|
One year during the Spring and Autumn Period (- BC), there was a the Qi State was severely strickend by a famine. Qian Ao, a very rich but arrogant man took the occasion to showcase his generosity through preparing food by the roadside and giving it to the passing refugees in charity. A man with shabby clothes happened to walk by with his shoes trailing along, he was so hungry as not to open his eyes. Seeing the poor man, Qian Ao held the food by left hand and the drink by right hand, and shouted at him, "Hi, come to eat!" Hearing the word, the man glared his eyes and said, "It is because I am not willing to eat the food handed out in contempt that I have been famished to such a degree." Though Qian Ao made an apology to him for that, the man still resolutely refused to eat the food and thus he died of hunger in the end. This set phrase now extensively denotes the disrespectful aims. This story means that a person who has a strong sense of self-respect would rather die of hunger than be despised. 春秋时代，有一年齐国发生大饥荒。 有一位叫做黔敖有钱贵族，在街边准备食物分发给来往的难民，以显示自己的慷慨。 有一个饥民，用衣袖蒙着脸，拖着鞋，饿得眼睛都睁不开的样子，慢慢地走过来。 | 
