The Man Who Nearly Starved to Death in
Yisang(翳桑餓人)
There was a famous minister in the Jin
Kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period of China. His name was Zhao Dun.
There is a story about him recorded in
history.
He is an upright man, very loyal to the Jin
Kingdom, and the most powerful person in the central government of the Jin
Dynasty. He helped four kings of the Jin Dynasty during his lifetime.
The third king of the Jin Dynasty that he
helped was a cruel man. This king didn't like Zhao Dun, so he set a trap to
kill Zhao Dun.
In 207 AD, the king held a banquet in the
palace, and the king invited Zhao Dun to attend the banquet.
The king ordered several soldiers to hide
outside the banquet hall with several ferocious mastiff dogs. The king planned
to create an opportunity to assassinate Zhao Dun during the banquet.
The king's evil plan was discovered by a
guard next to Zhao Dun. When the king ordered the soldiers and vicious mastiffs
to attack Zhao Dun, the guard sacrificed his life to protect Zhao Dun's safety.
At this critical moment, one of the
soldiers around the king suddenly rebelled against the king.
The soldiers around the king protected Zhao
Dun in a carriage and helped Zhao Dun escape from the palace.
After the soldier and Zhao Dun had escaped
to a safe place, Zhao Dun thanked the soldier.
I don't know you, so why do you want to
help me?
said the soldier to Zhao Dun.
Do you remember that a few years ago you
helped a man who was dying of starvation in a place called (Yisang)?
Zhao Dun thought about it and said to the
soldier.
I remember that incident. There was a young
man who had been away from home for a long time. He had not eaten for several
days because he had no money, so I gave him my food.
Later, I took the young man back to his
home to be reunited with his parents, and I also provided some funds so that
the young man's father and mother could improve their family's economic
situation.
After hearing these words, the soldier said
to Zhao Dun
That's right, the young man who almost
starved to death was me.
I later came to serve as a soldier in the
palace of the Jin Kingdom. I heard that you were in danger today, so I thought
I should help you, just as you helped me before.
I must repay the favour you have shown me.
After the soldier said these words, Zhao
Dun was very grateful to the soldier. He grabbed the soldier's hand and said to
the soldier
I'm so grateful to you. I didn't expect you
to be the young man who almost starved to death a few years ago.
The soldier said to Zhao Dun.
This is what I think I should do, don't
take it to heart.
My abilities are limited, I can only help
you get here. After that, you must find your own way and escape route.
When Zhao Dun returned home, he knew that
his family was now in a very dangerous situation and that the king would
probably bring a large number of soldiers to hunt him down, so he immediately
took his relatives and left the capital.
The literal translation of this phrase is
"the person who almost starved to death in Yisang".
It is used to describe a person who repays
a favour done to him by others.
Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
Have you ever received great help from
others? Are you a person who remembers to thank and repay the favours of
others?
I hope this story can give you some new insights.
翳桑餓人(The Man Who Nearly Starved to Death
in Yisang)
中國的春秋時代的晉王國有一個著名的大臣，他的名字叫做趙盾。
歷史上記載了一個他的故事。
他是一個正直的人，他對晉王國非常的忠誠，他是晉王朝的中央政府中最有權力的人。他的一生中曾經輔助過四任的晉王朝的國王。
他所輔助的第三任的晉王國的國王是一個殘暴的人，這個國王不喜歡趙盾，所以這個國王設下一個陷阱要暗殺趙盾。
西元207年，這個國王在皇宮中舉辦了一場宴會，國王邀請趙盾來參加這場宴會。
國王命令好幾個士兵帶著好幾隻很兇惡的獒犬躲藏在宴會廳的外面，國王準備在這場宴會中創造一個機會暗殺趙盾。
國王邪惡的計謀被趙盾身旁一個侍衛發現了，在國王下令這些士兵與兇惡的獒犬對趙盾發動攻擊的時候，這個侍衛為了要保護趙盾的安全而犧牲了自己的生命。
在這個非常危急的時刻，有一個國王身邊的士兵突然叛國王。
這個國王身邊的士兵掩護趙盾上了一輛馬車並且協助趙盾一起逃離皇宮。
在這個士兵與趙盾逃到一個安全的地方後，趙盾很感激地對這個士兵說。
我不認識你，你為何要幫我呢?
這個士兵對趙盾說。
你還記得幾年前，你曾經在一個名字叫做(翳桑)的地方幫助過一個快要餓死的人嗎。
趙盾回想了一下後對這個士兵說。
我記得這件事，那時候有一個離家很久的年輕人，他因為身上沒以錢所以他好幾天沒有吃東西了，所以我把我的食物給這個年輕人。
我後來帶這個年輕人回到他的家中跟他的父母親團聚，我還順道提供了一些資源讓這個年輕人的他的父親與母親可以改善家中的經濟環境。
這個士兵聽完這些話後對趙盾說。
沒有錯，那時候那個差點餓死了年輕人就是我。
我後來到了晉王國的皇宮內擔任士兵，我今天發現你有危險，所以我認為我必須要幫助你，就像你之前幫助過我一樣。
我必須回報你對我的恩情。
這個士兵說完這些話後，趙盾很感激這個士兵，他抓住這個士兵的手對這個士兵說。
我太感謝你了，我沒想到你就是幾年前那個差點餓死的年輕人。
這個士兵對趙盾說。
這是我認為我應該做的，你不要放在心上。
我的能力有限，我只能幫助你到這邊，接下來，你必須自己安排逃亡的方式與路線了。
趙盾回到家中，他知道自己全家現在已經陷入非常危險的境地，國王很有可能會帶著大批士兵來追殺他，所以他立刻帶著他的親人離開首都。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是在翳桑這個地方那個差點餓死的人
這句成語被用來形容一個人回報別人給他的恩惠。
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。
你曾經受過別人巨大的幫助嗎?你是一個會提醒自已要感謝並回報別人的恩惠的人嗎?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為春秋左傳-宣公-宣公二年