Chinese Idiom Stories

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To Fluff Up the Pillow And Have a Good Rest

To Fluff Up the Pillow And Have a Good Rest

Feng Shiuan lived at the home of Meng Chang-jun, prime minister of the state Ch'i during the Warring States Period.

One day, Meng Chang-jun sent Feng Shiuan to a place called Shue to collect the rent owed to him by the people there. But Feng Shiuan not only did not collect the rent; he aslo burned all of the contracts. The people of Shue were therefore very grateful to Meng Chang-jun.

Sometime later, when he was no longer prime minster, Meng Chang-jun went to live in Shue, and was warmly welcomed by all of the people there. However, Feng Shiuan believed that this was not quite enough. So he went and told the king of Wei what a talented person Meng Chang-jun was, and before long Meng Chang-jun was offered a position in the Wei court. On Feng Shiuan's advice, Meng Chang-jun refused the position, but the king of Ch'i afraid that he would accept, then asked Meng Chang-jun, "You now have a choice of three places where you could live. You can fluff up the pillows and have a good rest."

Thus, "To Fluff Up the Pillows and Have a Good Rest" means to live a happy and worry-free life.

高枕無憂

春秋時代,在齊國有位名叫孟嘗君的人,他非常喜歡與文學家還有俠客風範的人交朋友,為了能與他們常討論國家大事,總喜歡邀請這些人到家中長住。在這些人當中,有位叫馮諼的人,他常常一住就是住上很長一段時間,但是卻什麼事都不做,孟嘗君雖然覺得很奇怪,但是好客的他還是熱情招待馮諼。

有一次,馮諼替孟嘗君到薛地這地方討債,但是他不但沒跟當地百姓要債,反而還把債倦全燒了,薛地人民都以為這是孟嘗君的恩德,而心裡充滿感激。直到後來,孟嘗君被齊王解除相國的職位,前往薛地定居,受到薛地人熱烈的歡迎,孟嘗君才知道馮諼的才能。一直到這時候,不多話的馮諼才對孟嘗君說:「通常聰明的兔子都有三個洞穴,才能在緊急的時候逃過獵人的追捕,而免除一死。但是你卻只有一個藏身之處,所以你還不能把枕頭墊得高高地睡覺,我願意再為你安排另外兩個可以安心的藏身之處。」於是馮諼去見梁惠王,他告訴梁惠王說,如果梁惠王能請到孟嘗君幫他治理國家,那麼梁國一定能夠變得更強盛。於是梁惠王派人邀請孟嘗君到梁國,準備讓他擔任治理國家的重要官職。可是,梁國的使者一連來了三次,馮諼都叫孟嘗君不要答應。梁國派人請孟嘗君去治理梁國的消息傳到齊王那裡,齊王一急,就趕緊派人請孟嘗君回齊國當相國。馮諼要孟嘗君向齊王提出希望能夠擁有齊國祖傳祭器的要求,並且將它們放在薛地,,同時興建一座祠廟,以確保薛地的安全。祠廟建好後,馮諼對孟嘗君說:「現在屬於你的三個安身之地都建造好了,從此以後你就可以墊高枕頭,安心地睡大覺了。」

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