成语典故：大义灭亲

Placing Righteousness Above Kinship

　　Explanation：

　　Sacrificing family loyalty for the benefit of the state.

　　Story：

　　During the Spring and Autumn Period， after the death of King Zhuang of the State of Wei， his heir had not been long on the throne when he was secretly assassinated by his younger brother Zhou Yu. Claiming that his brother had died of illness， Zhou Yu seized the crown for himself.

　　Zhou Yu planned to attack a neighboring state， but found that his ministers as well as the common people were against this. One of the king's close advisors， Shi Hou， said，“My father Shi Que is highly respected. If Your Majesty could get his support， I am sure you would no longer be opposed in your plan."

　　But the righteous Shi Que was very unhappy that his son had thrown in his lot with the fratricidal Zhou Yu. So when his son came to him to ask for support for Zhou Yu， he firmly refused. Shi Que told Shi Hou： "The enthronement of kings of every state must be approved by the Zhou Emperor. Now， the emperor has the utmost confidence in the king of the State of Chen. To get support for your plan， you and Zhou Yu should go and pay your respects to the king of Chen and ask him to intercede with the Zhou Emperor."

　　As Zhou Yu and Shi Hou set out for Chen， Shi Que sent a letter posthaste to the king of Chen， in which he told him： "The State of Wei has fallen into the hands of two evil men. I am too old to punish them. I humbly beg that Your Majesty will see that justice is done by eliminating these two."

　　When Zhou Yu and Shi Hou appeared in an audience with the king of Chen， the latter had the letter read aloud to them. They confessed their crimes， and were put to death. Shi Que has been honored ever since as a man who put the interests of his state before those of his own kindred.

大义灭亲

　　解释：

　　为了维护国家和民族的利益，对犯罪的亲人不徇私情，使其受到应得的惩罚。

　　故事：

　　春秋时，卫庄公去世后，由大公子继承王位。这位新的卫王性情懦弱，而他的弟弟州吁却骄傲自大，野心勃勃，总想夺取兄长的王位。

　　有一天，卫王出访，州吁偷偷在途中刺死了兄长，却向大臣和百姓说：“卫王害急病死了，由我继承王位。”

　　州吁当上卫王后，便要攻打邻国，大臣和百姓都反对。州吁忙与他的亲信石厚商量。石厚说：“我的父亲石碏德高望重。如果大王请他出山，大臣和百姓们就不敢乱动了。”

　　石碏对儿子石厚助纣为虐、欺凌百姓的行为十分不满。见儿子奉州吁之命来请，就坚决推辞了。石厚无奈，再三请教安抚民心之策。石碏对石厚说：“诸侯国的王登位要得到周天子的允许。如果州吁得到周天子的公开承认，百姓就会服从。这样吧，周天子最信任陈王，你和州吁去拜望陈王，请他说说情吧。”

　　其实石碏早已写好一封信，差人暗地送给陈王，信里说：“卫国不幸，出了两个大逆不道的贼子。但我年纪大了，没有力量惩治他们。请为我主持正义，帮我除掉这两个恶人吧！”

　　州吁和石厚到了陈国。陈王就派人拿出石碏的信件大声宣读一遍。这时候州吁和石厚才知道上了石碏的当，只好低头认罪了。石碏为了国家利益，不徇私情，惩罚州吁和石厚，这种大义灭亲的故事，流传千古。