齐国(原名,在现在的山东北部和河北东南部)的灵公(齐国的一个国君)喜欢看女子穿男子的服装,所以宫里的女人都穿得和男人一样。
没想到,王宫里的习惯影响了民间。宫外的女子也都穿男装了。可是灵公却派官员去严厉禁止,说:“ 如果有女子穿男子的服装, 就撕(si)2破她的衣服,割断她的衣带!” 命令下了之后,到处可以看到破衣服和断带子,但是女子穿男装的风气还是没有改变。
晏(Yan)子是齐国的宰相(zaixiang)(官名),他非常聪明,又敢于对国君讲真话。有**,他去见灵公,灵公就问他:“我严禁民间女子穿男子的服装,违者撕破她们的衣服和带子,却还是不能禁止她们穿男装,这是为什么呢?”
晏子早就知道灵公宫里的情形,就笑着回答:“大王让宫里的女人都穿男子的服装,却去禁止外面的人穿。这仿佛是在门上面挂着牛头,而里面却卖着马肉。大王您要是先禁止宫里的人穿,那么,外面的人哪里还敢穿呢?
Chinese Stories Series -- A Selection of Chinese Fables is a book for non-native speakers who study Chinese as a foreign language. The book is intended for those who have a vocabulary of approximately 800 Chinese characters. It contains 59 ancient Chinese fables which are lucid in narration. Each story is supplemented with related exercises. The book can serve as a textbook for a reading course or supplementary materials for an intensive reading course. It can also be used as stories for Chinese learners to read after class.
Fables are interesting short stories told with metaphors and symbolism to vividly express the profound meaning of life. The moral lessons contained in fables are the truth people have drawn from everyday life. With their refined and vivid language, Chinese fables enjoy a long history and convey profound messages.
Ancient Greek, India and China are known as the three major cradles of fables in world literature. Sparkling with wisdom, the rich ancient Chinese fables are a gem in the treasure house of ancient Chinese literature.