后来居上
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2012-12-25 01:43 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Ji An lived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24). He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth. He did not bother about small matters in personal behavior and in being an official. He was particular about actual effects and, although he did not cause a stir, he could keep the prefecture(县,辖区) he governed in perfect order. Because of this, the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal(免职) of the local officials.
 
Once, Emperor Wudi said that he would implement1 the policy of benevolence2(仁慈,善行) and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people. Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remands when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so. Why should the emperor bother, Ji An said, about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious3 within himself? This choked the emperor off. The emperor suddenly changed his countenance4 and declared the meeting over. All the civilian5 and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this. After returning, Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward6.
 
For this reason, Ji An was never promoted again. When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials, both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking officials of little importance. Later, they were promoted continuously. Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor7. However, JiAn's post remained the same. One day, Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood, which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers. Of course, Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining. So, turning to his ministers, Emperor Wudi said, "It is true that no one can stop learning. You see, Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
 
This story comes from The Historical Records. Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers" to indicate that successors can excel the predecessors8, which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.


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1 implement WcdzG     
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行
参考例句:
  • Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划,除非你能完成这项计划。
  • The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。
2 benevolence gt8zx     
n.慈悲,捐助
参考例句:
  • We definitely do not apply a policy of benevolence to the reactionaries.我们对反动派决不施仁政。
  • He did it out of pure benevolence. 他做那件事完全出于善意。
3 avaricious kepyY     
adj.贪婪的,贪心的
参考例句:
  • I call on your own memory as witness:remember we have avaricious hearts.假使你想要保证和证明,你可以回忆一下我们贪婪的心。
  • He is so avaricious that we call him a blood sucker.他如此贪婪,我们都叫他吸血鬼。
4 countenance iztxc     
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同
参考例句:
  • At the sight of this photograph he changed his countenance.他一看见这张照片脸色就变了。
  • I made a fierce countenance as if I would eat him alive.我脸色恶狠狠地,仿佛要把他活生生地吞下去。
5 civilian uqbzl     
adj.平民的,民用的,民众的
参考例句:
  • There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
  • He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。
6 straightforward fFfyA     
adj.正直的,坦率的;易懂的,简单的
参考例句:
  • A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
  • I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。
7 censor GrDz7     
n./vt.审查,审查员;删改
参考例句:
  • The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
  • The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。
8 predecessors b59b392832b9ce6825062c39c88d5147     
n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 );前辈;(被取代的)原有事物;前身
参考例句:
  • The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗? 来自《简明英汉词典》
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