He was burned on the forehead and his hair was burned off while fighting the fire(焦頭爛額)

 

He was burned on the forehead and his hair was burned off while fighting the fire(焦頭爛額)

 

In the Western Han Dynasty of China, there was a very famous minister called Xu Fu.

There is a story about him recorded in the history books.

 

One day in a meeting, he said to the king

I suggest that you beware of this young minister (Huo Yu).

 

the king asked him in astonishment.

Huo Yu's father helped me rule the Western Han Dynasty. Huo Yu's family made very important contributions to our Western Han Dynasty.

Why are you suggesting that I protect myself from him?

 

Xu Fu said to the king.

Huo Guang is very loyal to you, but Huo Yu is very proud and extravagant.

If you give Huo Yu more power, I think Huo Yu will become even more arrogant.

 

The king did not follow Xu Fu's advice.

 

A few years later, just as Xu Fu had predicted, Huo Yu staged a rebellion.

After the rebellion was put down, the king held a banquet.

 

At the banquet, the king told all the generals who attended the banquet.

Huo Yu's rebellion can be put down, and everyone here has made great contributions, so I am holding this banquet to express my gratitude to everyone.

 

A general who attended the banquet heard this and said to the king

Why didn't we invite Xu Fu to this banquet?

 

The king said to the general in confusion.

As far as I know, Xu Fu did not work with you to put down this rebellion.

 

The general replied.

I see this rebellion as a fire.

To put out the fire, we were burned on our foreheads and all our hair was burned off while fighting the fire.

It's because of our merit that you're holding this banquet to thank us.

 

But I understand that a few years ago, Xu Fu reminded you not to give Huo Yu any more power.

If you had listened to him then, the fire would not have happened.

Therefore, in my opinion, Xu Fu's contribution is greater than ours, because he foresaw the disaster a few years ago, so he reminded you to prevent it early.

 

If you had listened to his advice then, this fire would never have happened.

 

After hearing the general's words, the king nodded in agreement.

The king immediately sent a servant to invite Xu Fu to the banquet.

 

The literal translation of this idiom is that a person was burned on the forehead and had his hair burned off while fighting a fire.

 

This idiom is used to describe a person who is in a very difficult situation. It is also used to describe a person who has suffered a great loss.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

Do you agree with the general's view? Are you usually prepared to prevent fires?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                                          圖片出處為百度百科

Nine out of ten houses are unoccupied(十室九空)

 

Nine out of ten houses are unoccupied(十室九空)

 

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China, there was a famous Taoist scholar called Ge Hong.

He wrote a book. This book is a record of his life and experiences.

This book also records his insights from studying history and learning Taoist knowledge.

 

There is one passage in this book.

 

In China's Warring States period there were seven major kingdoms, one of which was the Qin Kingdom.

There were several very capable kings in the history of the Qin Kingdom.

 

These very capable kings established clear standards of reward and punishment and ruled all the people with strict laws. These kings made the Qin Kingdom very prosperous, and the military and economic strength of the Qin Kingdom became very strong.

 

The name of the first emperor in Chinese history who founded the Qin dynasty was Ying Zheng. He led the Qin army to defeat and destroy the other six kingdoms and unite all of China.

 

 

 

After Ying Zheng unified China, he began to become proud and arrogant, and his life became luxurious and wasteful.

 

He didn't care if the people were safe and happy. He ordered the people to build his palace and mausoleum. He ordered the troops of the Qin Dynasty to fight against other kingdoms around China.

 

 

 

Because war and construction cost a lot of money, the people had to pay high taxes and do hard labour. During his reign, the lives of the Chinese people became very painful and difficult.

 

At that time, almost every family in China had someone who died in the war, and many people were separated from their families for a long time because they took part in the war.

 

The fields are uncultivated, about nine out of ten houses are uninhabited, and the land of China is littered with the graves of the dead whose names cannot be found.

 

After Qin Shihuang's death, his son succeeded him. His son believed the words of those who were dishonest. Under his son's rule, people's lives became doubly painful.

 

People across China rose up in revolution after revolution, and the mighty Qin dynasty was overthrown 15 years after its establishment.This idiom means that nine out of ten houses are unoccupied.

 

This idiom is used to describe a place where the population is very small because of a disaster or war. This place makes people feel very desolate.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

Have you ever been to a country at war? Do you think your present life makes you unhappy or happy?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                                       圖片出處為百度百科

Xiang Xiong(向雄/茂伯)

 

 

Xiang Xiong(向雄) (AD?-286)

 

His surname is (Xiang), his parents gave him the name (Xiong), and when he grew up his friends called him (Maobo). He was born in Hebei Province, China.

 

向	It means direction. It is also one of the Chinese surnames.
雄	It means male. It means majestic.
茂	It means the plants grow luxuriantly.
伯	It means the eldest of several brothers. It is also one of the Chinese surnames.

 

He was a famous official in China's Jin Dynasty and his story is recorded in history books.

 

In the Kingdom of Cao Wei in China, a minister named (Sima Zhao) killed the king of the Kingdom of Cao Wei.

After Sima Zhao killed the king of the Cao Wei Kingdom, he took full control of the Cao Wei Kingdom.

 

There was a minister in the Cao Wei Kingdom. His name was Wang Jing.

Sima Zhao believed that Wang Jing was not willing to obey him, so Sima Zhao ordered Wang Jing to be killed.

 

Xiang Xiong was once Wang Jing's chief of staff.

After Wang Jing was executed, his subordinates and other ministers were afraid to show their grief for fear of being implicated.

Wang Jing was different from all the others in that he showed intense grief and wept bitterly as he offered his condolences to Wang Jing.

 

A few months later, another minister of the Cao Wei Kingdom named Zhong Hui insulted Sima Zhao.

Sima Zhao found a reason to kill Zhong Hui.

Because Sima Zhao hated Zhong Hui so much, Zhong Hui's family and friends did not dare to hold a funeral for Zhong Hui after Zhong Hui was killed.

After hearing about this incident, he took the initiative to hold Zhong Hui's funeral.

 

When Sima Zhao heard the news, he ordered his soldiers to bring him to him.

Sima Zhao said to him

 

The way you cried bitterly after Wang Jing's death made me very unhappy. Today I heard that you held another funeral for Zhong Hui.

I will punish you severely.

 

He replied to Sima Zhao.

Zhong Hui broke the law, so he was executed according to the law. But the law does not say that a person who has been executed cannot have a funeral.

Zhong Hui was a great help to me while he was alive, so I helped his family organise his funeral out of a sense of morality and gratitude. There was nothing wrong with what I did.

 

If you punish me for this, I believe that many people with moral courage will criticise and talk about you for your behaviour in the future.

Is that the outcome you want?

 

Sima Zhao was silent for a few minutes after listening to his words.

Controlling his anger, he said to Xiang Xiong

I think you did the right thing and I won't punish you.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

If you were him, would you dare to hold a funeral for your good friend? If you were Sima Zhao, what would you do after hearing his words?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                         圖片出處為百度百科

I find life very monotonous and boring(百無聊賴)

I find life very monotonous and boring(百無聊賴)

 

A famous warlord in China's Eastern Han Dynasty, his name was (Gongsun Zan).

There is a story about him recorded in the history books.

 

After the fall of the New Chinese Dynasty, many warlords appeared in China.

He was born in that era.

 

After becoming a warlord, he established his own administrative centre in Yijing City.

The city was located in what is now Hebei Province, China.

 

His original plan was to wait quietly in the city while the other warlords fought each other.

After the other warlords had used up a large number of their troops, he launched an attack on them.

This was the easiest way for him to win the final victory.

 

But reality was not what he expected.

In 198 AD, a warlord with powerful military might led an army to attack Yijing City. The name of this powerful warlord was (Yuan Shao).

 

Yuan Shao's army surrounded Yijing City, and he and his men were trapped inside Yijing City.

Yuan Shao's army surrounded the city for several months.

Gongsun Zan and his army were unable to break the enemy's siege. They were trapped inside the city. They saw that the food in the city was dwindling day by day. Gongsun Zan and his soldiers became very frustrated.

 

He wrote a letter to his son describing the scene in Yijing City.

Yuan Shao continued to attack us. He followed me around like a ghost, and it bothered me.

Every day when I was in the city, I heard the sound of the enemy's war drums and horns coming from outside the city.

Standing on the city wall, I saw the enemy constantly looking for opportunities to attack every day.

I have been trapped in this city for so long that my senses have been numbed.

 

The monotony and boredom became unbearable as the days passed, and we were locked in a stalemate with our enemy.

Hurry up and think of a way to ask the warlords who are allied with us to help me. If you successfully unite with other warlords to help me, you will attack the enemy from the outside, and we will open the city gate and attack the enemy from the inside.

We will attack our enemies simultaneously, and I believe we can successfully defeat this army led by (Yuan Shao).

 

His letter was intercepted by Yuan Shao's army. A few months later, Yijing City was conquered and he burned himself to death.

 

This idiom is used to describe a person who finds life monotonous and boring.

 

Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

Have you ever felt that life is dull and monotonous? Are you still passionate about your life?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                                   圖片出處為百度百科

It’s as easy as spitting(唾手可得)

 

It’s as easy as spitting(唾手可得)

 

A famous warlord in China's Eastern Han Dynasty, his name was (Gongsun Zan).

There is a story about him recorded in the history books.

 

After the fall of China's New Dynasty, many warlords emerged across China.

He was born in this era.

 

After he became a warlord, he established his administrative center in the city of Yijing.

The city was in what is now Hebei Province, China.

 

The city is located on a hill and it would be very difficult for the enemy to attack the city.

In order to strengthen the city's defense capabilities, he dug ten trenches around the city.

He built the walls of the city very high and strong, and he built a tall building in the center of the city, and he lived in this tall building.

He stored a lot of food in the city.

 

his subordinates asked him.

Why did you order the soldiers to build so many defensive fortifications and let us garrison the city?

We believe that our most important task now is to lead the army to attack other warlords and occupy more land.

 

He smiled and said to his subordinates.

When I built this army, I originally thought that with my intelligence, I could quickly defeat all the warlords and build a new kingdom.

I thought building a new kingdom would be as simple as spitting on my hand.

 

But after this period of fighting, I came to a new conclusion.

I think the situation in China is very chaotic now. There are many warlords appearing all over China.

If I attack these warlords now, it will greatly consume our military power.

Therefore, I decided to wait patiently and conserve my strength.

After these warlords fight each other and consume a lot of military strength, I will launch an attack on these warlords.

This way I can win the final victory in the easiest way.

 

He laughed and said to his subordinates.

Let’s just live patiently in this city.

We wait quietly and watch the situation change.

 

The direct translation of this idiom means it is as simple as spitting on my hand.

This idiom is used to describe something that can be accomplished very easily.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

Do you think the subsequent results will be as he planned? Have you ever tried to predict the future world situation?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                              圖片出處為百度百科

He will hold a grudge if someone stares at him, and he will find reasons to cause trouble for the person who stared at him.(睚眥必報)

He will hold a grudge if someone stares at him, and he will find reasons to cause trouble for the person who stared at him.(睚眥必報)

 

 

A famous warlord in China's Eastern Han Dynasty, his name was (Gongsun Zan).

There is a story about him recorded in the history books.

 

After the fall of China's New Dynasty, many warlords emerged across China. He was born during this time.

 

He was handsome, he was clever, he was eloquent, and he was very capable at work. He led his army to win several battles in a row, he occupied a piece of land, and he became a warlord.

 

After becoming a warlord, he treated the people in his territory ruthlessly.

He likes to be flattered by others, and he trusts those who flatter him.

The people who flattered him used the power he gave them to bully others everywhere, so all the people in his territory hated him.

 

He is a narrow-minded person. If someone stares at him, he will hold a grudge and find reasons to make trouble for the person who stared at him.

He thinks he is very clever, so he looks down on others. They think they are better than everyone else.

If someone in his territory is smarter than him, he will be jealous of that person and find an excuse to kill that person.

He would often say to his subordinates.

I can become the owner of this land because my destiny is better than yours.

I can do great things without you. You subordinates are expendable to me.

 

Because he did not value his loyal and capable subordinates, these loyal and capable subordinates left his camp one by one.

 

After he gained power, he gradually became suspicious of others.

He often imagined that someone would assassinate him, so he lived alone on a high platform. His servants were all women. Grown men were not allowed to enter the high platform where he lived.

 

 

This idiom is used to describe a narrow-minded person who holds grudges over trivial matters.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

How would you judge his behaviour? Do you think you are better than others, so you look down on others?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                                   圖片出處為百度百科

Zhang Han(張翰/季鷹)

 

Zhang Han(張翰/季鷹)(AD?-AD?)

 

His surname is (Zhang), his parents gave him the name (Han) and when he was growing up his friends called him (Ji Ying). He was born in Jiangsu Province, China.

 

張	It means to open. It is also one of the Chinese surnames.
翰	It means a pheasant with colourful feathers. It means to fly high.
季	It means the youngest of several brothers. It is also one of the Chinese surnames.
鷹	It means eagle.

 

He was a famous minister in the Western Jin Dynasty of China, and his story is recorded in history books.

 

His moral level is very high, he is very talented, his articles are well written, and his personality loves freedom and does not like to be restrained.

His hometown is in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, but he achieved national fame at a very young age.

 

One day, while walking along the river in Suzhou City, he suddenly heard someone playing the guqin nearby.

 

He stopped walking and stood by the side of the road, listening carefully to the sound of the guqin.

After listening for a few minutes, he felt that the guqin player's playing skills were very good, so he changed his original route. He wanted to see this Chinese guqin player.

 

He followed the sound of the Chinese guqin to find the source of the sound. He found that the sound was coming from a boat parked by the river.

He went to the boat and, after introducing himself, met the guqin player.

The player was a famous official of the Western Jin Dynasty. The official's name is (He Xun).

 

(He Xun) warmly welcomed him on board and chatted with him.

(He Xun) and he are both very talented people, and they are also very literary. The two of them chatted from morning to noon and from noon to evening. They had a great time chatting.

They both felt that even though they had just met, they felt very close and compatible.

 

Late that night, (He Xun) said to him.

We have to stop talking, I have to go.

I'm going to the capital to attend an important meeting, and we should say goodbye to each other.

 

There was a look of reluctance on his face.

 

He thought for a moment and said to (He Xun).

Would it be convenient for you if I came to the capital with you?

I have never been to the capital before. I just have nothing to do these days. If it is convenient for you, I would like to take your boat to the capital with you.

We can continue chatting over the next few days, and I have a feeling that we still have a lot to talk about.

 

He Xun) laughed after hearing what he said.

Haha, that's great, if you want to come with me to the capital for a few days, you're more than welcome to come with me.

 

張翰(Zhang Han)(西元?-西元?)

 

他的姓是(張)，他的父母給他取的名字是(翰)，長大後朋友稱呼他的名字是(季鷹)，他出生地位於在中國的江蘇省。

 

張	意思是打開的意思。也是中國人的姓氏之一。
翰	意思是有著彩色羽毛的山雞的意思。意思是高飛的意思。
季	意思是幾個兄弟中，年紀最小的那一位。也是中國人的姓氏之一。
鷹	意思是老鷹的意思。

 

 

他是中國西晉王朝的一位著名的大臣，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。

 

他的道德水平很高，他很有才華，他的文章寫得很好，他的個性非常的熱愛自由與不喜歡被拘束。

他的家鄉在長江下游，但他在很年輕的時候就已經擁有全國性的知名度。

 

有一天，他在蘇州城的河邊散步，他突然聽到附近人在彈奏古琴。

 

他停止前進，他站在路邊仔細地聽著這個古琴彈奏聲。

聽了幾分鐘後，他覺得這個古琴的彈奏者的演奏技巧非常的好，他就改變他原本散布的路線，他想要見到這個中國古琴的演奏者。

 

他循著中國古琴的聲音去尋找這個古琴的聲音的源頭，他發現這個古琴聲出自一艘停泊在河邊的船上。

他主動走向這艘船，他自我介紹後，他認識了這個古琴演奏者。

這個演奏者是一個西晉王朝的著名官員。這個官員的名字叫做(賀循)。

 

(賀循)很熱情的接待他上船，(賀循)與他聊天。

(賀循)與他都是很有才華的人，而且也都很有文學素養，他們兩個人從上午聊到中午又從中午聊到晚上，他們兩個人聊天得很開心。

他們兩個人都覺得雖然彼此才剛認識但感覺非常的親近與契合。

 

那一天的深夜，(賀循)對他說。

我們必須停止聊天了，我必須要出發了。

我要到首都去參加一個重要的會議，我們應該要彼此告別了。

 

他的臉上露出很捨不得的樣子。

 

他思考了一下，他對(賀循)說。

如果我跟你一起到首都你覺得方便嗎?

我從來沒有去過首都，我剛好這幾天沒事，如果你覺得方便，那我想搭你的船跟你一起去首都。

我們可以在接下來的這幾天繼續聊天，我覺得我們還有很多話題可以聊。

 

(賀循)聽完他的話後大笑說。

哈哈，那太好了，如果你想要跟我一起去首都玩幾天，我非常歡迎你與我同行。

 

 

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。

你曾經跟第一次見面的人感覺很親近很契合嗎?你曾經做出這種沒有經過計劃就行動的決定嗎?

我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。

 

出處為晉書-張翰傳

https://www.arteducation.com.tw/guwen/bookv_46653FD803893E4FC684ED40E423E698.html

 

                                         圖片出處為百度百科

 

A soup made of water plants and a dish made of sea bass(蓴羹鱸膾)

 

In the Western Jin Dynasty of China, there was a famous minister named (Zhang Han).

There is a story about him in the history books.

 

He lived in the last years of the Western Jin Dynasty. At that time there were eight royal families in the Western Jin Dynasty, and they all wanted to compete for control of the central government. These eight royal families fought fiercely with each other.

 

One autumn, he was talking to a good friend of his from the same hometown, and he said to this friend

Now that the whole Western Jin Dynasty is in chaos, I want to resign because I do not want to get involved in the struggle between these royal families.

I wanted to leave, but my commander wouldn't let me.

You are a wise man and you understand my personality well.

What do you think I should do?

 

His friend heard his words and said to him sadly.

There are serious problems in the central government now. We are all worried, but none of us has the power to change the status quo.

 

His friend smiled and continued to talk to him.

I think you should resign. If you resign, I will resign with you.

After we quit our jobs, we can return to our hometown together.

 

After hearing what his friend said, he smiled and said to his friend.

Now that it is autumn, I suddenly remembered that when we were children, at this time of the year we always ate a soup made of water plants and a dish of sea bass.

 

What is the most important thing in life? I suddenly realised it.

The most important thing in life is to be comfortable and happy.

Why should I force myself to stay in the capital?

My current position is very high, I have a high social status and a good salary. People around me respect me because of my position, but inside I am very unhappy?

 

I have decided to hand in my resignation today. After I hand in my resignation, the two of us will return to our hometown immediately. I don't want to stay here even for a day.

 

The literal translation of this idiom is a soup of aquatic plants and a dish of sea bass.

The idiom is used to describe a person who misses his hometown very much.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

Do you like your current job? Do you miss your hometown?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                            圖片出處為百度百科

A lame man said he could fly to the sky.(蹇人上天)

 

A lame man said he could fly to the sky.(蹇人上天)

 

The Western Han Dynasty of China fell in 8 AD, and from 8 AD to 25 AD it was the (New Dynasty). The Eastern Han Dynasty of China began in 25 AD.

 

During the 30 years from the end of the Western Han Dynasty to the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the political situation in China was very unstable. Warlords throughout China relied on their own military power to define their own spheres of influence.

 

One of these warlords was named (Kui Xiao) and his story is recorded in history books.

 

He was born in the province of Gansu in China. Many members of his family served as officials in the Western Han Dynasty and the New Dynasty.

He was sick as a child and was lame in one foot.

 

This did not make him feel inferior. He thought that he could take advantage of the chaotic era to establish a new kingdom for himself, so he used his hometown as a base and trained a group of very powerful troops.

 

Before the New dynasty was about to fall, a nursery rhyme suddenly appeared in the city where he lived.

Many children sang this nursery rhyme while playing games.

The content of this nursery rhyme is as follows

 

After I left the city gate, I walked towards Diqun Mountain.

I met a lame man.

This lame man told me that he could fly into the sky.

When I heard what he said, I laughed and said to the lame man.

It is impossible for a human being to fly in the sky. If people can really fly to the sky, I am not lame, so I will fly to the sky faster than you.

 

This strange nursery rhyme seems to predict the end of Wei Xiao's life.

He always wanted to found a new kingdom during his lifetime, but he was never able to realise his ideal. He died in regret.

 

The literal translation of this idiom is that a lame man said he could fly to the sky.

The idiom is used to describe an impossible thing.

 

Dear friend, what inspiration or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

Do you have a dream that others think is impossible? If you were to die now, what would you regret not achieving?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                                             圖片出處為百度百科

Gongsun Zan(公孫瓚/伯珪)

 

 (161 AD - 199 AD)

His surname is (Gongsun), his parents gave him the name (Zan), and when he grew up his friends called him (Bogui). He was born in Hebei Province, China.

 

 

公	It means fair. It means justice. It means male. It is also one of the Chinese family names.
孫	It means grandson. It is also a Chinese surname.
瓚	It means imperfect jade.
伯	It means the eldest of several brothers. It is also a Chinese surname.
珪	A kind of jade utensil used by ancient emperors or princes during ceremonies.

 

 

He was a famous warlord in the late years of China's New Dynasty, and his story is recorded in history books.

 

At the end of the New Dynasty, warlords across China relied on their own military power to divide their respective spheres of influence. These warlords fought many wars with each other.

He was born during this time.

 

He was handsome and spoke with a loud voice.

His wife's father was a provincial governor at that time. Because of his wife's relationship, he entered the central government as a low-ranking official.

 

His job was to drive a carriage for a provincial governor. One day the governor told him.

The king has sent me to take up a post in southern China. You can choose whether you want me to go to southern China or not.

 

The climate in southern China is very different from that in northern China. South China is closer to the equator, has a humid environment and it rains a lot.

Because many parts of southern China were undeveloped at that time, there were many virgin forests, and there were many poisonous animals and plants in the forests.

 

Officials at that time did not like to be sent to southern China because a high proportion of officials who were sent to southern China would die there from illness or accident.

 

After thinking about it for a few days, he decided to follow the provincial governor to southern China.

 

Because of his decision, the governor thought he was a very loyal employee, so the governor trusted and liked him very much.

 

Later, when the provincial governor returned to the capital to take office, the provincial governor promoted him and he became a mid-level official in the central government.

 

The king sent him to the north of China, where he became a general. He began to master military power and learn military knowledge.

 

One day he was on horseback, patrolling the border with a dozen cavalrymen.

Suddenly, they encountered an armed attack from a tribe in northern China that bordered the Eastern Han Kingdom. He and the cavalry he led were surrounded by the enemy. The situation was very dangerous.

 

He said confidently to the cavalry he led.

We are surrounded, and we must have the determination not to fear death in order to break through the enemy's siege.

All of you follow me and attack the enemy bravely. I believe we can all return to our camp alive.

 

Having said these words, he mounted his horse and charged the enemy first, followed closely by his men.

After a fierce battle, they finally broke through the enemy's siege.

 

Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?

If you were him, would you follow the provincial governor to take office in southern China? If you were him, after being surrounded by enemies, would you choose to surrender or bravely face the enemies?

I hope this story can give you some new insights.

 

                                     圖片出處為百度百科