The Book of Rites under Tan Gong

[Edit this paragraph] Explanation

The idiom "food from nowhere" means insulting or malicious charity. Oh: Now impolite greetings are equivalent to "hello". A derogatory term.

[Edit this paragraph] Story

During the Warring States period, the vassal states fought against each other and the people were restless. If natural disasters are added, people can't live. There was a severe drought in Qi this year, and it didn't rain for three consecutive months. The field cracked and all the crops died. The poor eat leaves and bark, and the grass seedlings eat grass roots. They are starving. But the granaries of rich people are full and they still eat spicy food.

There was a rich man named Qian Ao, who watched the poor stagger with hunger and gloated. He wanted to give some food to the victims, but he put on a savior's airs. He put the prepared steamed bread on the roadside and gave it to the hungry people in the past. Whenever a hungry person comes, Qian ao throws a wowotou in the past and proudly cries, "Beggar, here you are!" " "Sometimes a group of people come, and Qian Ao throws a few steamed buns for hungry people to compete with each other. Qian ao looked at them derisively and was very happy. He thinks he is really a living Buddha.

At this moment, a scrawny and hungry man came over and saw his hair unkempt and his clothes in rags. He tied a pair of broken shoes to his feet with a straw rope. He covered his face with worn sleeves and staggered along. Because he hadn't eaten for several days, he couldn't support himself and walked a little stagger.

Seeing the hungry man, Qian Ao specially took two steamed buns and a bowl of soup and shouted at the hungry man, "Hey, come and eat!" " "Hungry people turned a blind eye to him, as if they didn't hear him. Qian ao let out a cry again, "hey, did you hear that? "? Give you something to eat! "I saw the hungry man suddenly refreshed and stared at Qian Ao." Put away your things. I'd rather starve than eat such delicious food! " "

Qian ao never imagined that such a rickety hungry man still maintained his personal dignity, and suddenly he was too ashamed to speak.

Originally, relief and helping others should be sincere, don't pretend to be a savior. Well-meaning help is acceptable; However, in the face of "unexpected food", what deserves our praise is the hungry spirit with backbone.

[Edit this paragraph] Original text

Hunger (famine is very serious). Qian ao feeds on the road (setting up food stalls) and eats for the hungry (si', for ...) (2). If you are hungry, cover your face with your sleeves; Mei`) compiled ③, and the trade rushed (absently) ④. Qian Ao ate left and drank right (10), saying, "Oh! Come to eat (5)! " Looking up at it, he said, "I want to eat what it comes out of, so that I can also!" " "So I thanked Yan 6 and died without food.

Hearing this, Ceng Zi said, "It's only a tiny bit! You can also go, and your thanks are edible. "

This idiom comes from the Book of Rites Tan Gong: Qi is hungry. Qian ao eats for Tao and hunger. If you are hungry, you will be invited repeatedly, and trade will come rashly. Qian Ao ate on the left and drank on the right, saying, "Hey! Come and eat! " (Hungry people) looked up at them and said, "Give them food that they don't eat, so that they can also." So thank you, and finally died without food.

[Edit this paragraph] Note

(1) This excerpt is taken from Tan Gong.

(2) Food: feed people and give them food.

(3) Miei: Cover your face with sleeves.

(4) sleeves.

(5) Series (jǐ): The way body physics can't keep pace.

(6) reckless trading: a groggy look.

(7) Oh: With a contemptuous call.

(8) follow: follow.

Thank you: I apologize.

(10) Micro: No.

(1 1) and: modal particles expressing exclamation.

(12) Qian Ao: an aristocrat in the Spring and Autumn Period.

(13) Holding: Sheng

(14) feng: then

(15) Hunger: famine.

(16) s: well,

(17) Xie: Apologize. "Reject, reject" solution

End: finally

[Edit this paragraph] Translation

There was a severe famine in Qi. Qian ao prepares meals for hungry people passing by by the roadside. A hungry man covered his face with sleeves, shuffled feebly and walked recklessly. Qian ao took the dish in his left hand and the soup in his right, and said, "Hello! Come and eat! " The hungry man raised his eyebrows at him and said, "I just don't want to eat the food I got, so I ended up in this situation!" " "Qian ao went up to apologize to him, but he still refused to eat and eventually starved to death. Ceng Zi said, "I'm afraid it shouldn't be like this! Qian ao can certainly refuse when he is rude, but he can eat after apologizing. "

[Edit this paragraph] Analysis

This story is about a poor man with backbone who would rather starve to death than accept "the food he got". Later generations used "food from nowhere" to express insult and charity. Wu Han cited this story as an argument when talking about morality, which shows that the people of China have a backbone since ancient times. In Ye Fan's Le Yangzi's Wife, Le Yangzi's wife used this allusion to persuade her husband to be an upright and ambitious person. This story has been circulated for thousands of years and has positive significance, which leads us to become people like him.

[Edit this paragraph] Interpretation

The famous saying "eat whatever you have" comes from this story, which means to show your backbone and never condescend to accept charity from others, even if you starve yourself to death. Our tradition attaches great importance to being a man with backbone. To put it bluntly, a person's life is a breath, and even if he suffers, he can't do without a breath. There are some similar sayings, such as people who are not poor, for example, they would rather die than surrender, all of which illustrate the importance of honesty, human dignity and human spirit.

Even today, this traditional concept still has its value and rationality. Between personality spirit and body, between spiritual pursuit and material pursuit, between human dignity and servility, the former is higher and heavier than the latter. If you can't have it both ways, you'd rather give up the latter and sacrifice the latter than make yourself a walking corpse and a devil incarnate. The reason why people are people, not walking dead, is probably the difference here.

[Edit this paragraph] Key points and guidelines

1, The Book of Rites is also called The Book of Little Wear or The Book of Little Wear. As one of the Confucian classics, it is an anthology of various etiquette works before Qin and Han Dynasties, and it is an important reference book for studying the ancient social situation in China and Confucianism.

2. The image of Qi people, who would rather starve than maintain personal dignity, has always been respected by future generations.

[Edit this paragraph] New explanation

The grain of the past comes from the Book of Rites, and most people read this ancient text in junior high school Chinese textbooks. I vaguely remember the main idea of the story: a beggar with backbone was starving to death, but he was unwilling to accept insulting alms from others and eventually died without food.

I have read this ancient prose again recently, but I have a new understanding. Personally, I understand that an arrogant beggar is starving to death, but he is unwilling to accept what he thinks is an insult to charity. Finally, come to a bad end.

Let's analyze the giver first. Not every rich person is willing to give alms, so we must make sure that this alms giver is compassionate, not to mention that he "serves food left and drinks right", that is, he holds a bowl of food in his left hand and a soup bowl in his right hand. He still showed his sincerity with his actions. Just saying "come to dinner" inadvertently reveals arrogance and contempt for the rich. We can understand his words as a kind of unguarded of the rich, and we can also say that the giver is a rich man who has no cover and doesn't care what others think. If he must be said to be wrong, he will only be wrong. At best, it is just a matter of expression.

Let's analyze this so-called beggar with backbone. First of all, as a beggar, you should be fully prepared for the humiliation you may suffer in the process of begging, and pay the price of dignity for it. The right to subsistence is the most basic right of human beings. The beggar starved himself to death for a "come to dinner", which was so reserved! In fact, he can still live, because he still has a step to go. When the giver realized his rudeness, he "thanked" him, that is, he took the initiative to catch up with the beggar and apologize. This shows that the giver is really caring and corrects his mistakes. At this time, beggars can't let go of their arrogant self-esteem, "come to a bad end"!

I want to send this beggar four words: I deserve to die!

Is dignity really that important when a person has no life? Confucius said: a little tolerance leads to great mischief. In the vicissitudes of nearly a hundred years from Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion to the founding of New China, if the heroic sons and daughters of China put up with humiliation and gave up the riddled land of China at that time, would there still be a growing Chinese nation?

Starving to death without eating "food from nowhere" is a sign of not cherishing life. In addition, it is unfilial for parents who are physically tortured to starve themselves to death for one sentence!

It's time for you to eat your meal and get out of your life. Maybe you can work miracles!