Obey happily and sincerely(心悅誠服)
There is an important Confucian scholar,
his name is (Meng Ke).
There is a story in his book.
One day he had a disciple called (Gongsun
Chou) talking to him.
Gongsun Chou asked.
If a kingdom has a very strong military and
a large land area, is it a great kingdom?
Meng Ke replied.
If there is a kingdom with a very strong
military, and that kingdom attacks other kingdoms through war to gain more
resources.
I don't think this kingdom can be
considered a great kingdom.
Gongsun Chou asked.
Why do you think this kingdom cannot be
considered a great kingdom?
Meng Ke replied.
When a kingdom uses force to attack other
kingdoms in order to gain more resources, from the outside, you will think that
the defeated kingdoms are very subordinate to this kingdom with strong military
power.
But if you look closely, you will see that
those defeated kingdoms are not willing to surrender to that strong military
kingdom.
Gongsun Chou asked.
What do you think a leader of a great
kingdom should look like?
Meng Ke replied.
If the leader of a kingdom is full of love
and compassion, if the leader of that kingdom rules the kingdom according to
fairness and justice.
Even if that kingdom has a small land, it
can still be considered a great kingdom.
Gongsun Chou asked.
Can a kingdom with a small territory and a
weak military command the respect of other kingdoms?
Meng Ke replied.
In Chinese history, the first king of the
Shang Dynasty and the first king of the Zhou Dynasty are two good examples.
The lands of these two kingdoms were
originally very small, but because these two kings treated their people and
other kingdoms with morality and justice, other kingdoms at that time were very
happy and sincerely obeyed these two kingdoms.
Confucius, the most famous educator in
Chinese history, is also a good example.
Confucius did not have much money or power,
but because of his noble character, he had more than 3,000 students who obeyed
him willingly and sincerely.
This phrase means happy and sincere
obedience.
Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
Do you agree with Meng Ke's view? Which
countries do you think use force to make other countries surrender?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
心悅誠服(Obey happily and sincerely)
儒家有一個重要的學者，他的名字叫做（孟軻）。
他的書中記載了一個故事。
有一天，他有一個名字叫做(公孫丑)的學生與他對話。
公孫丑問。
如果一個王國的軍事力量非常的強大而且擁有很廣大的土地，那麼這個王國就是一個偉大的王國嗎?
孟軻回答。
如果有一個王國有非常強大的軍事力量，而這個王國透過戰爭去攻打別的王國以獲取更多資源。
我認為這一個王國不能算是一個偉大的王國。
公孫丑問。
為何你認為這個王國不能算是一個偉大的王國呢?
孟軻回答。
如果一個王國憑藉武力去攻打其他的王國以獲取更多的資源，你從外表看你會覺得那些被打敗的王國非常服從於這個軍事力量強大的王國。
但是如果你仔細觀察，你會發現這些被打敗的王國的並不願意臣服於這個軍事力量強大的王國。
公孫丑問。
那麼你認為一個偉大的王國的領導者應該有怎樣的表現呢。
孟軻回答。
如果一個王國的領導者的內心充滿仁愛與慈悲，如果這個王國的領導者依照公平與正義治理這個王國。
那麼這個王國就算是土地很小，但是這個王國也可以算是一個偉大的王國。
公孫丑問。
一個土地很小而且軍事力量很弱的王國也可以贏得其他王國的尊敬嗎?
孟軻回答。
中國的歷史得商王朝的第一任國王與周王朝的第一任國王就是兩個很好的例子。
這兩個王國原本的土地都很小，但是因為這兩個國王用道德與仁義去對待他們的百姓與當時的其他王國，所以當時的其他王國都很喜悅而且真誠的順服這兩個王國。
中國歷史上最著名的教育家孔子也是一個很好的例子。
孔子並沒有很多錢，也沒有很多的權力，但是因為他有著高尚的品格，所以他有超過3000位很喜悅而且真誠的順服他的學生。
這句成語的意思是喜悅而且真誠的順服。
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。
你是否認同孟軻的看法呢?你認為有那些國家是憑藉武力去迫使其他國家屈服的呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為孟子-公孫丑上。
https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%AD%9F%E5%AD%90/%E5%85%AC%E5%AD%AB%E4%B8%91%E4%B8%8A