Huan Gong, King of the State of Qi and the first overlord in the Spring and Autumn Period, in order to show his sincerity1 to enlist2 able and virtuous3 men and scholars from various places, had a bright torch lit in front of his palace day and night. But the torch had been burning for one whole year, and yet nobody came.
One day, a villager from the eastern suburb of the capital wished to have an audience with Huan Gong, claiming that he had the ability to recite the multiplication4 table.
When Huan Gong heard of this, he thought it was very funny and sent an officer to tell the villager: "How could you hope to see the King just because you can recite the multiplication table?"
The villager replied: "I hear that the torch before the palace has been burning for one year, yet nobody came. This is because His Majesty5 is a king of great talent and bold vision. All the talented men near and far couldn't be certain that His Majesty would have a high opinion of them, so they dared not come to see you. My knowledge of the
multiplication table is truly trivial, but if His Majesty could receive me with courtesy, then His Majesty need not worry that those with real ability and learning would not come."
He then continued: "Mount Tai is huge because it never expels any single small stone; the sea is deep because it gathers together every small stream. The Book of Songs says: 'The wise kings of ancient times often went to peasants who cut firewood and grass to ask for their advice. Only this way can you pool the wisdom of the masses.'"
Hearing this, Huan Gong of Qi repeatedly nodded assent6, and accorded this villager a grand reception. As expected, within one month, many able and virtuous men from all places came one after another to see Huan Gong.
春秋時(shí)期的第一霸王齊桓公，為了表明自己招賢納士的誠(chéng)意，在宮廷前燃起了明亮的火炬，準(zhǔn)備日夜接待各地前來(lái)的人才。但是，火炬燃燒了整整一年，也沒(méi)有人前來(lái)求見(jiàn)。
一天，來(lái)了一個(gè)國(guó)都東郊的鄉(xiāng)下人，聲稱(chēng)自己有念九九算術(shù)口訣的才能，要求拜見(jiàn)齊桓公。
齊桓公聽(tīng)完報(bào)告，覺(jué)得很可笑，派傳令官告訴鄉(xiāng)下人：“難道你憑會(huì)念九九算術(shù)口訣，就想來(lái)見(jiàn)國(guó)王嗎？”
鄉(xiāng)下人回答說(shuō)：“我聽(tīng)說(shuō)，宮前火炬燃燒了一年，也沒(méi)有人來(lái)求見(jiàn)，這是因?yàn)閲?guó)王是個(gè)雄才大略的君主，四方人才都以為君主不一定能看得上他們，所以不敢來(lái)求見(jiàn)。我的九九算術(shù)口訣，的確是微不足道的，但是如果國(guó)王能以禮接待我，那么還怕那些有真才實(shí)學(xué)的賢士能人不愿來(lái)嗎？”
接著說(shuō)：“泰山之所以大，那是因?yàn)樗鼜膩?lái)不排斥每一顆小石子；江海之所以深，那是因?yàn)樗鼌R集起每一條小溪流。《詩(shī)經(jīng)》中說(shuō)過(guò)，‘古代英明君王有事，都去請(qǐng)教砍柴割草的農(nóng)夫，只有這樣才能集思廣益。’”
齊桓公聽(tīng)了，連連點(diǎn)頭稱(chēng)是，立刻以隆重的禮節(jié)，接待了這個(gè)鄉(xiāng)下人。果然，不出一個(gè)月，四方賢士能人都紛紛前來(lái)求見(jiàn)齊桓公。
