Who is More Desp icable?

By Liu Zhaolin

Who is More Desp icable?

By Liu Zhaolin

I n the early 1960s,China experienced a difficult time in its history.The period of starvation that confronted people at the time resulted in the emergence of numerous weird stories.Just imagine what a starving man would feel at the sight of a plate of food.

Once,Mr.Tian and one of his colleagues went down to the grass-roots units.During a meal,only two bright yellow corn pancakes were served.The food immediately caught their eyes,both giving out a cunning,greedy look as if they had been soaked in their own drool.

However,the two pancakes were remarkably different in size,one big and the other small.When the tray was presented in front of Mr.Tian, he hesitated and then pushed it to his colleague,allowing him to choose first.His colleague,though, took the big one without a moment’s thought.

In those days,a small proportion of food could be worth a great deal of money,so Mr.Tian cursed ferociously in his mind,“What an animal!He took the big one for granted and didn’t even say‘thanks.’He is such a bastard.”

Mr.Tian not just cursed his colleague in his head,but also in front of his friends,which he kept on doing for years.

After years of self-study and reading extensively,however,a“revolution”broke out in the depth of his soul.It suddenly dawned on him that he was actually more selfish and hypocritical than his colleague.

“The plate was presented to me in the beginning,and I was faced with four choices:1.Take the initiative and pick up the small pancake; 2.Offer the big pancake to my colleague directly;3.Pick up the big pancake regardless;4.Push the plate to my colleague and let him decide.

“To be honest,the fourth one was the most cunning and hypocritical choice,as it passed the buck to my colleague and put him in the dilemma of choosing while I just hid myself safely.No doubt that my colleague failed to stand the test,but I was ill-intended as well.Was this not more despicable than what my colleague did?”Mr.Tian said.

After such reflection,he no longer cursed his colleague for being a bastard,but blamed himself instead.And he even did so in a formal meeting in front of others.

I have respected him as my teacher since he took the blame himself.

(FromThe Elder Times,June 3, 2015.Translation:Zhu Yaguang.)