Author: CHUNG Yoon Ngan
Date: 01-26-12 04:28
If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold
脣亡齒寒 (Chun2 Wang2 Chi3 Han2)
During the Period of Spring and Autumn (春秋時代 722BC to 481BC) of the
Zhou Dynasty (周朝 1027BC to 256BC), the two small States of Yu (虞國 in
the north of present day Pinglu county 平陸縣 of Shanxi province 山西省)
and Guo (虢國 in the present day of Yingyang county 滎陽縣 of Henan province
河南省) shared the same surname Ji (姬) and the State of Yu was sharing
the border with the State of Guo and the State of Jin (晉國 in the present
day of Yicheng county (翼城縣) of Shanxi province.
Jin Xian Gong (晉獻公 676BC to 651BC), the ruler of the State of Jin wanted
to conquer the State of Guo. In order to do so his army had to pass through
the territory of the State of Yu. So Jin Xian Gong asked his high-ranking
official Xun Xi (詢息) to send four thousand fine horses and a pair of high
quality of jade to Yu Gong (虞公) as a gift to allow the army of Jin to
pass through his territory to invade the State of Guo. Yu Gong was a greedy
man who loved to have the horses and the jade from Jin. However, Gong Zhiqi
(宮之奇), a senior official advised Yu Gong not to accept the gifts from
Jin Xian Gong and not to allow the army of Jin using their territory to invade
the State of Guo. Gong Zhiqi also reminded Yu Gong that,
"The State of Guo is a natural defence for our State, Yu. Once the State
of Guo is subjugated we cannot protect our State. That old saying says that
[[The lips and the teeth are depending on each other, once the lips are
gone, the teeth will be cold.]]"
However Yu Gong would not listen to Gong Zhiqi and accepted the horses and
jade and allowing the Jin Troops to use his territory to conquer the State
of Guo. Having conquered the State of Guo, the Jin troops were on their
way home. While passing through the territory of Yu, the Jin troops subjugated
the State of Yu. That was the end of the State of Yu.
The moral is if one (of two interdependent things) falls, the other is in
danger; or share a common lot.
Source:
左傳:
諺所謂
"輔車相依, 脣亡齒寒者, 其虞虢之謂也."
Posted to asiawind.com
By CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
脣亡齒寒 (Chun2 Wang2 Chi3 Han2)
During the Period of Spring and Autumn (春秋時代 722BC to 481BC) of the
Zhou Dynasty (周朝 1027BC to 256BC), the two small States of Yu (虞國 in
the north of present day Pinglu county 平陸縣 of Shanxi province 山西省)
and Guo (虢國 in the present day of Yingyang county 滎陽縣 of Henan province
河南省) shared the same surname Ji (姬) and the State of Yu was sharing
the border with the State of Guo and the State of Jin (晉國 in the present
day of Yicheng county (翼城縣) of Shanxi province.
Jin Xian Gong (晉獻公 676BC to 651BC), the ruler of the State of Jin wanted
to conquer the State of Guo. In order to do so his army had to pass through
the territory of the State of Yu. So Jin Xian Gong asked his high-ranking
official Xun Xi (詢息) to send four thousand fine horses and a pair of high
quality of jade to Yu Gong (虞公) as a gift to allow the army of Jin to
pass through his territory to invade the State of Guo. Yu Gong was a greedy
man who loved to have the horses and the jade from Jin. However, Gong Zhiqi
(宮之奇), a senior official advised Yu Gong not to accept the gifts from
Jin Xian Gong and not to allow the army of Jin using their territory to invade
the State of Guo. Gong Zhiqi also reminded Yu Gong that,
"The State of Guo is a natural defence for our State, Yu. Once the State
of Guo is subjugated we cannot protect our State. That old saying says that
[[The lips and the teeth are depending on each other, once the lips are
gone, the teeth will be cold.]]"
However Yu Gong would not listen to Gong Zhiqi and accepted the horses and
jade and allowing the Jin Troops to use his territory to conquer the State
of Guo. Having conquered the State of Guo, the Jin troops were on their
way home. While passing through the territory of Yu, the Jin troops subjugated
the State of Yu. That was the end of the State of Yu.
The moral is if one (of two interdependent things) falls, the other is in
danger; or share a common lot.
Source:
左傳:
諺所謂
"輔車相依, 脣亡齒寒者, 其虞虢之謂也."
Posted to asiawind.com
By CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
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