退避三舍的故事
春秋时候,晋献公听信谗言,杀了太子申生,又派人捉拿申生的弟弟重耳。重耳闻讯,逃出了晋国,在外流忘十几年。
经过千幸万苦,重耳来到楚国。楚成王认为重耳日后必有大作为,就以国群之礼相迎,待他如上宾。
一天,楚王设宴招待重耳,两人饮洒叙话,气氛十分融洽。忽然楚王问重耳:“你若有一天回晋国当上国君,该怎么报答我呢?”重耳略一思索说:“美女待从、珍宝丝绸,大王您有的是,珍禽羽毛,象牙兽皮,更是楚地的盛产,晋国哪有什么珍奇物品献给大王呢?”楚王说:“公子过谦了。话虽然这么说,可总该对我有所表示吧?”重耳笑笑回答道:“要是托您的福。果真能回国当政的话,我愿与贵国友好。假如有一天,晋楚国之间发生战争,我一定命令军队先退避三舍(一舍等于三十里),如果还不能得到您的原谅,我再与您交战。”
四年后,重耳真的回到晋国当了国君,就是历史上有名的晋文公。晋国在他的治理下日益强大。
公元前633年,楚国和晋国的军队在作战时相遇。晋文公为了实现他许下的诺言,下令军队后退九十里,驻扎在城濮。楚军见晋军后退,以为对方害怕了,马上追击。晋军利用楚军骄傲轻敌的弱点,集中兵力,大破楚军,取得了城濮之战的胜利。
故事出自《左传·僖公二十二年》。成语“退避三舍”比喻不与人相争或主动让步。
retreating about thirty miles as condition for peace
during the spring and autumn period (770-476 b.c.), duke xian of the state of jin killed the crown prince sheng because he had heard slanders about sheng and believed them. he also sent his men to arrest chong er, shen sheng and believed them. he also sent his men to arrest chonh er, shen sheng's brother. hearing the news, chong er escaped from the state of jin, remaining a fugitive for more than ten years.
after innumerable hardships, chong er arrived at the state of chu at last. king cheng of the state of chu treated him with high respect as he would have treated the ruler of a state, believing that he would have a vright fuure.
one day, king cheng of the state of chu gave a banquet in honoudr of chong er. suddenly, amid the harmonious atmosphere of drinking and talking, king cheng of the state of chu asked chong er. "how will you repay me when you return to the state of jin and become its ruler one day?" after thinking for a moment, chong er said, "you have plenty of beauties and attendants as well as jewelry and silk cloth, and the state of chu abounds in rare brides and animals. what treasure can the state of jin boast having to present to your majesty?" king cheng of the state of chu said, "you are too modest. nevertheless, you still have to show your gratitude to me in one way or another, i presume?" smiling, chong er answered, "if i should be fortunate enouge to return to the state of jin and become its ruler, the state of jin would be friendly to the state of chu. if, one day, there should be a war between the two states, i would definitely order my troops to retreat three she (one she is equivalent to thirty li. the li is a chinese unit of length equivalent to 1/2 kilometre. and, therefore, three she is about thirty miles.) as a condition for peace. if, under that condition, you were still not reconciled, i would have to fight with you."
four years later, as might be expected, chong er returned to the state of jin and became its ruler. he was none other than duke wen of the state of jin famous in ancient chinese history. ruled by him, the state of jin became increasingly powerful.
in the year 533 b.c., the chu troops and the jin troops confronted each other in a battle. faithful to his promise, duke wen of the state of jin ordered his troops to retreat about thirty miles. after retreating, the jin troops were stationed at chengpu. seeing that the jin troops were retreating, the chu troops thought that the enemy troops were afraid, and began chasing them. taking advantage of the chu troops' arrogance and their talking the jin troops lightly, the jin troops concentrated their forces and inflicted a crushing defeat on the chu troops, thus winning the victory of the battle of chengpu.
this set phrase, "retreating about thirty miles as a condition for peace," is derived from the chapter "the twenty-second year of duke xi" in zuozhuan, the famous commentary by zuo qiuming on the spring and autumn annals. the idea of this set phrase is to give way to somebody in order to avoid a conflict.
-
后来居上的故事
汲黯是西汉武帝时代人,以刚直正义、敢讲真话而受人尊重。他为人和做官都不拘小节,讲求实效。虽然表面上不那么轰轰烈烈,却能把一个郡治理得井井有条,因此,朝廷把他从东海太守调到朝廷当主爵都尉——一种主管地方吏任免的官职。有一次,汉武帝说要实行儒家的...
-
草木皆兵的故事
东晋时代,秦王苻坚控制了北部中国。公元383年,苻坚率领步兵、骑兵90万,攻打江南的晋朝。晋军大将谢石、谢玄领兵8万前去抵抗。苻坚得知晋军兵力不足,就想以多胜少,抓住机会,迅速出击。谁料,苻坚的先锋部队25万在寿春一带被晋军出奇击败,损失惨重,大将被杀,士兵死伤万余。...
-
望洋兴叹的故事
相传很久很久以前,黄河里有一位河神,人们叫他河伯。何伯站在黄河岸上。望着滚滚的浪涛由西而来,又奔腾跳跃向东流去,兴奋地说;黄河真大呀,世上没有哪条河能和它相比。我就是最大的水神啊!有人告诉他:你的话不对,在黄河的东面有个地方叫北海,那才真叫大呢。河伯说:我不信,北...
-
枕戈待旦的故事
西晋人祖逖和刘琨,都是性格开朗、仗义好侠的志士。年轻时不但文章写得好,而且都喜欢练武健身,决心报效祖国。当时,晋朝表面上还管辖着中原大地,但实际上已是内忧外患,风雨飘摇了。祖逖和刘琨一谈起国家局势,总是慷慨万分,常常聊到深夜。一天,祖逖又和刘琨谈得十分兴奋,刘...