退避三舍Retreat Three She to Give Way

Retreat Three(or san) She to Give Way(1)（成语 退避三舍 英文）


When Chong'er arrived at the State of Chu(2),the Prince of Chu gave a banquet in his honour.

"If one day you can return to your own state Jin, how would you reward me?"asked the host.

"So far as beautiful girls and attendants are concerned, I know you have plenty of them. As to birds' feather,elephant's tusks and animal skin,they are your native products. Of all these the State of Jin feels and obvious lack;what's been imported into Jin amounts only to a fraction of what you have. I really don't know how I'm to compensate you."answered Chong'er.

"What you have said is true.But, is there any way in which you can reward me?"

"If with your blessing I were able to return to my own state, then let me now make this promise: In case our two states came to be engaged in war and had to encounter each other in the central plain, I would order my troops to retreat san she without hesitation. How about that? Suppose I still fail to convince you of my good will, then I shall take up my bow and whip with my left hand my quiver with my right to deal with you."

_____________remark____________
(1) where san means "three" and she means "thirty li" in a military march--altogether ninety li.
(2) In 655 B.C, a strife went on in the court of Jin over the succession of the throne, with the result that the heir, Prince Sheng Sheng, was killed and his younger brother Chong'er had to flee the country. After taking refuge in one state after another, Chong'er finally came to the State of Chu where he was well received. He returned to his own state after nineteen years of exile.

退避三舍(chinese idioms)

到了楚国，楚成王设宴款待重耳，并问道：‘如果公子返回晋 国，拿什么来报答我呢？”重耳回答说：“美女。宝玉和丝绸您都 有了；鸟羽、兽毛、象牙和皮革，都是贵国的特产。那些流散到 晋国的，都是您剩下的。我拿什么来报答您呢？”楚成王说：“尽管如此，总得拿什么来报答我吧？”重耳回答说：“如果托您的福， 我能返回晋国，一旦晋国和楚国交战，双方军队在中原碰上了，我就让晋军退避九十里地。如果得不到您退兵的命令，我就只好左手拿着马鞭和弓梢，右边挂着箭袋和弓套奉陪您较量一番。”

退避三舍,比喻退让和回避,避免冲突