唇亡齒寒

唇亡齒寒

春秋時(shí)候，晉獻(xiàn)公想要擴(kuò)充自己的實(shí)力和地盤，就找借口說(shuō)鄰近的虢（guó）國(guó)經(jīng)常侵犯晉國(guó)的邊境，要派兵滅了虢國(guó)。可是在晉國(guó)和虢國(guó)之間隔著一個(gè)虞國(guó)，討 伐虢國(guó)必須經(jīng)過(guò)虞地。“怎樣才能順利通過(guò)虞國(guó)呢？”晉獻(xiàn)公問(wèn)手下的大臣。大夫荀息說(shuō)：“虞國(guó)國(guó)君是個(gè)目光短淺、貪圖小利的人，只要我們送他價(jià)值連城的美玉和寶馬，他不會(huì)不答應(yīng)借道的。”晉獻(xiàn)公一聽(tīng)有點(diǎn)舍不得，荀息看出了晉獻(xiàn)公的心思，就說(shuō)：“虞虢兩國(guó)是唇齒相依的近鄰，虢國(guó)滅了，虞國(guó)也不能獨(dú)存，您的美玉寶馬不過(guò)是暫時(shí)存放在虞公那里罷了。”晉獻(xiàn)公采納了荀息的計(jì)策。

虞國(guó)國(guó)君見(jiàn)到這兩們珍貴的禮物，頓時(shí)心花怒放，聽(tīng)到荀息說(shuō)要借道虞國(guó)之事時(shí)，當(dāng)時(shí)就滿口答應(yīng)下來(lái)。虞國(guó)大夫?qū)m之奇聽(tīng)說(shuō)后，趕快阻止道：“不行，不行， 虞國(guó)和虢國(guó)是唇齒相依的近鄰，我們兩個(gè)小國(guó)相互依存，有事可以自彼幫助，萬(wàn)一虢國(guó)滅了，我們虞國(guó)也就難保了。俗話說(shuō)：‘唇亡齒寒’，沒(méi)有嘴唇，牙齒也保不住啊！借道給晉國(guó)萬(wàn)萬(wàn)使不得。”虞公說(shuō)：“人家晉國(guó)是大國(guó)，現(xiàn)在特意送來(lái)美玉寶馬和咱們交朋友，難道咱們借條道路讓他們走走都不行嗎？”宮之奇連聲嘆氣， 知道虞國(guó)離滅亡的日子不遠(yuǎn)了，于是就帶著一家老小離開(kāi)了虞國(guó)。

果然，晉國(guó)軍隊(duì)借道虞國(guó)，消滅了虢國(guó)，隨后又把親自迎接晉軍的虞公抓住，滅了虞國(guó)。

故事出自《左傳?僖公五年》。成語(yǔ)“唇亡齒寒”，比喻雙方關(guān)系密切，相互依存。

The teeth are cold when the lips are lost

During the Spring and Autumn Period (chūn qiū 春秋時(shí)期,770-476 BC), Duke Xian of the State of Jin Wanted to expand his position of strength and sphere of influence. Therefore he would like to send his troops to destroy the State of Guo on the pretest that the State of Guo often encroached on theborders of the State of Jin. But there was a third state, the State of Yu,between the State of Jin and the State of Guo, and the Jin army had to cross the State of Yu before it could reach the State of Guo. "How can my army cross the State of Yu without a hitch?" Duke Xian of the State of Jin asked his ministers.Xun Xi , one of the ministers, said, "The monarch of the State of Yu is short - sighted and covets small advantages. If we give him priceless precious stones and fine horses, it is not unlikely that he will allow our army to pass through his country. " Seeing that Duke Xian of the State of Jin was a little bit grudging, Xun Xi continued to say, "The State of Yu and the State of Guo are neighbor stated as closely related as lips and teeth. The State of Yu cannot exist independently if the state of Guo is destroyed. Your precious stones and fime hores are just left in the care of the monarch of the State of Yu." So Duke Xian of the State of Jin accepted Xun Xi's plan.

When the monarch of Yu saw the precious gifts, he was elated,and readily promised to let the Jin army pass through his state. Hearing the news, Gong Zhiqi, one of the ministers as the State of Yu, hastened to admonish the monarch, saying," That won't do.For the State of Yu and the State of Guo are neighbor states as closely related as lips and teeth. Our two small states are interdependent, and can help cach other when problems crop up .If the State of Guo were destroyed, it would be difficult for our State of Yu to continue to exist. As the common saying goes, if the lips are gone ,the teeth will be cold, The teeth can hardly be kept if the lips are gone. So it won't do at all to allow the Jin army pass our state." The monarch of the State of Yu said," The State of Jin is a big state. Now they here specially to present gifts to us with the intention of being on friendly terms with us. Under suchcircumstances, how can we refuse to allow them to pass through our state?" Hearing this, Gong Zhiqi sighed repeatedly. Knowing that the State of Yu would soon be destroyed, Gong Zhiqi left the State of Yu together with his whole family.

As expected, the troops of the State of Jin, allowed to pass through the State of Yu, destroyed the State of Guo and on their return trip captured the monarch of the State of Yu who went out personally to meet them, htus destroying the State of Yu as Well.

This story appears in the chapter " The Fifth Year of Duke Xi " in Zuo zhuan,the famous commentary by Zuo Qiuming on The Spring and Autumn Annals. The set phrase " if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold " is used to mean that two persons or things share a common lot and that is one fails ,the other is in danger.

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