Thousand Characters

Chapter 55

[Original text]

The direct descendants continued, offering sacrifices and tastings.Jijian bows again, terrified and frightened.

【Note】

Concubine: The offspring born to the wife are called concubine.Heir: Heir, that is, descendants.Sacrifice: The ceremony of worshiping the sky is called sacrifice.Sacrifice: The ceremony of worshiping the place is called sacrifice.Steaming and tasting: This refers to sacrificial activities throughout the year.Ji: stay, arrive.Bow: forehead.Ji 颡: Refers to kneeling and kneeling, with the forehead touching the ground.Horror: The heart is very scary, even creepy.Fear: I feel a little restless and slightly afraid.These four sentences describe the scene when the ancients worshiped the heaven, earth and ancestors, and tell us that we must have a pious heart when we worship the heaven, earth and ancestors. .

【Interpretation】

Children and grandchildren pass on from generation to generation, and there must be no slack or negligence in the activities of worshiping heaven, earth and ancestors throughout the year.When worshiping, you should kneel down, touch your forehead to the ground, and worship again. Not only must all kinds of etiquette be comprehensive and respectful, but also the heart must be very pious.

【allusion】

At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, Sun Wu, a native of Qi, assisted King Wu in commanding the army of Wu to defeat the mighty Chu State. Wu State has shocked the princes so far, and Sun Wu has also become a well-known military strategist.Someone asked Sun Tzu for advice: "How to deploy troops so as not to be defeated by the enemy?" Sun Tzu replied, "The army should be like a snake. We know that snakes have strong self-defense capabilities. If you hit a snake's head, it will Hit you with its tail; if you hit the snake’s tail, it will attack you with its head and bite you with its fangs; but if you hit the snake’s waist, it will attack you with its head and tail. This kind of snake The method of counterattacking hunters can also be applied to the formation of troops. We arrange the army in a snake-like formation, so that the whole army can be integrated into one. Only when the enemy breaks up, can we defend ourselves like an iron fortress and be invincible." The man further asked Sun Wu, "Can the soldiers in the army consciously achieve that kind of unity and mutual assistance? Are they united?" Sun Tzu replied with a smile: "In the past, there was a man from the state of Wu and a man from the state of Yue. When crossing the sea in a boat, encountering strong winds and waves, the ship is in danger of being destroyed, and at this time, they will definitely lend each other a helping hand. This is like a person's left and right hands, when encountering difficulties, even if there is another Great hatred will also turn hostility into friendship, work together, help each other in the same boat, and save each other from fire and water. Think about it, two enemies are still like this, not to mention the soldiers who have fought together on the battlefield for many years. If one person is in trouble, everyone will join the battle. So you don’t have to worry about it at all. When the battle is critical, the soldiers in the army will definitely form one body, echo each other, and help each other.” The person who asked the question listened to Sun Tzu I was deeply inspired by the language, and I have a new understanding of the use of soldiers, and I admire Sun Wu even more.

(End of this chapter)