门庭若市
门庭若市
战国时，齐国的相国邹忌，身材高大容貌端庄。一天早晨，他穿好朝服，戴好帽子，对着镜子端详一番，然后问他的妻子说：“人人都说城北徐公非常英俊潇洒，我和他比较起来，谁长得英俊。”“你英俊、极了，徐公怎么比得上你呢?”妻子说。徐公是齐国出名的美男子，邹忌听了妻子的活，并不太敢相信自己真的比徐公英俊，于是他又去问他的女仆，女仆回答说：“徐公怎能比得上你呢?”第二天，邹忌家中来了一位客人，邹忌又问了客人，客人说：“徐公哪有你这样俊美呢?”
过了几天，正巧徐公到邹忌家来拜访，邹忌便乘机仔细地打量徐公，拿他和自己比较。结果，他发现自己实在没有徐公漂亮。于是，他对齐威王说：“我本来不如徐公漂亮，但妻、妾、客人都说我比他漂亮，这是因为妻偏护我，妾畏惧我，客人有事求我，所以他们都恭维我，不说真话。
而我们齐国地方这么大，宫中上下，谁不偏护你，满朝文武，谁不畏惧你，全国百姓谁不希望得到你的关怀，看来恭维你的人一定更多，你一定被蒙蔽得非常严重了！”邹忌又劝谏说：“现在齐国地方千里，城池众多，大王接触的人也比我多得多，所受的蒙蔽也一定更多。
大王如能开诚布公地征求意见，一定对国家有益。”齐威王听了，觉得很有道理，立刻下令说：“无论是谁，能当面指出我过失的，给上赏；上奏章规劝我的，给中赏；在朝廷或街市中议论我的过失，并传到我耳中的，给下赏！”命令一下，群臣前去进谏的，一时川流不息，朝廷门口每天像市场一样热闹。
A courtyard as crowded as a marketplace
During the Warring States Period (zhàn guó 战国,481 - 386BC),there was a handsome government official named Zou Ji (zōu jì 邹忌) who lived in the kindom of Qi. One day,he said to his wife,"everyone said that Mr.Shu (xú gōng 徐公) ,from the Northern city is extremly handsome. Who is better-looking, he or me?” His wife answered,"Of course you are.” Zou Ji posed the same question to his maidservant,and then to the guest who came to his house.Both of them answered that he was better-looking of the two.
Before long,Zou Ji met Mr.Shu at his doorgate in person. He discovered that actually Mr.Shu was better-looking than himself. Zou Ji suddenly realised that his wife,maidservant,the guest had all lied to him-his wife because she loved him,his maidservant because she was afraid of him,and his guest because he needed his help. When he went to the court,he reported his findings to the king,and suggestde that he figure out a way to get people to tell the truth. The king agreeded this advice,and immediately issued a proclamation stating that anyone who points out his faults to his face will get the first prize; anyone who criticizes him in memorial will get the second prize; anyone who criticizes him in pubic will get the third prize. As expected, people flocked to the king's palace to present their opinions. The area in front of the palace gate was as busy as a market.
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