The Joy of Receiving a Humble Food Gift
文、攝影 / 歐修梅
故事出處：《孔子家語．致思》
The story comes from Confucius’ Family Sayings: Reflections
魯有儉嗇者，瓦鬲煮食，食之自謂其美。盛之土型，以進孔子，孔子受之，歡然而說，如受大牢之饋。
子路曰：「瓦甂、陋器也；煮食、薄膳也。夫子何喜之如此乎？」
夫子曰：「夫好諫者思其君，食美者念其親。吾非以饌具之為厚，以其食厚而我思焉！」
In the State of Lu, there lived a frugal man who prepared food with a humble pottery vessel and found it pleasing upon tasting his modest fare. The person placed the food in an earthen bowl and offered it to Confucius. Confucius received it with genuine joy, as if it were a sumptuous feast.
Zi Lu remarked, “The bowl is a common vessel, and the food within is plain. Why does my master find such delight in it?”
Confucius responded, “A man who cares deeply for his king is ever mindful of him, and one who savors good food remembers his parents. My joy does not lie in the elegance of the food or the vessel, but the thought of me in one’s moment of enjoyment!”
魯國有一位非常節儉的人，用陶土做的炊具煮東西吃，吃了之後，覺得食物很美味，便把食物裝到陶碗裡，進獻給孔子。孔子就像接受了牛羊豕三牲那般餽贈一般的高興。
In the State of Lu, there was a frugal person who used pottery pots to cook his food. Finding the food delicious, he placed some of it in a pottery bowl and offered it to Confucius. Confucius seemed as delighted as if he had received the “three sacrifices”—beef, lamb, and pork.
孔子的學生子路說：「那人送來的東西，是裝在開口的陶盆，這是一種鄙陋的器皿；而裡面所盛裝的熟食，也只是很粗淡的飲食，但老師您為什麼這麼高興呢？」孔子說：「為了國君好，也常常想要進諫的人，總是常會想到君主；孝愛父母的人，吃到美味食物就常會想到父母。我歡喜的，並不是他餽贈的食品和餐具是否豐厚或美好，而是因為他吃到好東西就想到我的這份情意啊。」
Zi Lu, one of Confucius’ students, wondered, “The gift was placed in a simple open pottery bowl, which is a rather lowly utensil. The food itself is plain and unsophisticated, too. Why are you so pleased, my teacher?” Confucius replied, “A person who cares deeply about his king and often wishes to offer advice always thinks of his king. Similarly, someone who respects and loves his parents will think of them when enjoying good food. I am happy not because of the richness or quality of the food and the utensil, but because he thought of me when he had something nice to eat.”
此畫描繪的，就是孔子在魯國接受餽贈食物而歡喜的故事。下方的魯國人臉部略為凹陷，展現出清貧的樣貌，而孔子居上，在接受食物後，流露出欣喜之情。說明孔子重視人情之厚薄，更甚於物品之輕重。這也正是孔子思想的核心—真情意的「仁」。
This painting depicts the story of Confucius feeling delighted upon receiving a food gift in the State of Lu. The Lu citizen at the bottom is depicted with a slightly gaunt face, suggesting he was impoverished. Confucius, positioned above him, expressed joy upon receiving the food, highlighting that he valued the person’s sincerity more than the material value of the gift. This reflects a core of Confucius’ philosophy -- the “ren” (benevolence) that comes from heartfelt intentions.
