Chinese pinyin cā ng l ǐ n shí rzh and l ǐ jié, y and shí zú rzh and ró ng rǔ

Only when people have enough granaries can they know the etiquette, and only when they have enough food and clothing can they know the honor and shame

Note barn: barn. Lin: Micang. Another explanation is: the square one is called Cang, and the round one is called Lian. Reality: enrichment; Etiquette: the etiquette rules of interpersonal communication; Adequate food and clothing: adequate food and clothing; Know honor and disgrace: know honor and disgrace.

Origin

"Cang Li knows etiquette, but he knows honor and disgrace when he has enough food and clothing" comes from Guan Zhong, who helped Qi Huangong become the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period. In the original text of Guanzi-Herdsmen, "Cang Li actually knows etiquette, but he knows honor and disgrace when he has enough food and clothing". Sima Qian, a historian of the Western Han Dynasty, changed a word in the quotation of Records of the Historian and Biographies of Guan Yan: "Ze" was changed to "Er", and there was a "granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace" which was relished by later generations. At present, it is generally believed that "granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace" comes from "Historical Records. Biography of Guan Yan": "granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace, and clothing is solid. If the four dimensions are not open, the country will perish. Ordering is like the original of running water, which makes it popular. " Interpretation is: when the granary is full, you will know etiquette; If you have enough food and clothing, you will know the honor and disgrace; The enjoyment of the king has a certain system, and the six relatives are closely attached; If the ethics of propriety, righteousness, honesty and shame are not publicized, the country will perish. Promulgating decrees is like the source of running water, and it must be in line with the people's hearts.

background

Sima Qian described in Records of the Historian. Biographies of Guan Yan that in the Spring and Autumn Period, after Guan Zhong took charge of government affairs as Qi Xiang, he shared the likes and dislikes with the people, circulated goods and accumulated wealth, which made Qi quickly embark on the road of making the country rich and the army strong. Guan Zhong said that "granaries actually know etiquette, and food and clothing know honor and disgrace" has also become the guiding ideology of Qi's self-imposed wealth. When the people live a rich life and the treasury is full of wealth, etiquette can be carried forward and government orders can be unimpeded. Guan Zhong grasped the root of governing the country. After years of governance, Qi quickly became strong and became the first tyrant in the Spring and Autumn Period. In history, there was also a record of Qi Huangong's "Nine princes, one conquering the world". Due to the correctness of Guan Zhong's guiding ideology and Qi Huangong's success, "Cang Li actually knows etiquette, and food and clothing know honor and disgrace" has always been praised by later generations. Looking at this sentence from a modern perspective, it is completely in line with materialism's related viewpoints, such as "material determines consciousness", "economic base determines superstructure" and "material civilization determines spiritual civilization". At that time, when the royal family was declining and princes were on the move, it was very valuable for state rulers to have this consciousness.

later Confucius lamented, "I am a little humble, but I am left-handed in my hair!" " Mencius said in the dialogue with Qi Xuanwang: "Therefore, if a wise monarch controls the people's property, he will be able to support his parents and his wife, and he will be satisfied for life in happy years and avoid death in bad years. Then drive away the good, so the people follow it lightly. Today, people's property is also controlled, and it is not enough to serve their parents or to raise their wives. Happy years will be bitter for life, and bad years will inevitably lead to death. This is only to save the life, but I am afraid that I will not be able to support it. What is the righteousness of treating the ceremony? " The decisive role of economic base on superstructure was fully demonstrated to the king from both positive and negative aspects.

Explain in detail

Perhaps Sima Qian, the Taishi Duke, was keenly aware that the relationship between "solid storage and adequate food and clothing" and "knowing etiquette and honor and disgrace" was not inevitable, so he changed Guan Zhong's subtle and prudent "Ze" into "Er", which, in today's words, means "solid storage and adequate food and clothing". Perhaps Guan Zi didn't make this sentence so absolute at that time, but later generations were blind, out of context and presumptuous, and failed to accurately understand the ancestors' humble opinions. Moreover, in that era when governors were eager to move, what was applicable and useful was the best, or Mr. Guan Zhong, who paid attention to the economy and opposed empty talk, accurately grasped the key. Generally speaking, from the tortuous course of human civilization development, "granary knows etiquette, food and clothing know honor and disgrace", economic development leads to the progress of civilization, and the progress of civilization depends on economic development, which is the general trend, law and direction. From the macro point of view, the relationship between the two is indisputable, and the wise words of the sages are still relevant to reality in terms of the decisive role of the economic base on the superstructure.