take person as mirror(yǐ rén wéi jìng)

take person as mirror

Take people as mirror (Y ǐ R é NW é ij ì ng): take the success and failure of others as their own reference. It comes from Mozi's non attack.

Idiom explanation

The success and failure of others as their own reference.

The origin of Idioms

In Mozi's feigongzhong: "a gentleman does not mirror water, but man.". The mirror in the water, the face of meeting; mirror in people, you know good and bad

Idioms and allusions

Mozi Volume 5 records such a thing: at the end of the spring and Autumn period, the state of Jin, always known as the overlord of the Central Plains, became fragmented, and the real power was gradually controlled by six generals: Zhi, fan, Zhongxing, Zhao, Han and Wei. Each of the six has its own territory and armed forces. In order to strengthen itself, they constantly attack each other. Later, Zhi boyao of Zhi family destroyed Fan family and Zhongxing family, and then joined forces of the three families to attack Zhao Xiangzi. At this time, Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi discussed and said, "the present fate of the Zhao family is the future fate of our two families. If Zhao's family perishes in the morning, we will perish in the evening; if Zhao's family perishes in the evening, we will perish in the morning. Only when the three of us unite to defeat zhiboyao can we ensure our safety. " So the Han and Wei families cooperated with the Zhao family, and defeated Zhi boyao. The three families shared Zhi's land and strengthened themselves. Later, they all became one of the seven heroes in the Warring States period. Mozi commented: "people with talent and virtue do not use water as a mirror, but people as a mirror. Because you can only see your own face when you use water as a mirror, and you can only know how to do good and bad things when you use people as a mirror. "

It is also recorded in the biography of Wei Zheng in the old book of Tang Dynasty that Wei Zheng was a famous politician in the late Sui Dynasty and early Tang Dynasty. He devoted himself to assisting Emperor Taizong for seventeen years. He always took admonishment as his own duty, sometimes even made a face-to-face argument, prevented or corrected many wrong behaviors and propositions of Emperor Taizong, and made outstanding contributions to the formation and consolidation of "Zhenguan rule". After his death, Tang Taizong said sadly: "with copper as a mirror, you can straighten your clothes; with history as a mirror, you can know the rise and fall of a country; with people as a mirror, you can know your gains and losses. Now that Wei Zheng has passed away, I have lost a very good mirror! "

Analysis of Idioms

Synonyms: learning from others

Chinese PinYin : yǐ rén wéi jìng