Past Experience, If Not Forgotten, Is a Guide for the Future

過去的事情不能忘記，它可作為以后行事的借鑒。“前事”即過去的事，亦即歷史；“后事”即后來(lái)的事，亦即現(xiàn)在和未來(lái)；“師”即效法、借鑒。其深層含義在于提醒人們要從歷史中吸取經(jīng)驗(yàn)教訓(xùn)，以此作為后來(lái)的參照或借鑒。中國(guó)古代注重修史，史學(xué)空前發(fā)達(dá)，為的就是總結(jié)前代治國(guó)理政的成敗得失，敘述歷史人物特別是帝王與執(zhí)政官員個(gè)人言行的是非善惡，對(duì)當(dāng)代和后世起到警示與借鑒的作用。

This concept is meant to remind people of the need to learn from past experience and make it a guide for the future. In ancient China great importance was attached to writing history and thus historiography experienced great progress. It was designed so as to review the successes and failures of previous dynasties and recount the good and evil in historical figures, especially sovereigns and officials, in order to provide a warning or a guide for the future.

引例 Citations：

◎臣觀成事，聞往古，天下之美同，臣主之權(quán)均之能美，未之有也。前事之不忘，后事之師。（《戰(zhàn)國(guó)策·趙策一》）

我考察古往今來(lái)發(fā)生的事情，（發(fā)現(xiàn)）普天之下美的東西總是相同的，但臣下與君主權(quán)勢(shì)均等而能和美相處的，（這種事情）從來(lái)也沒出現(xiàn)過。過去的事情不能忘記，它可作為以后行事的借鑒。

In observing past events and learning of ancient times, I have found that the good things in the world are always the same, but it has never occurred that when a sovereign and his officials have had equal power, they can still live harmoniously. We should not forget past experience, but instead use it as a guide for the future. (Strategies of the Warring States)

◎又聞前事為后事之師，古人是今人之則，據(jù)其年代，雖即不同，量彼是非，必然無(wú)異。（趙普《上太宗請(qǐng)班師》）

又聽說(shuō)從前發(fā)生的事情是后人行事的借鑒，古人（的言行）可作為今人（言行）的準(zhǔn)則，雖然事情發(fā)生的年代有不同，但考察其蘊(yùn)含的是非道理一定不會(huì)有差異。

I have heard that past events are a guide to future events and that the words and actions of ancient people provide models for people of the present age. Even though time has changed, they are not off the mark in providing criteria for right and wrong. (Zhao Pu: Memorial Urging Emperor Taizong to Withdraw Troops)

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供稿：北京外國(guó)語(yǔ)大學(xué) 外語(yǔ)教學(xué)與研究出版社

責(zé)任編輯：錢耐安