門庭若市
門庭若市
戰國時，齊國的相國鄒忌，身材高大容貌端莊。一天早晨，他穿好朝服，戴好帽子，對著鏡子端詳一番，然后問他的妻子說：“人人都說城北徐公非常英俊瀟灑，我和他比較起來，誰長得英俊。”“你英俊、極了，徐公怎么比得上你呢?”妻子說。徐公是齊國出名的美男子，鄒忌聽了妻子的活，并不太敢相信自己真的比徐公英俊，于是他又去問他的女仆，女仆回答說：“徐公怎能比得上你呢?”第二天，鄒忌家中來了一位客人，鄒忌又問了客人，客人說：“徐公哪有你這樣俊美呢?”
過了幾天，正巧徐公到鄒忌家來拜訪，鄒忌便乘機仔細地打量徐公，拿他和自己比較。結果，他發現自己實在沒有徐公漂亮。于是，他對齊威王說：“我本來不如徐公漂亮，但妻、妾、客人都說我比他漂亮，這是因為妻偏護我，妾畏懼我，客人有事求我，所以他們都恭維我，不說真話。
而我們齊國地方這么大，宮中上下，誰不偏護你，滿朝文武，誰不畏懼你，全國百姓誰不希望得到你的關懷，看來恭維你的人一定更多，你一定被蒙蔽得非常嚴重了！”鄒忌又勸諫說：“現在齊國地方千里，城池眾多，大王接觸的人也比我多得多，所受的蒙蔽也一定更多。
大王如能開誠布公地征求意見，一定對國家有益。”齊威王聽了，覺得很有道理，立刻下令說：“無論是誰，能當面指出我過失的，給上賞；上奏章規勸我的，給中賞；在朝廷或街市中議論我的過失，并傳到我耳中的，給下賞！”命令一下，群臣前去進諫的，一時川流不息，朝廷門口每天像市場一樣熱鬧。
A courtyard as crowded as a marketplace
During the Warring States Period (zhàn guó 戰國,481 - 386BC),there was a handsome government official named Zou Ji (zōu jì 鄒忌) who lived in the kindom of Qi. One day,he said to his wife,"everyone said that Mr.Shu (xú gōng 徐公) ,from the Northern city is extremly handsome. Who is better-looking, he or me?” His wife answered,"Of course you are.” Zou Ji posed the same question to his maidservant,and then to the guest who came to his house.Both of them answered that he was better-looking of the two.
Before long,Zou Ji met Mr.Shu at his doorgate in person. He discovered that actually Mr.Shu was better-looking than himself. Zou Ji suddenly realised that his wife,maidservant,the guest had all lied to him-his wife because she loved him,his maidservant because she was afraid of him,and his guest because he needed his help. When he went to the court,he reported his findings to the king,and suggestde that he figure out a way to get people to tell the truth. The king agreeded this advice,and immediately issued a proclamation stating that anyone who points out his faults to his face will get the first prize; anyone who criticizes him in memorial will get the second prize; anyone who criticizes him in pubic will get the third prize. As expected, people flocked to the king's palace to present their opinions. The area in front of the palace gate was as busy as a market.
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