From: Han Liuxiang's "Talking about Yuan Jianben"?
The original text is as follows:
Duke Jinping asked Shi Kuang, "I am seventy years old, and I am afraid I am eager to learn." Shi Kuang said, "Why not light a candle?" Gong Ping said, "An is a minister. Are you kidding me?" Shi Kuang said, "How dare a blind minister play with the monarch? I heard it: less and more eager to learn, like the sunrise sun; Strong and eager to learn, such as the light of Japan and China; Old and studious, bright as a candle. What is the light of the candle? " Gong Ping said, "Good!"
Translation:
Duke Jinping asked Shi Kuang, "I am seventy years old and want to study, but I am afraid it is too late." Shi Kuang replied, "Why not light the candle?" Gong Ping said, "Where can a courtier tease the monarch?" Shi Kuang said, "I am blind, how dare I tease the monarch?
I heard that teenagers like to study, just like the sun rises in the morning; Middle-aged I like studying, just like the sunshine in the midday sun; I like studying in my later years, just like lighting a candle. Which is better, lighting candles or walking in the dark? "Gong Ping said," well said! "
Appreciate:
This article is characterized by the use of metaphors. Shi Kuang's rhetoric does not state abstract truth, but uses common sense of daily life to explain his own views. In order to attract the attention of the other party, Shi Kuang deliberately used the ambiguity of Chinese to misinterpret the meaning of Duke Jinping with puns.
Jin Pinggong said, "If you want to study, you may die." The word "dusk" refers to the oldest person, who has entered his twilight years. Shi Kuang explained the word "dusk" as the sun had set and it would be late, so he said, "Why not light candles at dusk?" Such misinterpretation is tantamount to teasing, which is why Shi Kuang's words attracted the attention of Duke Jinping.
Shi Kuang's metaphor about learning below is naturally based on "soldiers and candles", leaving a deeper impression on each other. The rhetoric of lobbyists in the pre-Qin period was often powerful, which was the secret.