整理/余冰玥 制图/张玉佳

前事不忘，后事之师

过去的事情不能忘记，它可作为以后行事的借鉴。“前事”即过去的事，亦即历史；“后事”即后来的事，亦即现在和未来；“师”即效法、借鉴。其深层含义在于提醒人们要从历史中吸取经验教训，以此作为后来的参照或借鉴。

Past Experience, If Not Forgotten, Is a Guide for the Future.

This concept is meant to remind people of the need to learn from past experience and make it a guide for the future. In ancient China great importance was attached to writing history and thus historiography experienced great progress.

引例

臣观成事，闻往古，天下之美同，臣主之权均之能美，未之有也。前事之不忘，后事之师。（《战国策·赵策一》）（我考察古往今来发生的事情，发现普天之下美的东西总是相同的，但臣下与君主权势均等而能和美相处的，这种事情从来也没出现过。过去的事情不能忘记，它可作为以后行事的借鉴。）

Citation

In observing past events and learning of ancient times, I have found that the good things in the world are always the same, but it has never occurred that when a sovereign and his officials have had equal power, they can still live harmoniously. We should not forget past experience, but instead use it as a guide for the future. (Strategies of the Warring States)