2.21 [46] 景公嬖妾死守之三日不斂晏子諫

齊景公的嬖妾去世，景公守了三天不收斂，晏子進諫

【原文】

景公之嬖妾嬰子死，公守之，三日不食，膚著于席不去。左右以復，而君無聽焉。晏子入，復曰：“有術客與醫俱言曰：‘聞嬰子病死，愿請治之。’”公喜，遽起曰：“病猶可為乎？”晏子曰：“客之道也，以為良醫也，請嘗試之。君請屏潔，沐浴飲食，間病者之宮，彼亦將有鬼神之事焉。”公曰：“諾。”屏而沐浴。晏子令棺人入斂，已斂，而復曰：“醫不能治病，已斂矣，不敢不以聞。”公作色不說，曰：“夫子以醫命寡人，而不使視，將斂而不以聞，吾之為君，名而已矣。”晏子曰：“君獨不知死者之不可以生邪？嬰聞之，君正臣從謂之順，君僻臣從謂之逆。今君不道順而行僻，從逆者邇，（導害）〔道善〕者遠，讒諛萌通，而賢良廢滅，是以（謟）〔諂〕諛繁于（間）〔閭〕，邪行交于國也。昔吾先君桓公用管仲而霸，嬖乎豎刁而滅，今君薄于賢人之禮，而厚嬖妾之哀。且古圣王畜私不傷行，斂死不失愛，送死不失哀。行（蕩）〔傷〕則溺己，愛失則傷生，〔哀〕失則害性。是故圣王節之也。〔死〕即畢葬，不留生事，棺槨衣衾，不以害生（飬）〔養〕，哭泣處哀，不以害生道。今朽尸以留生，廣愛以傷行，（修）〔循〕哀以害性，君之失矣。故諸侯之賓客慚入吾國，本朝之臣慚守其職，崇君之行，不可以導民；從君之欲，不可以持國。且嬰聞之，朽而不斂，謂之僇尸，臭而不〔收〕，謂之陳胔。反明王之性，行百姓之誹，而內嬖妾于僇胔，此之為不可。”公曰：“寡人不識，請因夫子而為之。”晏子復〔曰〕：“國之士大夫，諸侯四鄰賓客皆在外，君其哭而節之。”仲尼聞之曰：“星之昭昭，不若月之曀曀，小事之成，不若大事之廢，君子之非，賢于小人之是也。其晏子之謂歟！”

【今譯】

齊景公的愛妾嬰子去世了，景公守著尸體，三天沒有進食，皮膚沾到席子也不離開。左右的人勸說，但景公不聽。晏子來見景公，稟報說：“有懂巫術的外來人和醫生都說：‘聽聞嬰子病死了，請讓我們來救治她。’”景公很高興，趕忙站起來說：“病死的人還能救治嗎？”晏子說：“外來人懂得巫術，自認為是不錯的醫生，請求試一試。請您回避一下，沐浴更衣，吃些食物，遠離嬰子的房間，他們可能會進行祭祀鬼神的活動。”景公說：“好。”于是離開這里去沐浴更衣。晏子命令負責喪葬的人把嬰子的尸體入殮，裝殮好之后，向景公回稟說：“醫生不能治療嬰子的病，已經入殮了，不敢不把這件事告訴您。”景公變了臉色，不高興地說：“您用醫治她為借口讓我離開，不讓我看，將要入殮的時候也不告訴我，我當國君，只不過虛有其名而已。”晏子說：“您難道不懂得死去的人不可以再復活的道理嗎？我聽說，國君行為端正臣子服從叫作順，國君行為邪僻臣子服從叫作逆。現在您不行正道而行邪僻，跟著您行邪僻的您就親近，勸導您向善的您就疏遠，讒佞阿諛泛濫流行，賢良正直廢棄消失，因此讒佞阿諛之人充斥閭巷，行為奸邪的人遍布京城。以前我們先代的國君桓公任用管仲而稱霸諸侯，寵信豎刁就身死國衰，現在您對待賢臣禮敬不夠，對侍妾之死卻過于哀傷。況且古時候的圣王蓄養私寵而不損傷德行，人死即斂而不有損寵愛，送別死者而不過度哀傷。德行損傷就會沉溺于私欲，寵愛失度就會損傷身體，哀傷過度就會損傷性情。因此圣王對這些都很節制。人死了就埋葬，不應停留太久給活著的人增加事端，棺材衣物應該適度，不要因此損耗活人的供養之資，哭泣表達哀傷，不要過分悲痛妨害生存之理。現在腐朽的尸體還留給活著的人服侍，太多的私情損傷自己的德行，無休止的哀傷損害自己的性情，這是您的過失！因此諸侯國的使節羞于來到我國，本國的臣子也恥于安守本職，推崇您的行為，不可以教導百姓；順從您的欲望，也不可以執掌國家。而且我聽說，尸體腐朽而不收斂，叫作僇尸（侮辱尸體），尸體發臭而不收斂，叫作陳胔（陳列腐肉）。您違反圣王的原則，做百姓非議的事情，把愛妾納入腐尸爛肉的行列，這樣做是不行的。”景公說：“我沒什么見識，就按您說的去辦吧。”晏子又說：“本國的士大夫和相鄰諸侯國的使節都在外邊等著舉行喪禮，您哭的時候要節哀啊。”孔子聽說后說：“閃爍的星辰亮不過被云遮住的月亮，小事的成功比不上大事的失誤，君子的過錯，好過小人的正確。這大概說的就是晏子吧！”

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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注釋

[1]術客→客有術者 (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.