---韩非

扁鹊见蔡桓公，立有间，扁鹊曰：“君有疾在腠理，不治将恐深。”桓候曰：“寡人无疾。”扁鹊出。桓侯曰：“医之好治不病以为功。”居十日，扁鹊复见，曰：“君之病在肌肤，不治将益深。”桓侯不应。扁鹊出。桓侯又不悦。居十日，扁鹊复见，曰：“君之病在肠胃，不治将益深。”桓侯又不应。扁鹊出。桓侯又不悦。居十日，扁鹊望桓侯而还走。桓侯故使人问之。扁鹊曰：“疾在腠理，汤熨之所及也；在肌肤，针石之所及也；在肠胃，火齐之所及也；在骨髓，司命之所属，无奈何也！今在骨髓，臣是以无请也。” 居五日，桓公体痛；使人索扁鹊，已逃秦矣。桓侯遂死。 

A Story about a Doctor and a Duke

by Han Fei

---许景城（Peter Jingcheng Xu） 译

   Bian Que, a very famous doctor, came to see the duke of Qi Kingdom also known as Duke Cai. Standing in front of the duke, he advised, “Your majesty, there is something wrong on your skins. If it is not cured, I’m afraid it will get worsened. ” Duke Cai refused, “I am absolutely fit and healthy.” Without further ado, Bian bowed himself out. Then, the duke grumbled, “Doctors are always enjoying curing those who have no diseases, from which they could seek merits.” Ten days rolled by before Bian paid a second visit to the duke and said, “Your majesty, there is something wrong beneath your skins. If it is not cured, I’m afraid it will become worsened.” Duke Cai refused again and turned his back on him, unhappy. Bian had nothing but to bow himself out. Another ten days passed by before he paid a third visit, and said to the duke, “Your majesty, now the disease comes to your intestines and stomach. If it is not cured, I’m afraid it will be worsened. ” Once again, he encountered Duke’s ignoring and unpleasure. Another ten days flew away before the doctor ran away when he saw the duke, who felt extremely surprised and sent a soldier to inquire him. Bian Que explained, “When the disease is on the skins, it can be cured by hot compress of medicines. When it slips beneath the skins, it can be healed by acupuncture. When it comes to the intestines and stomach, it can be treated with hot drug soups. Now the disease has come to Duke’s spine, which is at the hands of God, and there is nothing I can do. ” Five days strode by before Duke felt pains all through his body, and sent for Bian Que, who had run away to Qing Kingdom. Thus, Duke Cai tragically passed away.  

  Note: Han Fei (280BC- 233BC) born from a noble family, was a famous thinker and philosopher of naïve materialism, and a major representative of Legalist School as well as an essayist during the terminal period of Warring States. 

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