The seat on the left is reserved for the
most important guest.(虛左以待)
(Wei Wuji) was a famous nobleman of the Wei
Kingdom during the Warring States Period in China.
He respects those who are morally high or
very intelligent and knowledgeable, and he often takes the initiative to make
new friends.
More than 3,000 guests eat at his home
every day.
The relationship between these guests and
him is as equal and close as friends.
There is a story about him in the history
books.
One day, a guest
said to him.
The name of the administrator of the east
gate of the capital is (Hou Ying), and he is 70 years old.
He was well respected by the people, and he
was a man of high moral level.
He answered.
I often pass this gate and I don't even
know him.
The next day, he brought a very expensive
gift to visit (Hou Ying).
He said to (Hou Ying).
I heard that you are a person of high moral
level and I want to be your friend.
(Hou Ying) Answer.
Although I am poor, I insist on my
integrity.
We can be friends, but I refuse to accept
your precious gift.
He says.
Then can I invite you to my house for
dinner with us tomorrow?
(Hou Ying) Answer.
No problem.
At noon the next day, he personally drove a
carriage to (Hou Ying)'s home to pick him up.
It is customary in ancient China that among
the two side-by-side positions, the one on the left is for the more
distinguished person.
He vacated the seat on the left for (Hou
Ying) to sit, and (Hou Ying) also sat down in that seat unceremoniously.
(Hou Ying) suddenly said to him two minutes
after getting in the car.
Excuse me, I forgot one thing.
I have a good friend who is a butcher who
lives near the slaughterhouse and I need to ask him for help.
Can you drive me to find him first?
We'll go to your house for dinner later.
He says.
No problem.
He drove the carriage to the butcher's
house.
After arriving at the butcher's house, (Hou
Ying) got out of the car to find his butcher friend.
(Hou Ying) Started chatting with this
butcher friend, and they chatted for at least 15 minutes.
He just sat in the carriage and waited, he
didn't urge (Hou Ying), and he didn't show an impatient expression either.
His expression was natural and pleasant.
Many people were curious to see this
strange situation from a distance.
These people wondered why the most famous
nobleman in the kingdom (Wei Wuji) personally drove a car to this area and
respectfully waited for the poor old man who usually served as the gatekeeper
at the city gate.
This idiom means that the seat on the left
should be reserved for the most important guest
This idiom is usually used when receiving
guests.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
If you were Wei Wuji, would you wait
patiently (Hou Ying)? Would you despise a person just because he is poor?
I hope this story will give you something
new to gain.
虛左以待(The seat on the left is reserved for
the most important guest)。
(魏無忌)是中國戰國時代魏王國一個著名的貴族。
他很尊敬那些道德水平很高或是很有智慧很有知識的人，他常常主動結交新朋友。
每天在他家中吃飯的客人就超過3000人。
這些客人與他的關係像是朋友一樣的平等與親密。
歷史書上記載過一個關於他的故事。
有一天，有一個客人對他說。
首都的東城門的管理員的名字叫做(侯嬴)，他已經70歲了。
他很受百姓尊敬，他是一個道德水平很高的人。
他回答。
我經常經過這個城門而我竟然不認識他。
隔天，他帶了一份很貴重的禮物去拜訪(侯嬴)。
他對(侯嬴)說。
我聽說你是一個道德水平很高的人，我想要跟你做朋友。
(侯嬴)回答。
我雖然貧困，但我堅持自己的操守。
我們可以做朋友，但我拒絕收你這份貴重的禮物。
他說。
那我可以邀請你明天到我家與我們一起吃飯嗎?
(侯嬴)回答。
沒有問題。
隔天中午，他親自駕著馬車到(侯嬴)的家中去接他。
中國古代的習慣，兩個並排的位置中，左邊的位置是身分比較尊貴的人坐的。
他把左邊的位置空下來給(侯嬴)坐，(侯嬴)也毫不客氣的直接坐上那個位置。
(侯嬴)上車後過了兩分鐘突然對他說。
打擾一下，我忘記一件事情了。
我有個好朋友是個屠夫，他住在屠宰場的附近，我有事情要請他幫忙。
你可以先載我去找他嗎?
我們晚點再去你的家裡吃飯。
他說。
沒有問題。
他就駕著馬車到了這個屠夫的家。
到了這個屠夫的家後，(侯嬴)下車去找他的屠夫朋友。
(侯嬴)與這個屠夫朋友開始聊天，他們聊了至少15分鐘。
他就坐在馬車上等，他沒有催促(侯嬴)，他也沒有露出不耐煩的表情。
他的表情很自然很和悅。
許多百姓很好奇的遠遠看著這個奇異的景況。
這些百姓很納悶，為何王國中最著名的貴族(魏無忌)親自駕著車來到這個區域，並且很恭敬的等待那一個平日在城門口擔任守門的貧窮老人。
這句成語的意思是左邊這一個座位要留給最重要的客人
這句成語通常是在接待客人的時候使用。
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。
你如果是魏無忌，你會耐心的等候(侯嬴)嗎?你會因為一個人很貧窮就輕視他嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為史記-魏公子列傳
https://www.arteducation.com.tw/guwen/bookv_164.html