The idiom story of forgetting one’s ancestors in numerous classics

The idiom "forgetting one's ancestors when one is counting the classics" is a Chinese idiom, which first came from Zuo Qiuming's "Zuo Zhuan: The Fifteenth Year of Zhaogong" in the Spring and Autumn Period. The following is a story I compiled for you about the idiom "forgetting one's ancestors when one is counting classics". I hope it can help you.

The story of the idiom about forgetting one’s ancestors in several classics

In the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Jin sent Xunsong and Jitan as envoys to the King of Zhou to attend the funeral of Queen Mu. After the funeral, King Jing of Zhou took off his mourning clothes and hosted a banquet in honor of Xun Shu, Ji Tan and other envoys from the vassal states.

The wine jug used in the banquet was a tribute from the State of Lu. After three rounds of wine, King Zhou Jing was already slightly drunk, and he began to serve wine to the guests. He walked up to Xun Yue, and while pouring wine from the jug sent by Lu as a tribute, he asked: "The princes from all over the world pay tribute to the royal family every year, so why does Jin alone have nothing?"

After hearing this, Xun Shuo said nothing, but raised his hand to Ji Tan. Ji Tan stood up and replied plausibly: "In the early years, when the princes were granted titles, most of them accepted the royal treasures, but our Jin country did not receive rewards, so the Jin country did not have to donate treasures to the royal family. Besides, we The Jin Kingdom is located in a deep mountain frontier, far away from the royal family. We have basically never received the favor of the royal family. Furthermore, the Jin Kingdom is surrounded by the Rong and Di tribes. We can't cope with the Rong and Di. There is nothing. Can it be used to pay tribute to the royal family?"

King Zhou Jing was very dissatisfied after hearing this and said, "How could you forget that the founder of Jin State, Uncle Tang, was a brother of King Zhou Cheng? What about the treasures of the royal family? I remember that Uncle Tang accepted King Wen’s drums and chariots, King Wu’s leather armor, as well as axes, fragrant wine, red bows and many warriors. Aren’t these the gifts of the Zhou royal family to the Jin Dynasty? Reward?" Then he asked Ji Tan: "I remember that your ancestor was the official in charge of the country's classics! You are a descendant of Si Dian, how can you forget these historical events? It’s so ridiculous!”

Ji Tan’s face turned red with embarrassment and he had nothing to say. After Xun Shu and Ji Tan left, King Zhou Jing said to all the ministers: "I don't think future generations of people like Ji Tan who have forgotten their roots will have much success! This person can only list a bunch of allusions to comment on things. Instead, he forgot about the things recorded in the classics controlled by his ancestors! How can his descendants have any future?" After Ji Tan returned to Jin, he felt very embarrassed, so he mentioned this matter. I told Dr. Jin's uncle Xiang. Shu Xiang disagreed, and instead said to Ji Tan: "I think this Emperor Zhou may not have a happy death. He actually regarded sorrow as happiness. When someone died in the family, he took off his mourning clothes and drank and had fun with his guests. He had no regard for the deceased. To show true respect and condolences, but not forget to ask for treasures from others, you really don’t know etiquette!”

To forget one’s ancestors when talking about historical rituals and deeds is to forget the duties of one’s ancestors! . A metaphor for forgetting one’s origins. It is also a metaphor for ignorance of the history of the country. Shu means counting; Dian refers to historical rituals and deeds.

Sentences for forgetting one’s ancestors when reading scriptures. We must pay attention to the study of Chinese historical knowledge to avoid the joke of forgetting ancestors when reading scriptures.

Wise words: Forgetting one’s ancestors by counting the classics is, to a certain extent, actually ungrateful. Jin officials were sent to Zhou Dynasty as envoys. During the banquet, King Jing of Zhou asked Ji Tan why Jin had no tribute. Ji Tan replied that Jin had never received any reward from the royal family, so why should it pay tribute. King Zhou Jing listed the old canons that the royal family had given to the Jin utensils, and asked Ji Tan, as a descendant of the Jin Dynasty Sidian, how could he "count the canons and forget his ancestors", that is to say, he listed the ancient canons and forgot his ancestors. What about his responsibilities? King Zhou Jing scolded Ji Tan for forgetting that his ancestors were in charge of the classics. Although it was more to save the face of the great country, the scolding was not excessive. This kind of ungrateful person really deserves to be scolded.

Antonym: drink water and think about the source

Origin of the idiom

"Zuo Zhuan: Zhao Gong's Fifteenth Year": "It is impossible to talk about Ji. When the guest came out, the king said: 'Ji Father has no descendants, so he forgets his ancestors when he counts the classics.'"

Later generations refined the idiom "forgetting the ancestors after counting the classics".

Meaning of the idiom

The Jin State relied on its own strength and did not pay tribute to the King of Zhou, which was forgetting its roots; the King of Zhou only knew how to enjoy and have fun, but put aside national affairs and the death of his relatives. , is immoral. Therefore, the social turmoil in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty led to the situation of feudal princes competing for hegemony.

In life, we must learn to drink water and remember its source, and never forget the roots. Everything can be forgotten, but the ancestors cannot be forgotten; everything can be wasted, but the inheritance left by the ancestors cannot be wasted. Because only by not forgetting our roots can we better open up the future and move towards tomorrow.

Idiom usage

Literary usage

The contraction type is generally used as a predicate, object, and attributive in a sentence. It often has a derogatory meaning and is a metaphor for forgetting one's roots.

Examples of application

Qing Dynasty Yuan Mei's "Xiaocang Shanfang Ruler Slips": "Mei's ancestral home is Cixi, and he is a member of his brother's tribe. He grew up in Hangzhou and forgot his ancestors."

Writer Zang Kejia's "Also Talking about Misty Poetry": "It lacks the breath of life and the spirit of the times. It sings a solo song with a low and vague voice. It learns from foreign 'dregs' and forgets its ancestors. It loses people's appetite and leads readers into a trance. "

Analysis of idioms

Forgetting one’s ancestors in numerous classics—worshiping foreigners and favoring foreigners

"Worship foreigners and favor foreigners" means worshiping all foreign things and flattering foreigners. There is a difference between "forgetting one's ancestors by studying the classics" and "worshiping foreigners and favoring foreigners": "forgetting one's ancestors by studying classics" mainly focuses on the meaning of forgetting one's roots, while "worshiping foreigners and favoring foreigners" mainly focuses on the loss of national self-esteem.