Oldest | Chinese idiom story 17 大器晚成 dà qì wǎn chénɡ

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Idiom  大器晚成 dà qì wǎn chénɡ 



Explain  a great man becomes famous late in life



Story background


The ancients were also very clever, but for them, casting big tripod  or something, is also a very laborious thing. Because the larger the casting, the longer the cooling time, the longer the waiting time. But the mentality of the ancients is good, believe that "good rice is not afraid of late ", although wait a little longer, but" big instrument "can eventually" late ".


In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a young man named Cui Yan. But he has a good character, a man of justice, and likes to make friends everywhere. But those literati do not like him, think he has no culture, and he has nothing to say. Therefore, those literati deliberately hide from him, once Cui Yan came, they all hide.


Once, Cui Yan came to visit a very learned person, wanted to make friends with others, the result was blocked at the gate, the next person told him that the master is studying, reading is too focused, can not find time to see him. Cui Yan, who was usually extroverted and generous, heard this and made a big red face. Although he did not say it, he his heart, this is people do not like themselves, feel that they are a rough person, do not deserve to make learned people. In the end he had to go away.

This matter is very exciting to Cui Yan, he finally knew that reading is also a very important thing, Guanghui martial arts will only be regarded as a martial arts. So he made up his mind to read well and become a man of both arts and martial arts in the future. Since then, Cui Yan everywhere worship teachers to study, modestly seek advice, do not let go of any opportunity to study. Gradually, he became a learned person, his people and knowledge is slowly recognized, naturally more and more people respect him.


Later, Yuan Shao heard that Cui Yan, such a man of ability, recruited him as his counselor. Cui Yan Yan became a counselor, he found that Yuan Shao's soldiers were very cruel and often did some grave digging. Cui Yan on the direct advice, let Yuan Shao control their own men. Yuan Shao felt that he had a point and believed him, so that his soldiers would stop doing so.


Later, Yuan Shao was destroyed by Cao Cao, Cao Cao long heard Cui Yan's name, naturally want to recruit him into his own command. Cui Yan also thinks Cao Cao is a generation hero, also willing to follow him. After returning to Cao Cao, Cui Yan gave him a lot of good ideas.


At that time, Cao Cao had several sons, and he had been uncertain who would be his successor. In fact, Cao Cao wants to set up Cao Zhi, because Cao Zhi is young but intelligent, smart children are naturally very attractive. Cui Yan, aware of Cao Cao's mind, still bluntly advised Cao Cao not to do so. He admitted that since ancient times, it has been long and young, the consequence is endless trouble, it is difficult to protect the former laid down the river for a long time.


Cao Cao listened to his advice, surprised, he asked Cui Yan :" Cao Zhi is your niece son-in-law, your niece son-in-law once become an heir, when you enjoy the glory and wealth ."


Cui Yan replied :" Even relatives I would like to say so, because this is about  power state ." Cao Cao admired his integrity so much that he paid more attention to him.


Cui Yan's achievements are so great, but his cousin Cui Lin is an unsophisticated child, relatives and friends look down on him, all day with Cui Yan's achievements to teach him, let him learn more with Cui Yan. But after the achievement of Cui Yan never looked down on Cui Lin, but always sent him to do that, deliberately cultivate him, often praised him.


Everyone does not understand Cui Yan's practice of heavy Cui Lin, think Cui Yan to do so is completely blind lighting white wax, Cui Lin will certainly not succeed in the future. But Cui Yan does not think so, he often moves out of his youth to say to everybody :" I was also a young boy, but now you also praise me as a successful person. Can you tell that Trilling will accomplish nothing in the future? I think he's going to be big in the future ."


Later, Cui Lin in Cui Yan's support, soon emerged. Compared with Cui Yan, Cui Lin is a more open-minded person. After the establishment of Wei, he was sent to Huizhou as a thorn history.


Cui Lin's intelligence made him very reused, and then the official post all the way up, he also did not live up to the emperor's grace, never stingy his wisdom and time, a lifetime of conscientious, conscientious, and finally died. Cui Lin did as Cui Yan expected ," late blooming ", became a loved good official.


So later, the idiom "大器晚成 dà qì wǎn chénɡ " was also used as a consolation word for people who had long failed. But the story of Cui Yan and Cui Lin is still a model for many people.


By using the Chinese idiom stories of both Chinese and English to expand our Chinese Beihaimandarin Reading Material , you can also read more Chinese materials through Beihai Chinese Vblog to further improve your Chinese hearing level.


Edited by Baoyang from Shanghai Beihaimandarin



      古人其实也很聪明，但是对于他们来说，铸造大鼎啊什么的，也是一件很费工夫的事。因为越大的铸件所需要的冷却时间就越长，所需要等待的时间也就越长。但是古人的心态好，相信“好饭不怕晚”，虽然等得久一点，但“大器”终能“晚成”。


      东汉末年，有个年轻人叫崔琰，人长得相貌堂堂，可就是不喜欢读书，成天只知道舞刀弄剑，不务正业。但他性格好，为人又仗义，喜欢到处结交朋友。可那些崇文尚墨的文人们不喜欢他，觉得他这个人没什么文化，跟他也没什么好说的。因此，那些文人们都故意躲着他，一旦崔琰上门来，他们就都躲着不见。


      有一次，崔琰上门去拜访一个很有学问的人，想跟人家交朋友，结果被堵在大门口，下人告诉他说，主人正在潜心读书，读得实在太专注，根本抽不出时间见他一面。平时外向大方的崔琰听了这话，闹了个大红脸，嘴上虽不说，但他心里明白，这是人家瞧不上自己，觉得自己是个粗人，不配结交有学问的人。最后他只得灰溜溜地走了。


       这事对崔琰刺激很大，他终于知道原来读书也是很重要的一件事，光会武功只会被人认为是一介武夫。所以他暗下决心，一定要好好读书，将来成为一个文武双全的人物。从此，崔琰到处拜师求学，虚心求教，不放过任何一个读书学习的机会。渐渐地，他成了一个有学问的人，他的为人和学识也慢慢被大家认可了，自然就有越来越多的人尊敬他。


       后来，袁绍听说有崔琰这么个能文能武的人，就招他当自己的谋士。崔琰当了谋士之后发现，袁绍手下士兵的所作所为非常残暴，常常做一些挖坟掘墓的丧良心事。崔琰就直言相劝，让袁绍管束一下自己的手下。袁绍觉得他说得有道理，也相信他的为人，就令自己的士兵不要再这么做。


       后来，袁绍被曹操所灭，曹操久闻崔琰的大名，自然很想招他入自己的麾下。崔琰也觉得曹操是一代英雄，也愿意跟着他。归顺曹操之后，崔琰果然给他出了不少好主意。


       当时，曹操有好几个儿子，他一直拿不定主意立谁为自己的继承人。其实，曹操心里很想立曹植，因为曹植年纪虽小但是聪慧过人，聪明伶俐的孩子自然很招人喜欢。崔琰觉察到曹操的心思，仍旧直言不讳地规劝曹操不要这么做。他坦言自古以来，都是立长不立幼，立幼的后果就是后患无穷，很难保前人打下的江山长久不衰。


       曹操听了他的谏言，吃惊不已，他问崔琰：“曹植可是你的侄女婿，你的侄女婿一旦成了继承人，到时候你荣华富贵享之不尽。”崔琰回答：“即使是亲属我也要这么说，因为这有关江山社稷。”曹操十分钦佩他的刚正不阿，便更加器重他了。


        崔琰的成就这么大，可他的堂弟崔林却是个不学无术的毛头小子，亲戚朋友都看不起他，成天拿着崔琰的成就来教训他，让他跟崔琰多学着点。可有了成就之后的崔琰却从没有看不起崔林，反而总是派他做这做那，有意培养他，也常常夸奖他。


        大家对崔琰器重崔林的做法很不理解，觉得崔琰这么做完全是瞎子点灯白费蜡，崔林将来肯定出息不了。可崔琰却不以为意，他常常搬出自己年轻时候的事跟大家说：“我年轻时候也是个不学无术的小子，但是现在你们也夸奖我是个有成就的人。你们就能断定崔林将来一事无成吗？我倒觉得他将来一定会成大器。”


         后来，崔林在崔琰的提携下，很快崭露头角。相比崔琰，崔林是个心胸更加豁达的人。魏国建立之后，他被派到幽州当刺史。崔林的聪明才智让他很受重用，后来官职一路高升，他也不负皇恩，从不吝啬自己的智慧和时间，一辈子兢兢业业、恪尽职守，最后积劳成疾离世。崔林的确如崔琰预想的那样，“大器晚成”，成为了受人爱戴的好官。


        所以后来，“大器晚成”这个成语也被用做对长期不得志的人说的一句安慰话。但崔琰、崔林两兄弟的故事至今仍是很多人学习的榜样。