伯。智伯亦已死矣，而子独何以为之报仇之深也？’豫让曰：‘臣事范、中行氏，范、中行氏皆众人遇我，我故众人报之。至于智伯，国士遇我，我故国士报之。’襄子喟然叹息而泣曰：‘嗟乎豫子！子之为智伯，名既成矣，而寡人赦子，亦已足矣。子其自为计，寡人不复释子！’使兵围之。豫让曰：‘臣闻明主不掩人之美，而忠臣有死名之义。前君已宽赦臣，天下莫不称君之贤，今日之事，臣固伏诛，然愿请君之衣而击之，焉以致报仇之意，则虽死不恨。非所敢望也，敢布腹心！’于是襄子大义之，乃使使持衣与豫让。豫让拔剑三跃而击之，曰：‘吾可以下报智伯矣！’遂伏剑自杀。死之日，赵国志士闻之，皆为涕泣。

The Traditional Chinese Wedding 华人传统婚礼

Crossed-cup Wine 交杯酒

In Chinese culture, wedding is considered a joining of two families, thus when a couple decide to get married, both families get involved. Chinese wedding traditions are as varied and complex. During the centuries of ethnic Chinese migration throughout Asia, traditions have evolved and changed due to a myriad of regional and cultural influence.

Here is a record of the wedding tradition written by Meng Yuanlao of Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) in his book ‘Records of Dreams in East Capital’:

The bridegroom invites his bride to tie together two lengths of silk, one from each family, and make a concentric knot. This is called the ‘leading scarf’. The bridegroom hangs one end of the scarf on his hand plate, while the bride holds the other end in her hand. The groom walks backwards, guiding the bride face to face, out of the room. After paying homage to the ancestors in the family temple, the bride walks backwards to the nuptial chamber. With their aims supported by maids, the bride and groom try to be the first to salute each other.

After this, they sit on the edge of the bed, the bride on the left, the groom on the right. Women sprinkle coins and all kinds of dried fruit and nuts around them. This is called sa zheng (literally, casting tent).

People bind together a strand of the groom’s hair on left side of his hand with that of the bride on the right side. Both families offer bolts of silk, hairpins and other decorations for the head and put them together. This procedure is called he ji (literally, joining hairs).

Afterwards, two tiny wine cups are tied together with a colourful silk string and the newlyweds drink the wine together. This practice is called ‘drink cross-cupped wine’. Then they throw the cups and the decorated head-dress underneath the bed. If it happens that one cup faces upwards and the other downwards, it is regard as auspicious and the wedding guests will congratulate them.

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在华人的传统里，婚姻算是两个家庭的结合，所以当一对新人决定结婚，两家都积极参与。华人的婚礼传统多样与复杂。随着这几个世纪华人移居亚洲各国，这次传统也受到地区域文化的影响而演变与改变。

以下是宋朝（960-1279）孟元老在《东京梦华录》卷五中的记载：

婿于床前请新妇出，二家各出彩段，绾一同心，谓之“牵巾”，男挂于笏，女搭于手，男倒行出，面皆相向，至家庙前参拜毕，女复倒行，扶入房讲拜，男女各争先后。

对拜毕，就床，女向左坐，男向右坐，妇女以金钱彩果散掷，谓之“撒帐”。

男左女右，留少头发，二家出匹段、钗子、木梳、头须之类，谓之“合髻”。

然后用两盏以彩结连之，互饮一盏，谓之“交杯酒”。饮讫，掷盏并花冠子于床下，盏一仰一合，俗云“大吉”，则众喜贺。

Zhao XIangzi Enjoyed Drinking Wine 赵襄子饮酒

豫让刺杀赵襄子

In 376 BCE, the states of Han, Wei and Zhao deposed Duke Jing of Jin and divided the Jin territory between them. The Partition of Ji marked the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the Warring States Period. Zhao Xiangzi played an important role in the partition and is considered to be the founding of the state of Zhao. He was in power for 33 years (457 – 425 BC).

Here is a story about him.

King Xiang Zi of the state of Zhao had been enjoying his drink for five days and nights on end without getting drunk. He said to his servants, ‘I must be the greatest man in this State. I have been drinking for five days and nights, but I am not sick yet.’

You Mo replied, ‘You ought to take care of yourself. You are still two days and nights short of the record of Zhou, who drank seven days and nights. Now you have already reached five.’

King Xing Zi was scared, and he asked You Mo, ‘Will my state perish like that of Zhou?’ Mou You replied, ‘The same will not happen.’

‘Only two days less than Zhou, how could my state not be subjugated as he was?’ the King asked.

You Mo replied, ‘The fall of Jie and Zhou was attributed to Tang and Wu respectively. Nowadays there are only the Jies in power, and Your Majesty is like Zhou. Jie and Zhou exist simultaneously. How could they subjugate each other? However neither one is very far away from danger.’

Note: Jie and Xia were the despotic last rulers of the Xia and Shang Dynasties respectively. Tang and Wu defeated Jie and Xia respectively.

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公元前376年，韩、魏、赵把晋静公赶下台，三分晋土。三家分晋发生在春秋末年，战国之初。赵襄子在这件事中扮演了重要角色，可以说是赵国的开国君王。

以下是一个有关赵襄子的故事。

赵襄子饮酒，五日五夜不废酒。谓侍者曰：“我诚邦士也！夫饮酒五日五夜矣，而殊不病。”

优莫曰：“君勉之！不及纣二日耳。纣七日七夜，今君五日。”

襄子惧，谓优莫曰：“然则亡乎？”优莫曰：“不亡。”

襄子曰：“不及纣二日耳，不亡何待？”

优莫曰：“桀纣之亡也，遇汤武；今天下尽桀也，而君纣也。桀、纣并世，焉能相亡？然亦殆矣！”

Wong Bo Showed Off His Talent 王勃显能

Wang Bo 王勃

Wang Bo (ca. 648–675), courtesy name Zi'an, was a poet in the Tang Dynasty. He is one of the Four Literary Eminences in Early Tang. He opposed the spread of the Gong Ti Style of the Sui Dynasty, and advocated a style rich in emotions. His fame was boosted by the publishing of Preface to the Prince of Teng's Pavilion, a poem which is widely recognised as one of the finest Tang Dynasty poems. The style of this poem greatly influenced later generations of poets. His poem, titled ‘Seeing Du Shaofu off to His Post in Shu Zhou’, is widely recognised as one of the masterpieces of poetry of the Tang Dynasty. The line in this poem, ‘A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near’, has become a famous and frequently quoted phrase throughout the ages. It has touched the hearts of ancient and modern people.

The story of his writing of the poem was told by Wang Dingpao in his book ‘Anecdotes of the Tang Dynasty’ as follows:

When Wang Bo (648-675) wrote his masterpiece ‘Preface to the Prince of Teng's Pavilion’, he was only fourteen years old. Knowing little about him, the governor Yan of Hongzhou did not recognise the lad’s talent. Although he had invited Wang to the celebration for rebuilding of the tower, has asked his son-in-law, a scholar called Meng, to write for the occasion a composition which in fact was prepared beforehand.

When all the guests had assembled for the event, they were invited (as a matter of courtesy) to prepare a composition, and only Wang accepted. Yan was furious. He rose, and told a servant to watch what Wang was writing and report to him immediately. The first sentence came to his ears: ‘This tower in the former capital, Nanchang, is now the new centre of Hongzhou.’ This was nothing special, he thought.

The second sentence arrived: ‘In the sky, fight above this place, are the stars Yi and Zhen; on the earth, this spot is connected with the famous mountains Heng and Lu.’ This couplet moved Yan to silent thought.

Then the following sentence soon reached his ears: ‘The evening clouds drift with a solitary goose in company, and the hue of the autumn river blends with that of the endless sky.’ On hearing this, Yan jumped up, shouting: ‘What a talent! This couplet will be remembered forever!’

Hurriedly he invited Wang Bo to have dinner together, and they had a wonderful time.

Text of Preface to the Prince of Teng's Pavillion 《滕王阁序》全文

王勃（大约648-675），字子安，是唐代诗人。他是初唐四杰之一。他反对宫体诗风的流行，推行感情丰富的风格。他的《滕王阁序》提高了他的声名。这首诗赋至今还为中学生所读。

五代王定保的《唐摭言》中叙述他写《滕王阁序》的故事：

Prince of Teng's Pavillion 滕王阁

王勃著《腾王阁序》，年十四，都督阎公不之信，勃虽在座，而阎公意属于婿孟学士为之，已宿构矣。

及以纸笔巡让宾客，勃不辞让。公大怒，拂衣而起，专令人伺其下笔。第一报云：‘豫章故郡，洪都新府。’ 公曰：‘亦是老生常谈。’

又报云：‘星分翼轸，地接衡庐。’公闻之，沉吟不语。

又云：‘落霞与孤鹜齐飞，秋水共长天一色。’瞿然而起曰：‘此真天才，当垂不朽矣！’

遂亟请宴所，极欢而罢。

Qin Scholar loved Antiques 秦士好古

The following story is found in the book ‘A Vast Collection of Records of Things and Events’, which is written by Chen Yuanjing of Song Dynasty.

A scholar of the Qin dynasty was fond of antiques that he would acquire them regardless of how much they cost.

One day, a man appeared at his gate, hauling a broken mat, and said, ‘In the past Duke Ai Gong of the state of Lu presented this mat to Confucius. This is the very mat slept on by the great sage.’ The scholar, greatly pleased by such a rare find, obtained it at the cost of a piece of fertile land he owned outside the outer city wall.

Later, another man appeared with an old walking stick. He was selling the old stick, and he said, ‘this is the walking stick used by King Tai of Zhou dynasty as he was on his way to Bin in order to escape the barbarian invaders from the north. By the way, this stick is several hundred years older than that mat of Confucius. What price can you offer?’ The scholar paid the man with all his family savings.

Thereafter, another man came to the house with a rotten wooden bowl and said, ‘neither your mat nor your stick can be called antiques by comparison with this treasure. It was made during the days of Tyrant Jie (the last King of Shang dynasty), much earlier than the Zhou dynasty.’ Considering this was a product of an even earlier era, he paid by transferring the title of his house to the man.

In order to obtain the three antiques now in his possession, he had given up his arable land, his home and exhausted his savings. Nothing remained for his subsistence. Nevertheless, he refused to think of trying to dispose of the three articles. Hence, draping the Duke Ai Gong’s mat on his shoulders, leaning on King Tai’s stick and using Tyrant Jie’s bowl as he went begging in the streets, he pleaded to the passers-by, ‘thank you for supporting my living. If you have coins made by Jiang Tai Gong (famous politician of Zhou dynasty), please spare me one.’

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以下故事来自宋朝陳元靚所著《事林广记》。

秦朝有一士人，酷好古物，价虽贵必求之。

一日，有人携败席踵门告曰：‘昔鲁哀公命席以问孔子，此孔子所坐之席。’秦士大惬意，以为古，遂以附郭田易之。

逾时，又一人持古杖以售之，曰：‘此乃太王避狄太王(周文王的祖父)杖策去豳时所操之棰也，盖先孔子之席数百年，子何以偿我？’秦士倾家资与之。

既而又有人持朽一只，曰：‘席与杖皆未为古，此椀乃桀造，盖商又远于周。’秦士愈以为远，遂虚所居之宅而予之。

三器既得，而田资罄尽，无以衣食，然好古之心，终未忍舍三器，于是披哀公之席，把太王之杖，执桀所作之椀，行丐于市，曰：‘衣食父母，有太公九府钱，乞一文！’

Hou Yi Shot Down Nine Suns 后羿射九日

The Chinese myth of Hou Yi resembles Heracles in Greek mythology (or Hercules in Roman mythology), as both were archers who tried to shoot the sun. In the Chinese myth, there were ten suns in the sky that made the world so hot that nothing could grow. Hou Yi shot down nine of them with his bow and arrows and thus saved the earth.

However, the legendary stories about Hou Yi in Chinese ancient books and records have been always contradictory, which has caused long-time debates on the protagonist of the Hou Yi myth. Behind the mysterious stories, there is a splendid history of an ancient archery people living in the East Yi area of ancient China. Hou Yi was the title of the kings of Yi people. These Hou Yi kings made different merits in different times, creating the heroic and moving histories of Yi people. It is said that a person known as the Great Yi united the Eastern Yi people and formed a strong country. As the country was formed by tribes who worshiped, it was, according to the ancient book ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’, known as the country of ‘Ten-sun’.

However, the ‘Classic of Mountains and Seas’ did not have any record on the shooting of nine suns. Instead, another ancient book ‘Huainan Zi’ talked about a person called Yi shot down nine suns. It is generally assumed that Yi referred to Hou Yi, the famous archer in the ancient Chinese mythology. As Hou Yi came from Eastern Yi, it is also believed that Hou Yi and the Great Yi are the same person.

Here is the record from Huainan Zi.

During the time of Yao (a virtuous emperor in ancient fables), ten suns rose into the sky. They burned the crops and scorched the bushes and trees, leaving the ordinary people with nothing to eat.

Monsters began to roam about and cause suffering for the people, including ya yu (a fabled monster which can run quickly, make sounds like the cries of a baby, and eat human flesh), zao chi (or ‘chisel tooth’, a fabled monster who, with three-chi-long teeth, could attack like a dagger-axe and lance), jiu ying (a nine-headed monster, spurting flames and floods), da feng (or ‘big wind’, a kind of ferocious bird, large in size), feng xi (or heavy boar) and python (a long, fierce serpent).

Yao sent Yi to kill chisel-tooth in the wilderness by the Chou Hua lake (a lake in the south) and the nine-headed monster by the Inauspicious River (a river in the north), and shoot the great bird near the marshland by Qing Qiu lake (a lake in the east). Yi then shot down nine suns with his arrow. He killed ya yu, beheaded the python by Dong Ting Lake, and caught the boar at White Mulberry Wood.

Hundreds of thousands of commoners were overjoyed by this and so elected Yao as their king, the ‘Son of Heaven’.

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中国神话后羿射日与希腊罗马神话里的赫尔克里士一样，都是要把太阳射下来的大力射箭手。在中国神话中，天空中有十个太阳，使到地球太热，万物不能生长。后羿以他的弓箭把九个太阳射下来，保存了世界。

但是，历史典籍关于后羿神话的传说互相矛盾，造成了学术界关于后羿神话主人公长期的争论。在这看似复杂的现象背后，记述了一个生活在中国东夷地区的善射民族的辉煌历史。后羿是夷民族的王，不同时代作为王的后羿有不同的功业，共同塑造着羿民族的可歌可泣的历史。据史料记载，大羿统一了东夷各部落方国，组成了一个强大的国家。由于该国家为众多崇拜太阳的部落方国所组成，在《山海经》中被称为“十日国”。

但是，《山海经》并没有关于射下九个太阳的记录。反而另一本古书《淮南子》谈到一个叫做羿的人射下九个太阳的事。一般认为羿就是后羿，那个在中国神话里著名的弓箭手。由于后羿也是东夷人，一般也相信后羿与大羿是同一个人。

以下是《淮南子•本经训》的故事：

‘逮至尧之时，十日并出，焦禾稼，杀草木，而民无所食。猰貐、凿齿、九婴、大风、封豨、修蛇皆为民害。尧乃使羿诛凿齿于畴华之野，杀九婴于凶水之上，缴大风于青丘之泽，上射十日而下杀猰貐，断修蛇于洞庭，擒封希于桑林。万民皆喜。置尧以为天子’。

The Mouse Gets Married 老鼠娶亲

The Rat is actually the first character in the lunar calendar's twelve-year cycle, thanks to his legendary cleverness. Here is a story how mother mouse finally finds the right husband for her lovely daughter. The plot may be dated, but Lady Mouse Got Married is as entertaining a children's fable today as it was thousands of years ago.

As the story goes, Mommy Mouse is looking for the most powerful male to match her beautiful young daughter, Lady Mouse. After spoken to all potential candidates, she finally discovered that the son-in-law she's looking for has been right under her nose all along. So what if it's about arranged marriages and a life spent in fear, the moral lessons of the cute coming-of-age story still ring true.

Once there was a mouse whose daughter had come of age and was ready to get married. When the mother mouse asked her daughter who she would like to marry, she replied, ‘Whoever is most powerful is who I will marry!’

The mother believed the sun to be the most powerful, so she went to the sun and said, ‘Sun, my daughter would like to marry whoever is most powerful. Since I believe that to be you, I’d like you to marry my daughter.’

On hearing this, the sun immediately shook its head and said, ‘I’m not the most powerful. I still fear the cloud. As soon as he shows up, he blocks all my rays. It’s the cloud that’s most powerful. You should go look for him.’

This sounded reasonable to the mother, so she went and found the cloud. To her surprise, however, he also said, ‘I’m definitely not the most powerful. The most powerful is the wind. He can blow me away without leaving a trace. You should have him marry your daughter.’

When the mother met with the wind he said, ‘I’m not the one you’re looking for. The wall is without a doubt more powerful than I. He can stop me in my tracks and hold me back!’

So the mother rushed to find the wall and said, ‘I suggested that my daughter marry the sun who is afraid of the cloud, then the cloud who fears the wind, and later, the wind who is scared of you. Therefore it must you who is most powerful. You should marry my daughter.’

With a smile, the wall said, ‘I’m also afraid of many things. As a matter of fact, what I fear most of all are mice. The holes they burrow can be devastating!’

Running home the mother mouse sighed and said to her daughter, ‘I think you’d better marry a mouse!’
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老鼠是十二生肖之首，据说靠的是它的机智。这里有一个关于鼠妈妈为她那可爱的女儿找适合对象的故事。情节可能是老套了点，可是几千年以来，这个‘老鼠娶亲’的寓言却在一直娱乐着无数的儿童。

故事是这样的，鼠妈妈要找个最有力量的对象来许配给她的女儿。与所有潜在对象交谈之后，她终于发现她所要找的就在她的眼前。所以，盲婚之下，如果一个人终生活在畏惧之中，这个有趣的古老故事还是值得参考的。
从前，老鼠女儿长大了，到了可以婚嫁时候。鼠妈妈问女儿她想嫁个怎样的对象时，女儿说：‘谁最有力量，我就嫁谁。’
鼠妈妈相信太阳最有力量，所以她去找太阳，对他说：‘太阳，我的女儿想嫁个最有力量的。我相信那是你。我希望你娶我的女儿。’
太阳听了之后，立刻摇摇头说：‘我不是最有力量的。我还是很怕云。他一出现就把我的光芒给遮盖了。云最有力量。你应该去找他。’
鼠妈妈听了觉得有理，所以跑去找云。可是，很意外的，云也说：‘我不是你所要找的对象。无疑的，墙壁比我更有力量。他可以阻止我的步伐，把我挡住。’
于是，鼠妈妈赶紧去找墙壁，说：‘我找太阳，要把女儿嫁给他，但他害怕云；而云又怕风。接着风说他怕你。所以你应该是最有力量。你应该娶我的女儿。’
墙壁微笑着说：‘我害怕东西可不少。事实上，我最怕的就是老鼠。你们的穴居对我的杀伤力很大。’
鼠妈妈跑回家，叹了口气，对女儿说：‘我想你还是嫁给我们老鼠吧！’

Cao Mo: An Assassin 刺客曹沫

In the Records of the Grand Historian, the author Sima Qian devoted a full chapter on ‘The Assassins’, which outlined a number of notable assassins from the Warring States period who were entrusted with (the usually noble) task of carrying out political assassinations on aristocrats and nobles. This following is the first of several assassin tales. The assassin Cao Mo was a general of Lu during the Zhou dynasty. He target victim was the Duke Huan of Qi. It’s interesting that in this story, dubbed Cao Mo was dubbed as an assassin when he didn’t even attempt to kill Qi Huan Gong. However, he is regarded as the most effective assassin.

Cao Mo, a resident of the state of Lu, was powerfully built and brave. He served the Duke Duke Zhuang Gong of Lu, who admired physical strength. As a general of Lu, Cao Mo fought with the state of Qi three times and lost all the battles. Duke Zhuang Gong was fearful, so he gave Lu’s territory Suiyi to Qi to make peace. However, Zhuang Gong still kept Cao Mo as his general.

Duke Huan Gong of Qi agreed to meet with the Duke of Lu at Ke to conclude a treaty. After Huan Gong and Zhuang Gong had signed the treaty on the ceremonial stage, Cao Mo suddenly produced a dagger and seized Duke Huan Gong. Duke Huan Gong and his advisors didn’t dare move. Duke Huan Gong asked, ‘What do you want?’

Cao Mo replied, ‘Qi is strong and Lu is tiny, and yet your state have taken so much of our land. If a wall collapses in the capital of Lu, it will fall in Qi’s territory! Please act accordingly!’ Duke Huan Gong agreed to return all the land wrested from Lu. On hearing this, Cao Mo threw aside his dagger, left the ceremonial stage to join the other attendants respectfully facing rulers north; he behaved and spoke as usual, as if nothing had happened.

Huan Gong was infuriated and wanted to destroy the treaty.

Guan Zhong said, ‘You shouldn’t! If we do this now to quickly satisfy our desire, the dukes of other states will hear of this and we will lose the trust of all of them. It is better to let Lu have the land, rather them losing the support of other states.’

So Duke Huan returned all Lu’s land as promised. All the territory Cao Mo had lost through the three battles was given back to the state of Lu.

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司马迁在《史记》中以整个篇章《刺客列传》来讲述一些著名刺客在战国时期被委任以刺杀王族与贵族的可敬重任。下面是所记载的这些刺客中的第一个刺客。刺客曹沫是东周鲁国的将军。他的目标是齐桓公。有趣的是，这个被称为刺客的曹沫却没有刺杀齐桓公的意图。但是，他却被认为是最有绩效的刺客。

曹沫者，鲁人也，以勇力事鲁庄公。庄公好力。曹沫为鲁将，与齐战，三败北。鲁庄公惧，乃献遂邑之地以和。犹复以为将。

齐桓公许与鲁会于柯而盟。桓公与庄公既盟於坛上，曹沫执匕首劫齐桓公，桓公左右莫敢动，而问曰：“子将何欲？”

曹沫曰：“齐强鲁弱，而大国侵鲁亦甚矣。今鲁城坏即压齐境，君其图之。”桓公乃许尽归鲁之侵地。既已言，曹沫投其匕首，下坛，北面就群臣之位，颜色不变，辞令如故。

桓公怒，欲倍其约。

管仲曰：“不可。夫贪小利以自快，弃信於诸侯，失天下之援，不如与之。”

於是桓公乃遂割鲁侵地，曹沫三战所亡地尽复予鲁。

The Textile Merchant 布贩

The following story is from ‘Gossips from the Micro-reading Hall’.

Textile merchant Jiang always walked around with his big floral colour dog. On one such walk, he met an old man who stopped him. Jiang asked for the reason as he had never met this person before. The old man suddenly kow-towed and said, ‘I am actually a fox and had wrongly killed you in our previous existence. Three days later you will get you dog to sever my throat (as revenge). All these are predestined and I dare not try to escape the punishment. However, I have thought it over that my wrong had happened more than a hundred years ago, and since then, you have been reborn to become a human being and I have been downgraded as a fox. What satisfaction you will get in seeing me being killed by the dog? Moreover, you could not even recall about the incident now. I am willing to offer my daughter to you as penance for my sins.’

Jiang said, ‘I would not want to have anything to do with a fox, nor I want to take advantage of this situation to have your daughter. I can forgive you but what must I do to ensure that my dog would not mow you down when the time comes?’

The old man said that Jiang would give him a signed statement of release to say that he is willing to forgive him voluntarily. He would then pass the statement to the supreme deity. With this, the dog would not kill him. It was the rule that the victim would decide whether he would pardon the offender, and the supreme deity would not interfere. Jiang wrote out the release in a note and the old man left happily with it.

Some years later, Jiang was on his way to the North and was crossing the great river when a sudden storm threatened to capsize the boat. The sail could not be lowered to alleviate the force of the wind and storm. Suddenly a person jumped on to the mast and cut the rope that fastened the sail to the ship. The sail flew into the river and the ship managed to regain its stability. All on board were saved. The old man who severed the rope looked like the fox. He disappeared suddenly.

People commented that this old fox had a sense of gratitude. But I think, this fox could not even save himself, how could he save his former benefactor? May be it was because the supreme deity wanted to reward Jiang by extending his life, so he sent the old fox to perform the task.

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以下故事来自《阅微草堂笔记》：

有姜挺者以贩布为业，恒携一花犬自随，一日独行，途遇一叟呼之住，问不相识，何见招？叟遽叩首有声，曰：我狐也，夙生负君命，三日后君当嗾花犬断我喉，冥数已定，不敢逃死，然窃念事隔百余年，君转生人道，我堕为狐，必追杀一狐，与君何益，且君已不记被杀事，偶杀一狐亦无所快于心，愿纳女自赎可乎？

姜曰：我不敢引狐入室，亦不欲乘危劫人女，贳则贳汝，然何以防犬终不噬也？

曰：君但手批一帖，曰某人夙负，自原销除，我持以告神，则犬自不噬。冤家债主，解释须在本人，神不违也。适携记簿纸笔，即批帖予之。叟喜跃去。

后七八载，姜贩布渡大江，突遇暴风，帆不能落，舟将覆，见一人直上樯竿杪，掣断其索，骑帆俱落，望之似是此叟，转瞬已失所在矣。

皆曰：此狐能报恩。余曰：此狐无术自救，能数千里外救人乎？此神以好生延其寿，遣此狐耳。

The Death of Hou Yi 后羿之死

The Chinese notion of moral responsibility was explained by Mencius (371-289 BC) when he cited the case of the famously skilful archer Hou Yi who was shot by a student Feng Meng who had mastered everything Yi had taught him. Mencius considered Hou Yi should also be held responsible for his own death because he failed to make a sound judgment before taking someone into his confidence.

However, Mencius’ purpose in citing the story is also to show just the opposite that the shot was indeed a bad one because it assaulted the ritual (li) on several fronts. By killing his teacher - presumably for fame, as the student would have then been the best archer in the land - the student simultaneously ignored the importance of the student-teacher relationship and the norms that maintain it, threatened the integrity of the tradition, and reduced the skill to a mere means that allowed him to attain an external good.

The followings are extracted from the book ‘Mencius’.

Feng Meng learned archery of Hou Yi. When he had acquired completely all the science of Hou Yi, he thought that in the entire kingdom only Hou Yi was superior to himself, and so he slew him.

Mencius said, ‘In this case Hou Yi also was to be blamed.’

Gong Meng Yi said, ‘It would appear as if he were not to be blamed.’

Mencius said,

But he thereby only meant that his blame was slight. How can he be held without any blame? The people of Zheng sent Zi Zhuo Ru Zi to make a stealthy attack on Wei, which sent Yu Gong Zhi Si to pursue him. Zi Zhuo Ru Zi said, ‘I feel unwell today, so much that I cannot hold my bow. I am a dead man!’

At the same time he asked his driver, ‘Who is it that is pursuing me?’ The driver said, ‘It is Yu Gong Zhi Si,’ on which, Zi Zhuo Ru Zi exclaimed, ‘I shall live.’

The driver said, ‘Yu Gong Zhi Si is the best archer of Wei, what do you mean by saying 'I shall live?'’

Zi Zhuo Ru Zi replied, ‘Yu Gong Zhi Si learned archery from Yin Gong Zhi Tuo, who again learned it from me. Now, Yin Gong Zhi Tuo is an upright man, and the friends of his selection must be upright also.’

When Yu Gong Zhi Si came up, he said, ‘Master, why are you not holding your bow?’ Zi Zhuo Zhi SI answered him, ‘I am feeling unwell today, and cannot hold my bow.’ On this Yu Gong Zhi Si said, ‘I learned archery from Yin Gong Zhi Tuo, who again learned it from you. I cannot bear to injure you with your own skills. However, the prince has ordered me to deal with you, which I dare not neglect.’

He then took his arrows, knocked off their steel points against the carriage-wheel, discharged four of them, and returned.

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孟子（公元前370-289）以后羿被杀来说明道德责任。后羿在当时是最有名的好弓箭手，逢蒙学会了后羿所有手艺后把后羿杀死。孟子认为后羿对自己的死也有责任，因为他不能慧眼识人。

但是，孟子讲这个故事的目的也是要表明逢蒙的那一箭实在是‘坏’箭，因为它与礼节不符。杀死他的老师 - 看来是为了名誉吧，因为他的老师是当时最好的射手 - 这个学生忽略了师生的关系，与用于维持这种关系的准则，因而危害了传统的完整，这样就把一门技艺当成是获得体外利益的工具。

以下是《孟子》所记载的故事：

逢蒙学射於羿，尽羿之道；思天下惟羿为愈己，於是杀羿。

孟子曰：‘是亦羿有罪焉。’

公明仪曰：‘宜若无罪焉。’

曰：

薄乎云尔，恶得无罪！郑人使子濯孺子侵卫，卫使庾公之斯追之。子濯孺子曰：‘今日我疾作，不可以执弓，吾死矣夫！’

问其仆曰：‘追我者谁也？’其仆曰：‘庾公之斯也。’曰：‘吾生矣！’

其仆曰：‘庾公之斯，卫之善射者也。夫子曰：“吾生。”何谓也？’

曰：‘庾公之斯学射於尹公之他，尹公之他学射於我。夫尹公之他，端人也，其取友必端矣。’

庾公之斯至，曰：‘夫子何为不执弓？’曰：‘今日我疾作，不可以执弓。’曰：‘小人学射於尹公之他，尹公之他学射於夫子。我不忍以夫子之道，反害夫子。虽然，今日之事，君事也，我不敢废。’

抽矢扣轮，去其金，发乘矢而後反。

Grinding a Bar of Steel into a Needle 磨杵成针

The tendency with Chinese culture to emphasise hard work may be related to the legends and stories which have inspired people for generations. A well known story on Li Bai says a determined mind can grind a bar of steel into a needle, which obvious emphasises the strong determination to carry out a task. Li Bai, the famous poet lived during the Tang dynasty (618-907), is known to be a poetic genius. However, the famous story obviously points to the theory that Li Bai’s success was really due to his hard work and persistence in carrying out his learning tasks.

It is said that Li Bai was fond of playing when he was young, so he was always absent-minded in classes. One day he would catch little birds on the hill, and another day he would pick dates on the other hill.

One day, he saw an old lady sitting at the riverside when he was crossing the brook. The old lady was grinding an iron pestle without fear of tiredness. On seeing this, Li Bai laughed at her and said: “People who do this job are fools.”

The old lady answered kindly: “I am determined to grind the iron pestle into a needle even if the iron pestle is so thick and hard.” Li Bai took the iron pestle and felt tired after grinding it for a minute. Then he complained: “Oh, how long can I get it done? I quit.” The old lady shook her head and sighed: “The pestle can be grinded into a needle, as long as you keep working hard.”

The old lady’s words were so worthwhile, and Li Bai remembered them by heart. From then on, he spared no pains to study, and became a great poet finally.

The story comes from ‘Categorised Collection of Accurate Stories’ which was written in Ming dynasty by Chen Renxi (1581-1636).

‘Young Li Bai was not good in his studies. One day, he saw an old lady grinding a bar of steel and asked what she was doing. The old lady replied that she was making it into a needle. Li Bai was touched by what she said and from then on, he studied hard and graduated with good results.’

The Chinese phrase ‘grinding a bar of steel into a needle’ is now a famous proverb which is used to mean no matter how difficult or challenging a task is, it can be done as long as there is perseverance.

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华人文化强调用功读书，可能是受到不少传说与故事的鼓舞。一个出名的有关李白的故事叙述坚强的决心可以把一根铁棒磨成针，显然是强调做事需要的是决心。著名的唐朝（618-907）诗人李白诗个天才诗人。但是，这个有名的故事显然是指向这样的一个学说，就是李白的成功其实是由于他用功与对学习的坚持。

据说，李白小时候特别贪玩，一到上课就走神。今天这山捉小鸟，明天那山去摘枣。下了山过小河，河边坐着老婆婆。老婆婆不怕累，正磨一根铁棒锤。李白看了笑呵呵，说：‘傻子才干这种活呢！ ’

老婆婆慈祥地说：‘不怕铁棒粗又硬，我要磨成绣花针！ ” 李白拿过铁棒锤，没磨几下就喊累，说：“哎呦，什么时候能磨成啊？我不干了！’ 老婆婆摇摇头，叹息道：‘只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针！’

老婆婆的话值千金，李白牢牢记在心。从此读书不怕苦，成了一位大诗人。

这个故事出自明朝陈仁锡（1581-1636）的《潜确类书》卷六十：

‘李白少读书，未成，弃去。道逢老妪磨杵，白问其故。曰：‘欲作针。’白感其言，遂卒业。’

‘磨杵成针’就成为有名的成语，指的是不管事情是多么的困难，只要有毅力，一定会成功。

The Pity of Zhong-Yong王安石：伤仲永

There is a tendency within Chinese culture to emphasize hard work rather learning aptitude in achieving academic success. Negative responses towards ‘aptitude’ are obvious in the Chinese context, dating back to Wang Anshi’s (1021-1086) work of ‘The Pity of Zhong Yong’ in the Song Dynasty. The story tells of an intelligent child named Shang Zhong Yong, who when he was young showed much aptitude for reading and memorization abilities, but years later he was found to be no different from other people. This story suggests that ‘aptitude’ is not emphasized in a Chinese educational context. As such, intelligent tests are rarely encouraged in Chinese schools.

Below is the story told by Wang Anshi.

In my hometown Jinxi, there was a person called Fang Zhong Yong. His family has been peasants for generations. At the age of five, Zhong Yong had never known any writing tools. Suddenly one day he cried and asked for these things: pen, paper, ink, etc.His father was very surprised and borrowed ones from the neighbor. Zhong Yong immediately wrote a quatrain Jueju poem, and signed his own name. His poem was talking about supporting parents and people from the same clan should get along harmoniously with each other in accordance with seniority and the patriarchal relationship. The poem generated big buzz among scholars of the entire township.

Since then, Zhong-Yong could immediately complete a poem about any assigned issues and objects. And his poems are of literary talent and sound rationale. People in the whole county were surprised by his incredible talent. Gradually, people started to treat his father as special guest with respectful courtesy; some even paid money in order to ask for Zhong Yong’s poems. His father felt that this was profitable and lucrative. So he let Zhong Yong visit people one day after another and would not let him study at school.

I’ve heard this matter for a long time. In Mingdao Era (1032-1033), I returned to hometown with my father. At my uncle’s house I met Zhong Yong. He was already twelve or thirteen years old by then. I asked him to write a poem. His poetry couldn’t meet the reputation of the past.

It took another seven years when I came back from Yangzhou. Once again I came to uncle’s home, asked about Fang Zhong Yong’s current situation. He replied: ‘Just like ordinary people.’

Wang Anshi commented: Zhong Yong’s special intelligence was gifted at birth. He was endowed with much higher talent than average talented people. However, he eventually became an ordinary person, because he did not receive proper education afterward. As naturally intelligent to such an extent as Zhong Yong was, he became an ordinary person without proper education. Well, nowadays, for those who are not born smart, if they do not receive proper education, could they beat child prodigy Zhong-Yong and still become “ordinary people”?

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中华文化倾向于强调‘勤奋’而不是‘天资’为学习成功之要素。这种对‘天资’或‘才能’的负面看法在中国古书中是明显的，可以追溯到宋朝王安石（1021-1086）所写的‘伤仲永’的一篇文章。该故事说一个小孩小时候显示了很好的才能与记忆力，可是后来却与一般人没有两样。这个故事说明‘才能’不是中国教育所重视。所以，在中国学校中，‘才能测试’一向来是不被鼓励的。

以下《伤仲永》选自《王文公文集》：

金溪民方仲永，世隶耕。仲永生五年，未尝识书具，忽啼求之。父异焉，借旁近与之，即书诗四句，并自为其名。其诗以养父母、收族为意，传一乡秀才观之。

自是指物作诗立就，其文理皆有可观者。邑人奇之，稍稍宾客其父，或以钱币乞之。父利其然也，日扳仲永环谒于邑人，不使学。

余闻之也久。明道(宋仁宗年号，只有两年，1032-1033）中，从先人还家，于舅家见之，十二三矣。令作诗，不能称前时之闻。又七年，还自杨州，复到舅家，问焉，曰“泯然众人矣。”

王子曰：仲永之通悟，受之天也。其受之天也，贤于材人远矣。卒之为众人，则其受于人者不至也。彼其受之天也，如此其贤也，不受之人，且为众人；今夫不受之天，固众人，又不受之人，得为众人而已耶？

Mazu Culture 妈祖文化

Every year on 23rd day of the third lunar month (this year, it was on 6 May), the birthday of Mazu, and on 9th day of the ninth lunar month, the anniversary of Mazu’s death, locals and thousands of overseas believers come to Meizhou Island in the Fujian Province of China and hold worshipping ceremonies.

Among the crowds of people there is usually a group of women whose clothes are particularly eye-catching. They wear tall, sail-shaped hairstyles and half-red, half-blue wide-legged trousers. People call them "Meizhou Women" and their outfits are said to be modelled on the costume Mazu used to wear. As Mazu is the goddess of the sea and protector of boats, her hairstyle is reminiscent of a sail, and the symbol of her identity as the Holy Mother in Heaven is the red outfit she wears when she flies through the sky. Since women in the human world are subordinate to her and therefore must not wear identical clothes, their trousers are only half red.

Mazu(959-987) is widely worshiped in the south-eastern coastal areas of China and neighbouring areas in Southeast Asia, especially Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan, and Vietnam, all of which have strong sea-faring traditions, as well as migrant communities elsewhere with sizeable populations from these areas. Mazu also has a significant influence on East Asian sea culture, especially in China and Taiwan.

Over 1,000 years ago, as the legend goes, a beautiful young girl by the name of Lin Mo was born at Meizhou Bay in Putian, Fujian Province. Clever, brave and kind-hearted, Lin Mu could forecast the weather and was happy to help fishermen in distress at sea. She encouraged the people to conquer nature and defeat evil, so she was much loved and esteemed by the people in her hometown. Unfortunately she died an early death at only 28. She was so well loved by people that they believed she ascended to heaven and became an immortal at Meizhou Bay. Rulers of past imperial courts upheld her and granted her the titles of ‘Heavenly Lady’, ‘Heavenly Empress’, and ‘Holy Mother on Heaven’. Meizhou Island became the centre of worshipping Mazu.

Over times she had also been bestowed with a series of loveable and respected names such as ‘Goddess of the Sea’, ‘Goddess of the Straits’ and ‘Goddess of Peace of the Straits. With the people migrating abroad, people spread Mazu culture there. Later Meizhou Island has been reputed as ‘Oriental Mecca’.

In 2009, the Mazu belief and custom was designated as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

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每年农历三月二十三日（今年阳历五月六日）妈祖诞辰与九月初九妈祖忌辰，当地与上千海外的信徒来到中国福建湄州岛参加祭拜仪式。

在所有团体中，有一组的妇女们的服装特别引人注目。她们梳船帆式发髻、半截红半截篮长裤。人们称她们为‘妈祖女’，而她们所穿的据说是妈祖所喜爱穿的服装。因为妈祖是海上保护神与航海员的保护者，她的发型就像船帆，她穿的裤子的红色代表了她升天时的‘天上圣母’的形象。因为人间的民众是她的臣民，不能穿与她所穿的同样的衣服，所以裤子的红色只能做到半截。

妈祖(959-987)在中国的东南沿海的信徒很多，尤其是在浙江、福建、台湾、广东、海南、与越南。这些地区有很强的海务传统，他们也有很大的移居外地的移民社群。妈祖对东亚，尤其是中国，包括台湾，的海洋文化的影响很大。

传说在千多年以前，一个出生于福建莆田湄州口的美丽的姑娘叫林默（林默娘）。她勇敢、善良，会预测天气，还乐于帮助在海上遇到问题的船民。她鼓励人们与自然斗争，战胜邪恶，所以很受到乡亲的爱戴与尊敬。很不幸，她在二十八岁就去世了。人们对她的敬爱令他们相信她死后升天，并在湄州湾口对面成为神仙。过去的帝皇也拜祭她并封她为‘天妃’，‘天后’，及‘天上圣母’等封号。湄州也就成为祭拜妈祖的中心。

随着时间的过去，她被给予各样敬爱的称呼，例如，‘海上保护神’，‘海峡保护神’，‘天上圣母’。随着当地人民移居外地，妈祖文化也跟着散播到那里。后来，湄洲就成为了‘东方的麦加’。

2009年，妈祖信仰与风俗被联合国教科文化组织列为‘人类无物质文化遗产’。

Emperor Han Gaozu Built Xinfeng 汉高祖建新丰

The first emperor of Han dynasty Liu Bang was born in the city of Feng in the district of Pei. Liu is said to be the first commoner to found a Chinese dynasty and it was not surprised it took some getting used to adjust to the new found status and life style when he and his father moved to the capital Chang-an.

The following record comes from the ‘Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital’ written by Liu Xin (46 BC – AD 23).

The father of Emperor Gaozu (256 BC or 247 BC – 195 BC) of the Han Dynasty moved to the capital Chang-an from his hometown Feng and lived in the palace. He was quite unhappy after a while. The Emperor asked those close to his father in private what might be the reasons. They told him that when his father was in Feng, he got along with young butchers and hawkers who sold liquor, peddled cakes, held cockfights and played soccer ball games. Now that all this was over, he felt depressed. The Emperor gave an order to construct a new district, called Xinfeng (new Feng), in Chang-an, and had old folks in Feng move to this district. His father cheered up at last. That was the reason why ever since a great number of vagrants lived in the Xinfeng district, but not scholars the well-to-do.

When the Emperor was young, he often made sacrifices at a temple for mother earth in Feng. So he had an identical temple built in the new district as well. When Xinfeng and the temple completed, the streets and buildings were all the same as those of the old Feng. As the folks from Feng strolled in the streets, they would have no difficulty in recognising their old houses. Driving the livestock along the lanes, they could find their own homes without hesitation as well. All the folks who moved here were pleased with the resemblance and praised the architect Hu Kuan. They rewarded him a lot for it, and in a month or so, he received a hundred units of gold.

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汉朝开国皇帝刘邦出生于丰县（江苏省）的沛地区`（今`江苏沛县）。他是中国第一个（也是唯一的）平民出身皇帝。搬到首都长安，对于新的地位与生活，需要重新调整，那时不足为奇的。

劉歆(46 BC – 23) 《西京杂记》由以下的记载：

太上皇徙长安，居深宫，凄怆不乐。高祖窃因左右问其故，以平生所好，皆屠贩少年，酤酒卖饼，斗鸡蹴踘，以此为欢，今皆无此，故以不乐。高祖乃作新丰，移诸故人实之，太上皇乃悦。

故新丰多无赖，无衣冠子弟故也。高祖少时，常祭枌榆之社。及移新丰，亦还立焉。高帝既作新丰，并移旧社，衢巷栋宇，物色惟旧。士女老幼，相携路首，各知其室。放犬羊鸡鸭于通涂，亦竞识其家。其匠人胡宽所营也。移者皆悦其似而德之，故竞加赏赠，月余，致累百金。

Feng Xuan Purchased Righteousness for the Prince 冯谖买义

The following story comes from ‘Stratagems of the Warring States’.

In the State of Qi, there was a certain Feng Xuan who was so poor that he could not support himself. He got someone to request for him to join the household the Prince Meng Chang, desiring to dwell and be fed in his household. The Prince said, ‘What is his hobby?’ He was answered, ‘The guest has no hobby.’ The Prince then asked, ‘What is his special ability?’ He was answered, ‘He has no special ability.’ The Prince laughed and accepted him into his household, saying, ‘So be it.’ His attendants, thinking that he Prince thought meanly of Feng, fed him on the coarsest food. After a while, he leaned against a post, tapping his sword, and sang, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have no fish when I eat.’ The attendants reported it and the Prince said, ‘Let him be fed like other guests in my household.’ After a while he again tapped on his sword and sang, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have no carriage when I go out.’ The attendants all laughed at him and reported it. The Prince said, ‘Make ready a carriage for him as for those guests in my household who ride in carriages.’ Thereupon, he rode in his carriage, carried proudly his sword, went over to his friend and said, ‘The Prince Meng Chang treats me like a guest.’ After a while, he again tapped on his sword and said, ‘Long sword, let us go back. I have nothing for my home.’ The attendants all disliked him as they felt that he was too greedy and did not know when he had enough. The Prince asked, ‘Are Mr. Feng’s parents still alive?’ They replied, ‘He has an aged mother.’ The Prince then sent a messenger to give her enough food and supplies so that she should not be in want. Thereupon, Feng did not sing again.

Afterwards, the Prince Meng Chang put up a notice in which he asked, ‘Who among the guests in my households is experienced in accounts and can collect debts for me in Xue?’ Feng Xuan responded that he could. The Prince Meng Chang was surprised and said, ‘Who is this man?’ The attendants said, ‘It is he who sang “Long sword, let us go home.”’ The Prince Meng Chang laughed and said, ‘This guest has some ability after all. I have wronged him. I have not seen him before.’ He invited him to come and see him, and said thankfully, ‘I have been busy with and worried about my works. Moreover, I am naturally a weak and dull man. Being immersed in the business of the State, I may have offended you. Sir, is it true that you do not feel disgraced but have it in your mind to collect my debts for me in Xue?’ Feng said, ‘I am willing to do it.’ There upon he yoked his carriage, arranged his luggage, took with him the tallies and bonds, and before setting off, he asked, ‘When all the debts have been collected, what shall I buy to bring back?’ The Prince said, ‘See what my household has least of.’ He drove off quickly and came to Xue. He ordered his officers to summon all those people who owed debts to come and compare their tallies. When the tallies had been thoroughly compared, he issued an unauthorised order that the debts were to be remitted to the people, and accordingly burnt their tallies. The people exclaimed, ‘Long live the Prince.’

Doing the long journey quickly he came to Qi and on the following morning asked to see the Prince. The Prince marvelled at his speed, put on his robe and cap and granted Feng an audience. He asked, ‘Are all the debts collected? You have done it in such a short time’ Feng said, ‘The debts are all collected.’ The Prince asked, ‘What have you bought to bring back?’ Feng said, ‘Your Highness wanted something that the household has least of. As your servant, I presumed in your household, there are stores of valuable treasures, many dogs and horses fill your stables outside, and many beautiful women are ranged below you. What Your Highness’ household has least of is righteousness. And so I have purchased righteousness for Your Highness.’ The Prince said, ‘What do you mean by purchasing righteousness?’ Feng said, ‘Now, Your Highness possesses the small and unimportant place of Xue. You do not comfort and love its people as if they were your children; instead you make profit from them. Your servant issued an order on your behalf to cancel their debts and accordingly burnt their tallies. The people shouted “Long live the Prince.” And that is how your servant purchased righteousness for Your Highness.’ The Prince Meng Chang was displeased and said, ‘So be it, sir. You may retire.’

At the end of the year the King of Qi said to Prince, ‘I do not dare to employ the ministers of my predecessor as my own ministers.’ The Prince Meng Chang went to his own fief in Xue. When he was still a hundred li (0.5 km) away, the people, supporting their aged and leading little ones, came to meet the Prince on the way. When the Prince saw them, he said to Feng, ‘I see today the righteousness which, sir, you purchased for me.’ Feng said, ‘A wily hare needs to have three burrows and with that, it may just be able to escape death when attached. Now your Highness has just one burrow. It is not yet possible for you to sleep soundly. Allow me to prepare two more burrows for you.’ The Prince gave him fifty carriages and five hundred kilograms of gold. He journeyed westward to Liang, and said to King Hui, ‘Qi has banished its great minister – Prince Meng Chang. The king (duke) who welcomes him first will become rich and his army will become powerful.’ The King of Liang ordered the Chief Minister to vacate his post to become Commander-in-Chief of the army, and sent messengers with a thousand kilograms of gold and a hundred carriages to invite Prince Meng Chang to be his Chief Minister. Feng Xuan hurried on in advance and warned Prince Meng Chang, saying, ‘A thousand kilograms of gold is a valuable present, a hundred carriages are a brilliant convey. Qi is sure to know about it.’ The envoy from Liang returned three times but the Prince Meng Chang firmly refused the gifts and would not take up the post in Liang.

When the King of Qi heard of it, both he and his ministers were afraid and sent the Chief Tutor to present a thousand kilograms of gold, two decorated carriages with a team of four horses each, the personal sword of the King, and a sealed document in which he said the Prince, ‘I have been unfortunate, under the evil influence of my ancestral temple, sunk in the flattery of my ministers, and have offended Your Highness. It’s my entire fault. I wish Your Highness would have regard for the temple of my royal predecessor, come back to the State, and take charge of its affairs.’

Feng Xuan warned the Prince Meng Chang, saying, ‘I wish you would ask for the former king’s sacrificial utensils and erected an ancestral temple in Xue.’ When the temple was completed, Feng reported it to the Prince Meng Chang and said, ‘The three burrows are now ready. Your Highness may sleep soundly and rejoice.’

That the Prince Meng Chang was Chief Minister for several tens of years without any misfortune was due to the good advices and strategies of Feng Xuan.

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冯谖买义的故事来自《战国策》。

齐人有冯谖者，贫乏不能自存，使人属孟尝君，愿寄食门下。孟尝君曰：“客何好？”曰：“客无好也。”曰：“客何能？”曰：“客无能也。”孟尝君笑而受之曰：“诺。”左右以君贱之也，食以草具。

居有顷，倚柱弹其剑，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！食无鱼。”左右以告。孟尝君曰：“食之，比门下之鱼客。”居有顷，复弹其铗，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！出无车。”左右皆笑之，以告。孟尝君曰：“为之驾，比门下之车客。”于是乘其车，揭其剑，过其友，曰：“孟尝君客我。”后有顷，复弹其剑铗，歌曰：“长铗归来乎！无以为家。”左右皆恶之，以为贪而不知足。孟尝君闻：“冯公有亲乎？”对曰：“有老母。”孟尝君使人给其食用，无使乏。于是冯谖不复歌。

后孟尝君出记，闻门下诸客：“谁习计会，能为文收责于薛乎？”冯谖署曰：“能。”孟尝君怪之，曰：“此谁也？”左右曰：“乃歌夫‘长铗归来’者也。”孟尝君笑曰：“客果有能也，吾负之，未尝见也。”请而见之谢曰：“文倦于事，愦于忧，而性愚，沉于国家之，开罪于先生。先生不羞，乃有意欲为收责于薛乎？”冯谖曰：“愿之。”于是约车治装，载券契而行，辞曰：“责毕收，以何市而反？”孟尝君曰：“视吾家所寡有者。”驱而之薛，使吏召诸民当偿者，悉来合券。券遍合，起，矫命以责赐诸民，因烧其券，民称万岁。

长驱到齐，晨而求见。孟尝君怪其疾也，衣冠而见之，曰：“责毕瓿乎？来何疾也！”曰：“收毕矣。”“以何市而反？”冯谖曰：“君云‘视吾家所寡有者，’臣窃计，君宫中积珍宝，狗马实外厩，美人充下陈。君家所寡有者，以义耳！窃以为君市义。”孟尝君曰：“市义奈何？”曰：“今君有区区之薛，不拊爱子其民，因而贾利之。臣窃矫君命，以责赐诸民，因烧其券，民称万岁。乃臣所以为君市义也”孟尝君不说，曰：“诺，先生休矣！”

后期年，有毁孟尝君于闵王，齐王谓孟尝君曰：“寡人不敢以先王之臣为臣。”孟尝君就国于薛，未至百里，民扶老携幼，迎君道中。孟尝君顾谓冯谖：“先生所为文市义者，乃今日见之。”冯谖曰：“狡兔有三窟，仅得免其死耳。今君有一窟，未得高枕而卧也。请为君复凿二窟。”孟尝君予车五十乘，金五百斤，西游于梁，谓惠王曰：“齐放其大臣孟尝君于诸侯，诸侯先迎之者，富而兵强。”于是，梁王虚上位，以故相为上将军，遣使者，黄金千斤，车百乘，往聘孟尝君。冯谖先驱，诫孟尝君曰：“千金，重币也；百乘，显使也。齐其闻之矣。”梁使三反，孟尝君固辞不往也。

齐王闻之，君臣恐惧，遣太傅赍黄金千斤，文车二驷，服剑，封书谢孟尝君曰：“寡人不祥，被于宗庙之祟，沉于谄谀之臣，开罪于君，寡人不足为也。愿君顾先王之宗庙，姑反国统万人乎？”冯谖诫孟尝君曰：“愿请先王之祭器，立宗庙于薛。”庙成，还报孟尝君曰：“三窟已就，君姑高枕为乐矣。”

孟尝君为相数十年，无纤介之祸者，冯谖之计也。

Zhou Chu Kills Three Terrors 周处除三害

The famous story of Zhou comes from the ‘A New Account of Tales of the World’ (Shi Shuo Xin Yu).

When he was a young man, Zhou Chu (240-299) was tough and fond of fighting. Residents of Yi Xing, his home town, both feared and hated him.

At that time there was in the district a terrible monster known as jiao (a kind of crocodile), that lived in the river, and a man-eating tiger that lived in the mountains. Together with Zhou Chu, they were known as the ‘three terrors’ plaguing the people. And Zhou Chu was considered to be the worst.

At one time somebody persuaded Zhou Chu to go and kill the other two monsters, in the hope that he might be killed in the struggle. He agreed to the request. After slaughtering the tiger in the mountains, he jumped into the river and launched an attack on the jiao. The jiao sometimes rose to the surface and sometime swam in the depth of the river, while Zhou Chu followed it for tens of miles all along. Three days and nights had passed, the residents decided that Zhou must have already been eaten by the jiao, and they had a celebration.

At this time, Zhou Chu succeeded in killing the jiao and re-emerged from the river. Knowing that the people were celebrating, he at last realised how deeply hated he had become. So he decided to start a new life, and went off in search of two scholars, known as the Lu brothers, for advice.

Lu Ji (261-301) was out at that time, but his younger brother, Lu Yun (262-303), was at home. Zhou Chu recounted the recent events ti him and said, ‘I wish to correct my behaviour, but I am no longer young, and change will not come easy.’

Lu Yun replied, ‘Confucius once said that if you found out the truth in the morning but died the same evening, you would feel no regret. You are still young and have a life of promise ahead of you. What you should feat is having no goal in your life. If you already bhave one, why worry that you will never come to fame?’

From then on Zhou Chu mad efforts to turn over a new leaf, and later was applauded as a loyal official and a loving son.’

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‘周处除三害’的故事记载于《世说新语》。

周处年少时，凶强侠气，为乡里所患。

又义兴水中有蛟，山中有邅迹虎，并皆暴犯百姓，义兴人谓为‘三横’，而处尤剧。

或说处杀虎斩蛟，实冀三横唯余其一。处即刺杀虎，又入水击蛟，蛟或浮或没，行数十里，处与之俱，经三日三夜，乡里皆谓已死，更相庆。

竟杀蛟而出。闻里人相庆，始知为人情所患，有自改意。

乃自吴寻二陆，平原不在，正见清河，具以情告，并云：‘欲自修改而年已蹉跎，终无所成。’

清河曰：‘古人贵朝闻夕死，况君前途尚可。且人患志之不立，亦何忧令名不彰邪？’

处遂改励，终为忠臣孝子。