2.21 [46] 景公嬖妾死守之三日不敛晏子谏

齐景公的嬖妾去世，景公守了三天不收敛，晏子进谏

【原文】

景公之嬖妾婴子死，公守之，三日不食，肤著于席不去。左右以复，而君无听焉。晏子入，复曰：“有术客与医俱言曰：‘闻婴子病死，愿请治之。’”公喜，遽起曰：“病犹可为乎？”晏子曰：“客之道也，以为良医也，请尝试之。君请屏洁，沐浴饮食，间病者之宫，彼亦将有鬼神之事焉。”公曰：“诺。”屏而沐浴。晏子令棺人入敛，已敛，而复曰：“医不能治病，已敛矣，不敢不以闻。”公作色不说，曰：“夫子以医命寡人，而不使视，将敛而不以闻，吾之为君，名而已矣。”晏子曰：“君独不知死者之不可以生邪？婴闻之，君正臣从谓之顺，君僻臣从谓之逆。今君不道顺而行僻，从逆者迩，（导害）〔道善〕者远，谗谀萌通，而贤良废灭，是以（謟）〔谄〕谀繁于（间）〔闾〕，邪行交于国也。昔吾先君桓公用管仲而霸，嬖乎竖刁而灭，今君薄于贤人之礼，而厚嬖妾之哀。且古圣王畜私不伤行，敛死不失爱，送死不失哀。行（荡）〔伤〕则溺己，爱失则伤生，〔哀〕失则害性。是故圣王节之也。〔死〕即毕葬，不留生事，棺椁衣衾，不以害生（飬）〔养〕，哭泣处哀，不以害生道。今朽尸以留生，广爱以伤行，（修）〔循〕哀以害性，君之失矣。故诸侯之宾客惭入吾国，本朝之臣惭守其职，崇君之行，不可以导民；从君之欲，不可以持国。且婴闻之，朽而不敛，谓之僇尸，臭而不〔收〕，谓之陈胔。反明王之性，行百姓之诽，而内嬖妾于僇胔，此之为不可。”公曰：“寡人不识，请因夫子而为之。”晏子复〔曰〕：“国之士大夫，诸侯四邻宾客皆在外，君其哭而节之。”仲尼闻之曰：“星之昭昭，不若月之曀曀，小事之成，不若大事之废，君子之非，贤于小人之是也。其晏子之谓欤！”

【今译】

齐景公的爱妾婴子去世了，景公守着尸体，三天没有进食，皮肤沾到席子也不离开。左右的人劝说，但景公不听。晏子来见景公，禀报说：“有懂巫术的外来人和医生都说：‘听闻婴子病死了，请让我们来救治她。’”景公很高兴，赶忙站起来说：“病死的人还能救治吗？”晏子说：“外来人懂得巫术，自认为是不错的医生，请求试一试。请您回避一下，沐浴更衣，吃些食物，远离婴子的房间，他们可能会进行祭祀鬼神的活动。”景公说：“好。”于是离开这里去沐浴更衣。晏子命令负责丧葬的人把婴子的尸体入殓，装殓好之后，向景公回禀说：“医生不能治疗婴子的病，已经入殓了，不敢不把这件事告诉您。”景公变了脸色，不高兴地说：“您用医治她为借口让我离开，不让我看，将要入殓的时候也不告诉我，我当国君，只不过虚有其名而已。”晏子说：“您难道不懂得死去的人不可以再复活的道理吗？我听说，国君行为端正臣子服从叫作顺，国君行为邪僻臣子服从叫作逆。现在您不行正道而行邪僻，跟着您行邪僻的您就亲近，劝导您向善的您就疏远，谗佞阿谀泛滥流行，贤良正直废弃消失，因此谗佞阿谀之人充斥闾巷，行为奸邪的人遍布京城。以前我们先代的国君桓公任用管仲而称霸诸侯，宠信竖刁就身死国衰，现在您对待贤臣礼敬不够，对侍妾之死却过于哀伤。况且古时候的圣王蓄养私宠而不损伤德行，人死即敛而不有损宠爱，送别死者而不过度哀伤。德行损伤就会沉溺于私欲，宠爱失度就会损伤身体，哀伤过度就会损伤性情。因此圣王对这些都很节制。人死了就埋葬，不应停留太久给活着的人增加事端，棺材衣物应该适度，不要因此损耗活人的供养之资，哭泣表达哀伤，不要过分悲痛妨害生存之理。现在腐朽的尸体还留给活着的人服侍，太多的私情损伤自己的德行，无休止的哀伤损害自己的性情，这是您的过失！因此诸侯国的使节羞于来到我国，本国的臣子也耻于安守本职，推崇您的行为，不可以教导百姓；顺从您的欲望，也不可以执掌国家。而且我听说，尸体腐朽而不收敛，叫作僇尸（侮辱尸体），尸体发臭而不收敛，叫作陈胔（陈列腐肉）。您违反圣王的原则，做百姓非议的事情，把爱妾纳入腐尸烂肉的行列，这样做是不行的。”景公说：“我没什么见识，就按您说的去办吧。”晏子又说：“本国的士大夫和相邻诸侯国的使节都在外边等着举行丧礼，您哭的时候要节哀啊。”孔子听说后说：“闪烁的星辰亮不过被云遮住的月亮，小事的成功比不上大事的失误，君子的过错，好过小人的正确。这大概说的就是晏子吧！”

Yingzi,a favorite concubine of Duke Jing,died. The Duke held vigil over her body and did not eat for three days. Her skin stuck to the mat but he did not leave. The Duke’s entourage tried to bring the situation to his awareness,but he would not listen to them. Yanzi entered the court and reported: “There is a master of supernatural skills^[1] and a physician and they both say: ‘We have heard that Yingzi died from an illness and we would like to ask permission to remedy her.’”

The Duke rejoiced; he got up immediately and said: “Can anything still be done about this illness?”

Yanzi said: “I consider the method of these two to be good medicine; please try it. I ask you,my Lord,to separate yourself from her body and to purify yourself by bathing. Drink and eat and keep a distance from the palace where the infirmity is present because there w ill surely be some interaction of spirits and demons there.”

The Duke said,“Very well.” He separated himself from her body and bathed. Yanzi ordered the coffin attendants to put her into a coffin. A fter she had been put into the coffin,Yanzi reported to the Duke: “The physician was not able to treat her illness and she has already been put into a coffin. I dare not conceal this from you.”

The Duke’s facial expression revealed his displeasure and he said: “You,Master,gave me instructions based on medical arguments and did not let me observe the administrations. When you were about to put her into a coffin you did not let me know about it. I am a ruler in name only.”

Yanzi said: “My Lord,do you of all people not know that the dead cannot be revived? I have heard that if the ruler is upright and his ministers follow his example,it is called ‘obedient.’ If the ruler is aberrant and the ministers follow his example,it is called ‘defiant.’ But now you,my Lord,do not lead your m inisters to be obedient and your conduct is aberrant. Those who walk in the ways of evil are close to you and those who are guided by the good keep their distance. Slanderers and flatterers sprout up; the worthy and the good are dism issed and perish. For that reason,the slanderers and flatterers flourish w ithin your gates,and evil men go to and fro w ithin the capital. In the past,our former ruler Duke Huan employed Guan Zhong and became overlord. But when he favored Shu Diao,he perished. But now you,my Lord,pay meager attention to the rites of the worthy and lavish attention to m ourning for a favored concubine. Furthermore,the ancient sage-kings had wives and concubines,but this did not harm their behavior;^[2] they put the dead in coffins w ithout diminishing their love,and they escorted their dead w ithout diminishing their grief. W hen conduct is harmed,one sinks into self-indulgence; when love diminishes,life is harmed; and when grief diminishes,the inborn nature is impaired. Therefore,the sage-kings moderated their mourning. If someone died,they would put him immediately into a coffin,so that the life of the people was not disturbed. The costs of inner coffin,outer coffin,shrouds,and w inding sheets did not interfere w ith the support of life.^[3] Weeping and engaging in mourning were not used to harm the way of the living. But now you let the corpse decay and you disturb the life of the living. Your exaggerated love has impaired your behavior and your prolonged grief has harmed your inborn nature. My Lord,this is your failure. Therefore,foreign visitors sent by the regional princes are ashamed to enter our state,and the ministers of your own court are ashamed to retain their positions. One cannot guide the people based on respect for conduct such as yours,my Lord,and one cannot control the state,my Lord,by granting free reign to one’s desires. Further,I have heard that not putting a decayed corpse into a coffin is called ‘humiliating a corpse.’ If the corpse already stinks and has not been encoffined,it is called ‘exhibiting a decomposing corpse.’ Acting contrary to the inborn nature of the enlightened kings and practicing what peop le scorn—letting a favorite concubine’s decomposing corpse lie in court in a humiliating fashion—is unacceptable.”

The Duke said: “I did not realize this. I request to be allowed to act in accordance w ith your instructions.”

Yanzi responded: “The officers and the high officers of the state as well as delegates of all the neighboring states’ sovereigns are all waiting outside. M y Lord,you may weep,but w ith moderation.”

When Confucius heard of this,he said: “The brightness of the stars is not yet as intense as the shadowy light of the moon. Accomplishment of insignificant undertakings cannot be compared to failure in great matters. The w rong acts^[4] of a man of noble character are worthier than the correct acts of a petty man. Does this not refer to Yanzi?”

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注释

[1]术客→客有术者 (JS,156/4).

[2]The Mozi,1.6/8/8,expresses an identical view o f the w ay the ancient kings understood the interplay between their intimate life and public conduct.

[3]The rabbinical masters make a similar statement in BT Ketubot 8b,noting that the funeral of the dead person was harder for relatives to bear than his death itself,because of the great expense of the costly garments for the dead. The relatives therefore used to run away from the funeral,leaving the dead person lying on the ground,until the rule of Rabban Gamaliel II of Yavne (2nd century CE) w as adopted at his own funeral and he was carried out for burial in garments of linen alone. Then all the people followed his example and carried out the dead in such garments.

[4]These “w rong acts” refer to Yanzi’s success in placing Yingzi’s body in coffin by tricking his Duke into believing that she could be resurrected.