触龙说赵太后

《触龙说赵太后》原文

赵太后新用事，秦急攻之。赵氏求救于齐，齐曰：“必以长安君为质，兵乃出。”太后不肯，大臣强谏。太后明谓左右：“有复言令长安君为质者，老妇必唾其面。”
左师触龙言愿见太后。太后盛气而揖之。入而徐趋，至而自谢，曰：“老臣病足，曾不能疾走，不得见久矣。窃自恕，而恐太后玉体之有所郄也，故愿望见太后。”太后曰：“老妇恃辇而行。”曰：“日食饮得无衰乎？”曰：“恃粥耳。”曰：“老臣今者殊不欲食，乃自强步，日三四里，少益耆食，和于身。”太后曰：“老妇不能。”太后之色少解。
左师公曰：“老臣贱息舒祺，最少，不肖；而臣衰，窃爱怜之。愿令得补黑衣之数，以卫王宫。没死以闻。”太后曰：“敬诺。年几何矣？”对曰：“十五岁矣。虽少，愿及未填沟壑而托之。”太后曰：“丈夫亦爱怜其少子乎？”对曰：“甚于妇人。”太后笑曰：“妇人异甚。”对曰：“老臣窃以为媪之爱燕后贤于长安君。”曰：“君过矣，不若长安君之甚。”左师公曰：“父母之爱子，则为之计深远。媪之送燕后也，持其踵，为之泣，念悲其远也，亦哀之矣。已行，非弗思也，祭祀必祝之，祝曰：‘必勿使反。’岂非计久长，有子孙相继为王也哉？”太后曰：“然。”
左师公曰：“今三世以前，至于赵之为赵，赵王之子孙侯者，其继有在者乎？”曰：“无有。”曰：“微独赵，诸侯有在者乎？”曰：“老妇不闻也。”“此其近者祸及身，远者及其子孙。岂人主之子孙则必不善哉？位尊而无功，奉厚而无劳，而挟重器多也。今媪尊长安君之位，而封之以膏腴之地，多予之重器，而不及今令有功于国，—旦山陵崩，长安君何以自托于赵？老臣以媪为长安君计短也，故以为其爱不若燕后。”太后曰：“诺，恣君之所使之。”
于是为长安君约车百乘，质于齐，齐兵乃出。
子义闻之曰：“人主之子也、骨肉之亲也，犹不能恃无功之尊、无劳之奉，而守金玉之重也，而况人臣乎。”

中文翻译

赵太后刚刚掌权，秦国就加紧进攻赵国。赵国向齐国求救，齐国说：“一定要用长安君作为人质，才出兵。”赵太后不同意，大臣们极力劝谏。太后明确地告诉左右侍臣：“有再说让长安君做人质的，我一定朝他的脸吐唾沫！”
左师触龙希望去见太后。太后气冲冲地等着他。触龙走入殿内就用快走的姿势慢慢地走着小步，到太后面前谢罪，说：“老臣的脚有毛病，竟不能快跑，很久没能来拜见了。我私下原谅了自己，可是又怕太后的贵体有什么不适，所以很想来看看太后。”太后说：“我靠着辇车行走。”触龙说：“每天饮食该不会减少吧？”太后说：“就靠喝点粥罢了。”触龙说：“老臣近来特别不想吃东西，就自己勉强散散步，每天走三四里，稍微增加了点食欲，身体也舒畅了些。”太后说：“我可做不到啊。”太后的脸色稍微和缓了些。
左师公说：“我的儿子舒祺，年龄最小，不成材；可是我老了，私下疼爱他，希望能让他递补上黑衣卫士的空缺，来保卫王宫。我冒着死罪来禀告太后。”太后说：“答应您！年龄多大了？”触龙回答：“十五岁了。虽然还小，但希望趁我还没入土就托付给您。”太后说：“你们男人也疼爱小儿子吗？”触龙回答：“比妇人还厉害。”太后笑着说：“妇人更厉害。”触龙回答：“我私下认为，您疼爱燕后就超过了疼爱长安君。”太后说：“你错了！不像疼爱长安君那样厉害。”左师公说：“父母疼爱子女，就得为他们考虑长远些。您送燕后出嫁的时候，拉着她的脚后跟为她哭泣，这是惦念并伤心她嫁到远方，也够可怜的了。她出嫁以后，您也并不是不想念她，可您祭祀时一定为她祝告说：‘千万不要被赶回来啊。’难道这不是为她作长远打算，希望她生育子孙，一代一代地做国君吗？”太后说：“对呀。”
左师公说：“从这一辈往上推到三代以前，甚至到赵国建立的时候，赵王被封侯的子孙的后继人有还在的吗？”赵太后说：“没有。”触龙说：“不光是赵国，其他诸侯国君的被封侯的子孙的后继人还有在的吗？”赵太后说：“我没听说过。”触龙说：“他们当中祸患来得早的就会降临到自己头上，祸患来得晚的就降临到子孙头上。难道国君的子孙就一定不好吗？这是因为他们地位高而没有功勋，俸禄丰厚而没有功劳，占有的象征国家权力的珍宝太多了啊！现在您把长安君的地位提得很高，又封给他肥沃的土地，给他很多珍宝，而不趁现在这个时机让他为国立功，一旦您去世之后，长安君凭什么在赵国站住脚呢？我觉得您为长安君打算得太短了，因此我认为您疼爱他比不上疼爱燕后。”太后说：“好吧，任凭您指派他吧。”
于是就替长安君准备了一百辆车子，送他到齐国去做人质，齐国的救兵才出动。
子义听到这事说：“国君的孩子，可算是国君的亲骨肉了，尚且不能依赖没有功勋的高位，没有劳绩的俸禄，并守住金玉之类的重器，何况做臣子的呢！”

英文翻译

Madam Zhao had just come to power when Qin made a fierce attack on Zhao. Zhao sought help from Qi, and Qi said, "We will send troops only if you send Prince Chang'an to be a hostage." Madam Zhao refused. The ministers earnestly remonstrated with her. Madam Zhao clearly told her attendants, "If anyone dares to mention sending Prince Chang'an as a hostage again, I will spit in his face!"
Left Minister Chu Long wished to see Madam Zhao. Madam Zhao glared at him angrily. Chu Long entered the court and walked slowly with quick steps towards her. When he reached her, he apologized, saying, "Your old servant's feet are disabled and I can't walk fast. It has been a long time since I last had the honor of seeing you. I forgive myself privately, but I'm afraid Your Majesty's precious body may not be well, so I'm eager to see you." Madam Zhao said, "I rely on a carriage to get around." Chu Long said, "May I ask if Your Majesty's daily food and drink have decreased?" Madam Zhao replied, "I can only have some porridge." Chu Long said, "Your old servant has recently lost his appetite completely. So I force myself to take a walk, three or four li a day. It has slightly increased my appetite and made me feel more comfortable." Madam Zhao said, "I can't do that." Her expression softened a little.
Left Minister Chu Long said, "My youngest son, Shu Qi, is not very capable. But as I'm getting old, I secretly love him and hope he can be appointed as one of the black - robed guards to guard the royal palace. I take the liberty of reporting this to Your Majesty." Madam Zhao said, "Certainly! How old is he?" Chu Long replied, "He's fifteen. Although he's still young, I hope to entrust him to you before I die." Madam Zhao said, "Do men also love their younger sons?" Chu Long replied, "More than women do." Madam Zhao laughed and said, "Women love their sons even more." Chu Long replied, "Your old servant secretly thinks that Your Majesty loves the Queen of Yan more than Prince Chang'an." Madam Zhao said, "You're wrong. I don't love Prince Chang'an as much as you think." Left Minister Chu Long said, "When parents love their children, they should plan for their future. When Your Majesty sent the Queen of Yan away, you held her heel and cried, showing your sorrow for her going so far away. After she left, you didn't stop thinking about her. During sacrifices, you always prayed, saying, 'I hope she won't be sent back.' Isn't this because you were planning for the long - term, hoping she would have children who would succeed to the throne one after another?" Madam Zhao said, "That's right."
Left Minister Chu Long said, "If we go back three generations, until the time when Zhao became a state, among the descendants of the Zhao kings who were ennobled as marquises, are there any still alive?" Madam Zhao said, "None." Chu Long said, "Not only in Zhao, but also among the feudal lords of other states, are there any?" Madam Zhao said, "I haven't heard of any." Chu Long said, "Their calamities either befell them in their own lifetimes or on their descendants later. Is it that the descendants of a ruler are bound to be bad? It's because they hold high positions without meritorious deeds, receive generous emoluments without rendering any service, and possess too many symbols of state power. Now Your Majesty has elevated Prince Chang'an's position very high and granted him fertile lands and many treasures, but you haven't let him render any service to the state at present. Once you pass away, what will Prince Chang'an rely on to stand firm in Zhao? I think Your Majesty is planning too short - term for Prince Chang'an, so I think your love for him is not as much as that for the Queen of Yan." Madam Zhao said, "All right. Do as you like with him."
So she prepared a hundred chariots for Prince Chang'an and sent him to Qi as a hostage. Then the troops of Qi set out.
Zi Yi heard of this and said, "The children of a ruler, who are his own flesh and blood, still cannot rely on high positions without meritorious deeds and generous emoluments without service, and keep precious treasures. How much less can ministers!"

背景补充

历史背景

战国时期，各国之间纷争不断，战争频繁。赵国在当时面临着秦国的强大军事压力。秦国加紧进攻赵国，赵国形势危急，于是向齐国求救。齐国为了自身的利益和安全，要求赵国以长安君作为人质才肯出兵援助。然而，赵太后刚刚掌权，出于对幼子长安君的疼爱，坚决不同意让长安君去做人质，大臣们的强谏不仅没有起到作用，反而惹得太后大怒，声称谁再提让长安君做人质的事，她就向谁脸上吐唾沫。

人物介绍

• ​触龙​：左师，是一位经验丰富、善于辞令的大臣。他深知赵太后的心理，在这种紧张的局势下，巧妙地运用迂回曲折的方式，从日常生活话题入手，逐步引导赵太后认识到为子女长远考虑的重要性，最终成功说服赵太后让长安君到齐国做人质。
• ​赵太后​：赵国的统治者，在丈夫去世后刚刚掌权。她深爱着自己的幼子长安君，出于母爱，不愿意让他去齐国做人质，表现出强烈的护犊之情。
• ​长安君​：赵太后的幼子，在文中是事件的关键人物。他的命运与赵国的局势紧密相连，最终在触龙的劝说下，被送到齐国做人质，换来了齐国的援兵。

文学价值

• ​高超的论辩艺术​：触龙在与赵太后的对话中，没有直接提及让长安君做人质的事情，而是从自己的儿子舒祺说起，逐渐引入到对子女教育的讨论，再巧妙地联系到长安君身上。他通过摆事实、讲道理，层层深入，以理服人，最终成功说服了赵太后。这种迂回曲折、委婉含蓄的论辩方式，充分展现了触龙的高超智慧和卓越的口才。
• ​深刻的思想内涵​：文章蕴含了深刻的政治智慧和人生哲理。触龙强调了父母应该为子女的长远利益考虑，不能只凭一时的疼爱而让他们处于危险或不利的境地。这一思想不仅适用于当时的政治局势，对于后世的为人父母者也有着重要的启示意义。
• ​生动的人物形象塑造​：通过对赵太后和触龙的言行、神态等细节描写，生动地刻画了两个鲜明的人物形象。赵太后的愤怒、固执以及对儿子的疼爱，触龙的机智、沉稳和善于劝谏，都跃然纸上，使读者如见其人、如闻其声。