Does anybody know the meaning of the proverb 風樹の嘆（

[Chris_Raymond]

Hi,
My language exchange partner sent me this proverb (kotowasa) by Confucius. He explained that is is related to feeling regret or lamenting that one did not honor (show filial piety) to one's parents when they were alive.

Below is an explanation in Japanese that I cannot quite grasp. A young man makes 3 mistakes, the first is that he spends a long time overseas and his parents die while he is away. If anybody could explain the rest and the use of the kotowasa I would be grateful.

Regards,
Chris

風樹の嘆（ふうじゅのたん）

　諸国を巡っていた孔子（こうし）は、ある時、大声で泣いて悲しんでいる男に出会いました。その男は名前を丘吾子（きゅうごし）といい、泣いている訳を尋ねるとこう答えました。

「私はこれまでに３つの過（あやま）ちを犯しました。第一に、私は若い頃から学問が好きで諸国を周遊（しゅうゆう）していましたが帰郷（ききょう）してみると両親が病の為に亡くなっていました。

第二に、仕えた君主が我侭（わがまま）で諫言（かんげん−いさめる言葉）を聞き入れてもらえず、私は出奔（しゅっぽん−逃げて姿をくらます事）してしまいました。

第三に、親しい友人がいたのにやむを得ぬ事情から絶交してしまいました。

古語にも『樹静かならんと欲すれども風止まず、子養わんと欲すれども親待たず、往きて来らざるものは年であり、再び見るを得べからず』とあります。もうこれ以上生きていられません。」

　そして、丘吾子は首を切って死んでしまいました。

　孔子は深く心を打たれて、弟子たちに言いました。

「この事をよく覚えておきなさい。戒（いまし）めとするに足るであろう。」

　これを見ていた弟子たちの中から１３人の者が、親に仕えるためにその場から立ち去ったということです。

　「風樹」というのは親に久しく孝行できない事を言います。「樹静かならんと欲すれども〜」の意味は、「樹が静かにしていたいと思っていても風が止まず、子供が親を養いたいと思っても親は待ってくれない。（孝行したい時に親はなし）」という事です。

完

[Psy]

I'm going to have to take a stab at this one at some point, but there are so many unfamiliar and/or archaic words in there that I don't dare try it without a dictionary. I looked up a definition of this phrase online, and it relates the "too little, too late" desire to show filial piety to that of a tree's lamenting an unrelenting wind... the circumstances are set, it cannot be helped-- the wind will blow, the tree will never know calm, always will it sway to the wind... one's parents will never come back, so one can only lament over the deeds forever going undone.

I suppose you know this much already based on your post, but perhaps others will find it interesting.

[watermen]

While 孔子 was travelling around countries, he met a man who was crying, so he asked the man why he was crying. The man name is 丘吾子.

The man said "I lost three things."

1. When I was young, I left my home and travel around different countries to learn and experience. When I am back, my parent is no longer there anymore.

2. Due to my ego, I was not able to humberly remonstrate my king. I ran away.

3. I have very close friends, but slowly I left them.

When the tree wish to be quite, the wind keep blowing and does not stop, when the children wish to take care of his/her parents, they are no longer there.

After that 丘吾子 was beheaded and died.

孔子 was deeply touched by this event and he told his students.

孔子 told his students that they should learn from the mistakes of this story. After that, all his 13 students went home and take care of their parents.


In the phrase 風樹の嘆, 風樹 is used to imply the act of carrying out your duty to take care of your parents.

風樹の嘆 therefore is a phrase used to mean if you don't treasure what is important now, one day when you want to treasure it again, you may not be able to do so anymore and you will regret, it is like the tree that wish to be quiet but can't be because the wind keeps blowing.

The moral of the story, treasure what you have now, especially your parents. Don't wait until it is too late.

[watermen]

Sorry, duplicated, please delete this post. Thanks.

[Chris_Raymond]

Thanks very much Waterman and Psy. My Japanese penfriend's wife and his workmate have both lost people who looked after them (ie. grandmother and older sister) when they were young. So he was explaining how they felt using this proverb. I am not sure how to respond to him. My feeling is that the Japanese are generally very dutiful & respectful towards their parents and elders, especially when compared to Westerners. So there is no great need to lament or feel guilty about your shortcomings after your parents are dead. Especially with the time pressure that seems to be on modern Japanese people, it is very difficult to devote the time to their parents that previous generations could. I suppose I am saying that people should not be too hard on themselves.

Thanks again for your help.
Regards,
Chris