substitute(yǐ yáng yì niú)

substitute

Use the metaphor of Y ǐ y á ngy ì Ni ú to replace one with another. The idiom comes from "Mencius · Liang Hui Wang Shang"

Idiom usage

[rhyme words] full of ZHAOYOU, husband and wife have no hatred overnight, itch hard to rub, dress at night, answer like a flow, head broken blood, three teach nine flow, worship generals and Marquises, ask for the same evil, the gentleman is fond of

The East bed has already been selected. How do you know that the sheep will change the cattle? The West neighbor, even if he has a responsibility, can't point the deer to the horse. Ming Dynasty Feng Menglong's Xingshi Hengyan volume

Idiom story

ancient Chinese prose

King Xuan of Qi asked, "can we hear about the literature of Qi Huan and Jin Dynasty?"

Mencius said to him, "the disciples of Zhongni, who have no knowledge of Tao and literature, will not be handed down in the future. I have not heard of it. If there is no such thing, will it be king? " He said, "if virtue is like this, it can be king."

Said: "protect the people and the king, Mo can also resist."

He said, "if there are few people, can they protect the people?"

"Yes," he said He said, "why do you know that I can do it?"

He said: "when I heard that Hu said that Wang was sitting in the hall and had a lead in his head, Wang Jianzhi said," where is the cow? " He said to them, "I will fight with the bell." Wang said, "give it up! I can't bear to be frightened. If I'm innocent, I'll die. " They said to each other, "however, should we abolish the bell?" He said, "why should it be abolished? It's easy with sheep. " Don't you know what it is

"Yes," he said

He said, "the heart is enough to be king. The common people regard the king as their love, and the officials know that the king can't bear it. "

The king said, "yes. There are people. Although the state of Qi is small, how can I love a cow? I can't bear to be frightened. If I'm innocent, I'll die, so I'll change it to sheep. "

He said, "a king is no different from the people's love for a king. What is the difference between the small and the big? If Wang conceals his innocence and dies, what will be his choice? " Wang said with a smile, "what's the heart of sincerity? I don't love money. It's better for the people to call it "I love you."

He said, "no harm, it's benevolence and skill. It's good to see cattle but not sheep. To animals, a gentleman can't bear to see his life, but can't bear to see his death. When he hears his voice, he can't bear to eat his meat. So a gentleman is far away from cooking. "

translation

King Xuan of Qi asked, "have you ever heard of Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin dominating the princes?"

Mencius replied, "Confucius' disciples didn't talk about Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin, so they didn't pass it down to later generations, and I haven't heard of it. If I have to talk about it, can I talk about the principle of unifying the world with benevolence? "

King Xuan asked, "how can benevolence unify the world?"

Mencius replied, "if you caress the people and unify the world, no one can stop him." King Xuan asked, "can a monarch like me caress the people?"

Mencius said, "yes."

King Xuan asked, "where do you know I can?"

Mencius said, "I heard such a story from Hu Yi: (once) the king was sitting in the hall, and a man passed by with a cow. When the king saw him, he asked," where are you going to lead the cow? " (the man) answered, "use it to sacrifice the bell." The king said, "let it go! I can't bear to see it tremble with fear. It's like being dragged to kill without any guilt. " (the man) asked, "then don't sacrifice the bell?" The king said, "how can we not? Replace it with sheep! " I wonder if it happened? " King Xuan said, "there is such a thing."

Mencius said: "with such a heart, it is enough to unify the world! (sacrificing the bell with sheep instead of cattle) people think that the king is mean. I knew that the king didn't have the heart. " King Xuan said, "yes, there are people who talk like this. Although the state of Qi is small, how can I spare a cow? It's because I can't bear to see it tremble and be pulled to kill it, so I use sheep to replace it. "

Mencius said, "don't blame the people for thinking you are mean. How can they understand what you are doing? (because) king, if the poor animal is killed innocently, what's the difference between cattle and sheep? Wang Xuan said with a smile, "what kind of psychology is this? I'm not stingy of money and trade sheep for cattle. No wonder people say I'm stingy. "

Mencius said, "it doesn't matter. It's just the way of Ren De's expression. You only saw the cattle but not the sheep. A gentleman can't bear to see animals die when he sees them alive and happy, and can't bear to eat their meat when he hears them wailing and wailing. Because of this, the gentleman wants to put the kitchen far away from himself. "

Chinese PinYin : yǐ yáng yì niú