He shows excessive respect for the powerful
person(望塵而拜)
In the Western Jin Dynasty of China, there
was a famous minister who was also a famous writer. He was also one of the most
famous handsome men in Chinese history. His name is Pan Yue.
He has a handsome face and a
well-proportioned body. His movements were all very graceful and he had a noble
demeanour.
His grandfather and father were both
officials in the Jin Dynasty.
He followed in his grandfather's and
father's footsteps and entered the central government of the Jin Dynasty to
work. However, because many people were jealous of his good looks and talent,
these jealous people slandered him in front of the king.
The king listened to these people and gave
him a very unimportant position in the central government.
Because he was oppressed and ignored, he
felt hurt and dissatisfied.
Because he really wanted to develop well
within the central government, his character became very restless and anxious.
The queen of the Western Jin Dynasty at
that time was called Jia Nanfeng. She promoted people who were close to her,
and she controlled the personnel and administrative power within the central
government.
Jia Nanfeng had a nephew named Jia Mi.
Jia Mi also became the most powerful person
in the Western Jin Dynasty because of his aunt.
Pan Yue believed that Jia Mi could help him
develop well within the central government, so he took the initiative to
approach Jia Mi whenever he found an opportunity.
On several occasions, he and Jia Mi agreed
to meet to discuss matters, and he would arrive early at the agreed place to
wait for Jia Mi.
In ancient China, there was a way of
saluting that showed respect for the other person. When two people met, they
would bend their bodies slightly, then clasp their hands together and push
forward.
When he saw Jia Mi's carriage appear from a
distance, he would immediately make this gesture, and he would maintain this
gesture for several minutes. He would only stop when Jia Mi's carriage arrived
in front of him.
Because his behaviour fully demonstrated
his respect for Jia Mi, Jia Mi had a good impression of him, and he quickly
became an important adviser to Jia Mi.
His mother said to her after seeing his
behaviour.
I think you should be content, you
shouldn't be greedy and you shouldn't do these things just to better your
career.
But he didn't listen to his mother.
The direct translation of this idiom is
that he started to salute before the carriage arrived in front of him.
This idiom is used to describe a person who
shows excessive respect for a person in power.
Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
How do you judge his behaviour? Would you
flatter a person just because he has power?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
望塵而拜(He shows excessive respect for the
powerful person)
中國的西晉王朝有一個著名的大臣，他也是一個著名的文學家，他還是中國歷史上最著名的美男子之一。他的名字叫做潘岳。
他的臉長得很帥而且他的體態很勻稱。他的動作都非常優雅，他散發出一種高貴的氣質。
他的祖父與父親都是晉王朝的官員。
他跟隨他的祖父與父親的腳步進入晉王朝的中央政府內工作，但是因為有很多人忌妒他長個又帥又有才華，所以這些忌妒他的人便在國王的面前毀謗他。
國王聽信了這些人的話，所以便讓他擔任中央政府內很不重要的職位。
他因為被打壓與忽視，所以他的心情覺得很委屈與不滿。
因為他很想要讓自己在中央政府內有好的發展，所以他的性格變得很躁動與焦慮。
當時的西晉王朝的皇后的名字叫做賈南風，她提拔與自己熟識了人，她掌握了中央政府內的人事與行政權力。
賈南風有一個姪子，這個姪子的名字叫賈謐。
賈謐也因為他的阿姨的關係成為西晉王朝內最有權力的人。
潘岳認為賈謐可以幫助他在中央政府內有好的發展，所以他只要找到機會就會主動接近賈謐。
有好幾次，他與賈謐約定好要碰面討論事情，他就提早站在約定的地點等候賈謐。
中國古代有一個代表自己很尊敬對方的行禮方式。當兩個人見面時，雙方會略彎自已的身體然後兩手抱掌且向前推。
當他遠遠地看到賈謐的車出現時，他就會立刻做這個動作，他會維持這個動作好幾分鐘，等到賈謐搭乘的馬車到他的面前後他才結束這個行禮方式。
因為他的行為表現充分的表現出他對賈謐的尊敬，所以賈謐對他產生很好的印象，他很快地成為賈謐的重要參謀。
他的母親看到他的這些行為之後，他的母親對她說。
我認為你應該要知足，你不應該貪心，你不應該為了讓自己的仕途有更好的發展做出這些事。
但是他沒有聽他母親的話。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思當馬車尚未到他的面前，他就開始行禮。
這句成語被用來形容(一個人對有權力的人表現出過分尊敬的態度。
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。
你如何評價他的這種行為呢?你會因為一個人有權力就去巴結他嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為晉書-卷55-潘岳傳
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E6%99%89%E6%9B%B8/%E5%8D%B7055