“病入膏肓”新释

春秋时期，晋景公曾做了一个梦，梦见一个厉鬼来索命。第二天景公就遭受重病，所谓“膏肓”之疾。其病位于肓之上，膏之下，此处非针刺、艾灸乃至草药所能及。最终，晋景公上厕所时跌倒在便池里，窒息而死。首次指出，此“膏肓”处并非人身体内某一解剖部位，而是指虚幻名利所致困境。虚幻名利之疾，即使良医如医缓也束手无策，无可奈何！追逐名者最终被名索命，追逐利者最终被利索命，猎取名利者最终成为名利膏肓的猎物。所以老子谆谆告诫世人：“名与身孰亲？身与货孰多？得与亡孰病？” 膏肓暗指名利。贪求名利即膏肓之疾。

New Interpretation of the Chinese Idiom "Bing Ru Gao Huang"

During the Spring and Autumn Period, duke Jin Jing Gong had a dream of a ferocious ghost hunting for his life. The next day the duke suffered from an incurable disease being called Gao Huang later. The location of the disease was above the Huang and below the Gao, a location where no acupuncture, moxibustion and medication can reach. And eventually duke Jìn Jǐng Gong fell into the latrine and died of suffocation. For the first time, this article highlights that Gao Huang is not an anatomical part of human body but the problem with fancy fame and fortune. The problem with fancy fame and fortune comes as a despair that even the greatest doctor such as Yi Huan can do nothing. Those who hunt fame are inevitably hunted by fame. Those who chase fortune are ultimately chased by fortune. Those who prey on fame and fortune are finally prey of Gao Huang. Thus Lao Zi earnestly preached to people: which is more important, life or fame? which is more valuable, life or benefits? which is more harmful, gain or loss? Gao Huang implies fame and fortune. Greed on fame and fortune is the fatal disease of Gao Huang.