A General History

In order to suppress those who were against her, Wu Zetian, the empress of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), appointed a few merciless persons to be judges. Two of them were extremely brutal; one was called Zhou Xing and the other was called Lai Junchen. They killed many upright civil and military officials as well as ordinary people by framing up cases against tham and by administering inhuman corporal punishment to them. Once, Wu Zetian received a letter which informed against Zhou Xing. The letter aside that Zhou Xing was plotting a rebellion in collaboration with others. Wu Zetian was furiously angry when she read the letter, and immediately ordered Lai Junchen to deal with the case severely. Hearing the order, Lai Junchen had misgivings about it. He knew that Zhou Xing could not be forced to tell the truth merely by using a letter informing against him because he was very sly and crafty. Lai Junchen also knew that he would not be for given if he should fail in dealing with the case, because the empress would certainly blame him and punish him. How could he solve the problem then? He turned the problem over and over in his mind, and finally thought out a "brilliant scheme". Lai Junchen had a sumptuous feast prepared, and invited Zhou Xing to his home. The two of them urged each other to drink, and they talked while drinking. After the wine had gone round three times, Lai Junchen pretended to sigh, "When Ihandle cases in ordinary times, I often com across prisoners who stubbournly refuse to admit they are guilty. I wonder if you have any effetive measures." Hearing this, he took a sip of the wine. Lai Junchen immediately pretended to be very earnest, saying, "Oh, please do tell me at once." Smiling insidiously, Zhou Xing said, "Get a big vat, scorch it hot with charcoal fire all around, and then let the prisoner come into the vat. Will the prisoner fail to make a confession of his crime?" Hearing this. LaiJunchen nodded his head in approval repeatedly. He then ordered his subordinates to bring a big vat, and had a charcoal fire lit all around it as Zhou Xing had said. He then turned to Zhou Xing and said, "Someone in the imperial court has informed against you, saying that you are plotting a rebellion. The empress has ordered me to deal with the case severely. So I beg your pardon, but would you kindly step into the "Someone in the imperial court has informed against you, saying that you are plotting a rebellion. The empress has ordered me to deal with the case severely. So I beg your pardon, but would you kindly step into the vat?" Hearing this, Zhou Xing dropped his wine cup to the ground and the cup broke with a crash. Then he knelt down with a flop, nodded repeatedly and said, "I am guilty. I confess I am guilty." This story appears in A General History as a Mirror of Past Events by Sima Guang of the Song Dynasty. From this story, people have derived the set phrase "kindly step into the vat -- try what you have devised against others".

Extreme Joy Begets Sorrow

　　Chunyu Kun lived in the state of Qi during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). He was wise, humorous and eloquent. He skillfully advised the king on many occasions and successfully went to many states as an envoy.
　　In the year 349 BC, the State of Chu dispatched a large force to attack Qi. The king of Qi sent Chunyu Kun to the state of Zhao to ask for help, with a lot of valuable gifts. The king of Zhao accpeted the gifts gladly and sent a hundred thousand troops to help Qi. The king of Chu withdrew his army that very night as soon as he got the news.
　　The king of Qi was released and pleased with Chunyu Kun. He set a banquet for celebration. During the meal, the king asked Chunyu Kun, "How much wine can you drink before you're drunk, Sir?" Knowing the king had a bad habit of drinking all night, Chunyu Kun decided to take this chance to admonish the king. So he replied, "I get drunk when I drink ten litres or hundred."
　　Puzzled, the king asked, "Since you are drunk after ten litres, how can you finish another ninty litres?"
　　Chunyu Kun then explained that he could drink different amounts of wine under different conditions. He said, "This occurs to me that when you drink to your limit, you get so drunk that you lose your sense; once joy reaches its height, then it's sorrow's turn. This is the rule for everything. Whatever you do, you are bound to end up in the opposite direction when you exceed the limits."
　　Realizing Chunyu Kun was advising him, the king answered, "You are right. I will take your advice."
　　From then on, the king of Qi gave up his bad habit of drinking and playing all night.
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Make three calls at the thatched cottage

　In the third century, China was divided into three kingdoms: Wei in the north, Shu in the southwest and Wu in the southeast. Shu was a weak state. The head of Shu, Liu Bei, was searching for talents everywhere for the kingdom. He heard of a very wise and knowledgeable man called Zhuge Liang who lived in Longzhong in Hubei province. So Liu decided to invite him to be his prime minister to help strengthen the State of Shu. In the year 207AD, Liu Bei with his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei traveled to Longzhong to ask Zhuge Liang to assist him. But Zhuge was not at home. Thus they had to return disappointedly.
　　Later, they came again. But again they failed to see Zhuge, because he had been wandering about for days and hadn't yet come back. This time, Liu Bei left a note expressing his meaning.
　　Some days passed, Liu wanted to make a third visit. Guan and Zhang wanted to stop him, but in vain. This time, Zhuge Liang was at home but he was sleeping. Liu let Guan and Zhang stand at the door, and he stood by the bed. When Zhuge woke up and saw him, he was moved by his sincerity. He complied with Liu's request and became his prime minister. With the help of Zhuge, Liu enlarged his territory and his kingdom became as strong as the Wu and Shu.
　　Later, people use it to describe people who invite someone in all sincerity and eagerness.
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Look for a noble steed according to its picture

　　Bo Le was a famous horse-judging master. He wrote a book titled Xiang Ma Jing (classics of how to judge a horse) to tell people the way of recognizing good horses. It writes, "A good horse is with wide forehead, bulging eyes and round hoofs."
　　One day, the son of Bo Le went out to look for a good horse according to the description in the book. After a while, he came back, bringing with him a toad. He told his father, "I have found a horse similar to your picture but its eyes are not bulging enough and hoofs not round." Bo Le did not know whether to laugh or to cry at this. He kidded his son, "This horse is good at jumping instead of being ridden. What you've done is to look for a horse according to the picture."
　　From what Bo Le said we draw the idiom, depicting those who work mechanically or try to locate something by following up a clue.

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Look for a noble steed according to its picture

　　Bo Le was a famous horse-judging master. He wrote a book titled Xiang Ma Jing (classics of how to judge a horse) to tell people the way of recognizing good horses. It writes, "A good horse is with wide forehead, bulging eyes and round hoofs."
　　One day, the son of Bo Le went out to look for a good horse according to the description in the book. After a while, he came back, bringing with him a toad. He told his father, "I have found a horse similar to your picture but its eyes are not bulging enough and hoofs not round." Bo Le did not know whether to laugh or to cry at this. He kidded his son, "This horse is good at jumping instead of being ridden. What you've done is to look for a horse according to the picture."
　　From what Bo Le said we draw the idiom, depicting those who work mechanically or try to locate something by following up a clue.

Note: Chinese-Online (http://www.chinesepal.cn) is a place to Learn Chinese, and to find free Chinese Tutors to teach Chinese Lessons ,a place to learn mandarin! The fees is in the page(http://www.chinesepal.cn/class_type.html).The Site map of our site to learn Chinese language is the link(http://www.chinesepal.cn/sitemap.html).You can find something what you want to Learn Chinese Online! If you have interested Learn Mandarin Chinese Online ! Please click the link to study Chinese Language! Your Chinese Translation will begin to here! you can find Chinese characters, Chinese writing , Chinese dictionary and so on!

Beautiful Smile and Love

The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition, and I told the sisters: You take care of the other three. I take care of this one who looked worse.

So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand as she said just the words "thank you" and she died. I could not help but examine my conscience before her and I asked what would I say if I was in her place.

And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much more-she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face.

As did that man whom we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. "I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for."

And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything.


Like an angel-this is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus had said: I was hungry, I was naked, I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me.


I believe that we are not real social workers. We may be doing social work in the eyes of the people, but we are really contemplatives in the heart of the world. For we are touching the body of Christ twenty-four hours...


And I think that in our family we don't need bombs and guns, to destroy, to bring peace, just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world.


And with this prize that I have received as a Prize of Peace, I am going to try to make the home for many people who have no home. Because I believe that love begins at home, and if we can create a home for the poor I think that more and more love will spread.

And we will be able through this understanding love to bring peace be the good news to the poor. The poor in our own family first, in our country and in the world.


To be able to do this, our Sisters, our lives have to be wove with prayer. They have to be woven with Christ to be able to understand, to be able to share. Because to be woven with Christ is to be able to understand, to be able to share. Because today there is so much suffering...


When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger.

But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out from society-that poverty is so full of hurt and so unbearable... And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something.

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Mr. Jiang has used up his literary talent-At one's wit's end

　During the period of Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589), there was a man of letters named Jiang Yan, whose father died young. Little Jiang Yan was strenuous and diligent, capable of writing beautiful poems and essays at his early age. He, who was thought highly of by those men of letters of that time, was called Mr. Jiang.
　　However, at fame and high position prevent him from go on making progress. His articles and poems written later were not a match to his earlier ones. People said that he was at his wit's end.

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