<p><strong>中圣</strong></p>
<p>《三国志·魏书·徐邈传》记载，汉末曹操主政，禁酒甚严。当时人讳说酒字，把清酒称为圣人，浊酒称为贤人。尚书郎徐邈私自饮酒，对人说是“中圣人”。后遂以“中圣人”或“中圣”称酒醉。中，动词，本应读去声，但此处需读平声才合律。</p>
<p><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%B4%88%E5%AD%9F%E6%B5%A9%E7%84%B6/2804551" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%B4%88%E5%AD%9F%E6%B5%A9%E7%84%B6/2804551</a></p>
<p><strong>Translation:</strong></p>
<p>According to the &quot;Records of the Three Kingdoms&quot; - &quot;Book of the Weis&quot; - &quot;Biography of Xu Miao&quot;, during the government of Cao Cao, at the end of the Han Dynasty, alcohol was strictly prohibited. At that time, people avoided mentioning the word &quot;wine&quot;. Clear wine was called &quot;a saint&quot;, and unfiltered wine was called &quot;a wise man&quot;. Xu Miao, a minister, drank privately and told others that he was &quot;hit by a Saint&quot;. Later, &quot;hit by a Saint&quot; was used to refer to drunkenness.
Zhong is a verb, which should be pronounced in the falling tone, but here it needs to be pronounced in the level tone to conform to the rhythm.</p>
<p>Note: 清酒(clear/filtered wine) - 古代指祭祀用的陈酒 (an aged wine, filtered from 浊酒/米酒, used for sacrificial offering)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-08T16:48:51.253Z
Just dited your reply, adding a translation; please have a look to check it's correct!
Starnuto di topo
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-08T17:42:43.193Z
Accepted, thanks.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-08T14:35:21.557Z
2024-12-08T17:42:11.803Z
2024-12-08T17:42:11.803Z
r13
<p>吾爱孟夫子，风流天下闻。<br />
红颜弃轩冕，白首卧松云。<br />
醉月频中圣，迷花不事君。<br />
高山安可仰，徒此揖清芬。</p>
<p>中圣：酒醉的隐语，<br />
中圣：a metaphor for being drunk.<br />
古人称酒清者为圣人，<br />
the Ancients named clear-headed drunks sages,<br />
酒浊者为贤人。<br />
mixed up drunks venerables.<br />
迷花：迷恋花草，<br />
迷花：crazy about plants<br />
此指陶醉于自然美景。<br />
this refers to being infatuated with nature's beauty.</p>
<p>事君：侍奉皇帝。<br />
事君：serve the emperor</p>
<p><strong>孟浩然</strong></p>
<p>我非常敬爱孟老夫子，<br />
I greatly respect old 孟子<br />
他为人高尚风流倜傥闻名天下。<br />
his noble character is well known everywhere.<br />
少年时鄙视功名不爱官冕车马，<br />
(In his) youth he despised fame, did not like officials or chariots,<br />
高龄白首又归隐山林摒弃尘杂。<br />
(but) old and white haired (he) returned to the mountains leaving behind the complexities of life.<br />
明月夜常常饮酒醉得非常高雅，<br />
(On) moonlit nights he often drinks wine (and is) very elegantly drunk,<br />
他不事君王迷恋花草胸怀豁达。<br />
He does not serve the king (he) is infatuated with plants (and) his heart (胸怀)is generous,<br />
高山挺立自叹不可攀，<br />
high mountains stand tall (I) myself cannot ascend thereto,<br />
只有跪拜赞美你高洁。<br />
(I) can only kneel and praise your pure life-style.</p>
<p>You the man <strong>孟浩然</strong> !</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-08T14:59:07.063Z
2024-12-08T14:59:07.063Z
Pedroski
<p>In《三国志》卷二十七〈魏书·徐邈传〉 there's a story about the origin of &quot;中圣&quot; as an euphemism for &quot;drunkenness&quot;.</p>
<p>The story is reported also at:</p>
<p><a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%BE%90%E9%82%88/23662#3-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%BE%90%E9%82%88/23662#3-1</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>曹操执政时，法令禁止酗酒，但徐邈常私下痛饮以至于酩酊大醉。校事赵达询问政事，徐邈称他是“中圣人”。赵达把这话传给曹操，曹操很是恼怒。度辽将军鲜于辅劝说道：“平常喝醉酒的人称清酒为圣人，浊酒为贤人。徐邈性情谨慎，这不过是酒醉胡言乱语罢了。”结果没有被判刑。徐邈后来任陇西太守。转任南安太守。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>but, because of my poor Chinese, it's not clear to me.</p>
<p>Can you better explain it to me? Why Xu Miao was pardoned?</p>
<p>In particular, I'm interested in the meaning of &quot;中圣&quot; in the 5th line of this famous poem by 李 白:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>《赠孟浩然》</p>
<p>吾爱孟夫子,</p>
<p>风流天下闻。</p>
<p>红颜弃轩冕,</p>
<p>白首卧松云。</p>
<p>醉月频中圣,</p>
<p>迷花不事君。</p>
<p>高山安可仰,</p>
<p>徒此揖清芬。</p>
</blockquote>

<translation><meaning><history><poetry>
"中圣" and the story of Xu Miao (徐邈)
# "中圣" and the story of Xu Miao (徐邈)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-12-08)

In《三国志》卷二十七〈魏书·徐邈传〉 there's a story about the origin of "中圣" as an euphemism for "drunkenness".

The story is reported also at:

<https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%BE%90%E9%82%88/23662#3-1>

> 曹操执政时，法令禁止酗酒，但徐邈常私下痛饮以至于酩酊大醉。校事赵达询问政事，徐邈称他是“中圣人”。赵达把这话传给曹操，曹操很是恼怒。度辽将军鲜于辅劝说道：“平常喝醉酒的人称清酒为圣人，浊酒为贤人。徐邈性情谨慎，这不过是酒醉胡言乱语罢了。”结果没有被判刑。徐邈后来任陇西太守。转任南安太守。

but, because of my poor Chinese, it's not clear to me.

Can you better explain it to me? Why Xu Miao was pardoned?

In particular, I'm interested in the meaning of "中圣" in the 5th line of this famous poem by 李 白:

> 《赠孟浩然》
>
> 吾爱孟夫子,
>
> 风流天下闻。
>
> 红颜弃轩冕,
>
> 白首卧松云。
>
> 醉月频中圣,
>
> 迷花不事君。
>
> 高山安可仰,
>
> 徒此揖清芬。

**Tags:** translation, meaning, history, poetry


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-12-08. Score: 2

**中圣**

《三国志·魏书·徐邈传》记载，汉末曹操主政，禁酒甚严。当时人讳说酒字，把清酒称为圣人，浊酒称为贤人。尚书郎徐邈私自饮酒，对人说是“中圣人”。后遂以“中圣人”或“中圣”称酒醉。中，动词，本应读去声，但此处需读平声才合律。

<https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%B4%88%E5%AD%9F%E6%B5%A9%E7%84%B6/2804551>

**Translation:**

According to the "Records of the Three Kingdoms" - "Book of the Weis" - "Biography of Xu Miao", during the government of Cao Cao, at the end of the Han Dynasty, alcohol was strictly prohibited. At that time, people avoided mentioning the word "wine". Clear wine was called "a saint", and unfiltered wine was called "a wise man". Xu Miao, a minister, drank privately and told others that he was "hit by a Saint". Later, "hit by a Saint" was used to refer to drunkenness.
Zhong is a verb, which should be pronounced in the falling tone, but here it needs to be pronounced in the level tone to conform to the rhythm.

Note: 清酒(clear/filtered wine) - 古代指祭祀用的陈酒 (an aged wine, filtered from 浊酒/米酒, used for sacrificial offering)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Just dited your reply, adding a translation; please have a look to check it's correct!  
> **username_1**: Accepted, thanks.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-12-08. Score: 1

吾爱孟夫子，风流天下闻。  
红颜弃轩冕，白首卧松云。  
醉月频中圣，迷花不事君。  
高山安可仰，徒此揖清芬。

中圣：酒醉的隐语，  
中圣：a metaphor for being drunk.  
古人称酒清者为圣人，  
the Ancients named clear-headed drunks sages,  
酒浊者为贤人。  
mixed up drunks venerables.  
迷花：迷恋花草，  
迷花：crazy about plants  
此指陶醉于自然美景。  
this refers to being infatuated with nature's beauty.

事君：侍奉皇帝。  
事君：serve the emperor

**孟浩然**

我非常敬爱孟老夫子，  
I greatly respect old 孟子  
他为人高尚风流倜傥闻名天下。  
his noble character is well known everywhere.  
少年时鄙视功名不爱官冕车马，  
(In his) youth he despised fame, did not like officials or chariots,  
高龄白首又归隐山林摒弃尘杂。  
(but) old and white haired (he) returned to the mountains leaving behind the complexities of life.  
明月夜常常饮酒醉得非常高雅，  
(On) moonlit nights he often drinks wine (and is) very elegantly drunk,  
他不事君王迷恋花草胸怀豁达。  
He does not serve the king (he) is infatuated with plants (and) his heart (胸怀)is generous,  
高山挺立自叹不可攀，  
high mountains stand tall (I) myself cannot ascend thereto,  
只有跪拜赞美你高洁。  
(I) can only kneel and praise your pure life-style.

You the man **孟浩然** !


---

