A pair of chopsticks made of ivory (象箸玉杯)
During the Warring States Period in China,
a famous thinker (Han Fei), he wrote a story.
The Shang Dynasty in China. The name of the
last king is (Shou).
He succeeded as king when he was young, and
he governed the kingdom very carefully.
Therefore, the national power of the
kingdom is getting stronger and stronger, and the people are getting richer.
He felt very happy, so he gave himself a
special gift.
He hired the best craftsman in the kingdom
to make a pair of ivory chopsticks.
He uses this pair of special chopsticks
every day when he eats.
His uncle is an important minister in the
kingdom.
One day, the uncle said to him.
My king. I am very worried.
You use this pair of special chopsticks
every day, and after a while, you will want to have a gorgeous cup to match the
chopsticks.
After you have a more gorgeous cup, after a
while, you will want to have a gorgeous plate to match the cup.
After you have a more gorgeous plate, after
a while, you will want to eat some expensive food to match the plate.
After you have eaten some expensive food,
after a while, you will want to wear some expensive clothes to match the food.
After you wear these expensive clothes,
after a while, you will want to live in a luxurious house to match the clothes.
After you have a luxurious house, after a
while, you will want to have a luxurious garden to match the house.
Our desire has no end, so we must be
cautious.
The king laughed when he heard these words.
He said to his uncle, please don't worry,
these things will not happen.
He did not follow his uncle's advice.
After five years, it was just as uncle
predicted. The king's life became more and more luxurious.
In order to satisfy his desires, the
people's taxes became heavier and heavier.
All the people rose up against the king,
and the Shang Dynasty finally perished.
This idiom is used to describe a person
living a luxurious life.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
did you have after hearing this story.
Have you had a similar experience? How do
you avoid getting caught in the snare of desire?
I hope this story will give you some new
gains.
象箸玉杯(A pair of chopsticks made of ivory)
中國的戰國時代，著名的思想家(韓非)，他寫了一個故事。
在中國的商王朝。最後一任國王的名字是(受)。
他在年輕的時候繼任為國王，他很用心的治理王國。
因此王國的國力也愈來愈強，人民也愈來愈富裕。
他感到非常的開心，他就送自已一份特別的禮物。
他聘請了王國中最棒的工匠製作了一雙象牙筷子。
他每天吃飯的時候都使用這一雙特製的筷子。
他的叔叔是王國內一個重要的大臣。
有一天，叔叔對他說。
我的國王啊。我非常的憂慮。
你每天使用這一雙特製的筷子，過一陣子，你就會想要擁有一個華麗的杯子來搭配筷子。
你有了一個更華麗的杯子之後，過一陣子，你就會想要擁有一個華麗的盤子來搭配杯子。
你有了一個更華麗的盤子之後，過一陣子，你就會想要吃一些昂貴的食物來搭配盤子。
你吃了這一些昂貴的食物之後，過一陣子，你就會想要穿一些昂貴的衣服來搭配食物。
你穿了這一些昂貴的衣服之後，過一陣子，你就會想要住一棟豪華的房子來搭配衣服。
你有了一棟豪華的房屋之後，過了一陣子，你就會想要擁有一片豪華的花園來搭配房屋。
我們的慾望沒有盡頭，所以我們一定謹慎啊。
國王聽到這些話之後就笑了。
他對叔叔說，請你不用擔心，這些事情並不會發生。
他沒有聽從叔叔的勸告。
過了五年後，就如同叔叔所預測。國王的生活來愈奢華。
為了滿足他的慾望，百姓的稅賦愈來愈重。
所有的百姓都起來反抗國王，商朝最後滅亡了。
這句成語被用來形容，一個人過著豪華奢侈的生活。
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。
你有過類似的經歷嗎?你如何避免自已陷入慾望的網羅呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。