按圖索驥的故事

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按圖索驥的故事

按圖索驥按圖索驥的故事春秋時候，秦國有個叫孫陽的人，擅

長相馬，無論什么樣的馬，他一眼就能分出優劣。他常常被人請去識

馬、選馬，人們都稱他為伯樂（伯樂本是天上的星名，據說負責管

理天馬）。

有一次，孫陽路過一個地方，忽見一匹拖著鹽車的老馬沖他叫

個不停，走近一看，原來是匹千里馬，只是年齡稍大了點。老馬拉著

車艱難地走著，孫陽覺得太委屈了這匹千里馬，它本是可以奔跑于疆

場，可以發揮更大作用的寶馬良駒，現在卻默默無聞地拖著鹽車，慢

慢地消耗著它的銳氣和體力，實在可惜！孫陽想到這里，難過得落下

淚來。

為了讓更多的人學會相馬，使千里馬不再被埋沒，也為了自己

一身絕技不至于失傳，孫陽把自己多年積累的相馬經驗和知識寫成了

一本書，配上各種馬的形態圖，書名叫《相馬經》。

孫陽有個兒子，看了父親寫的《相馬經》，以為相馬很容易，就

拿著這本書到處找好馬。他按照書上所繪的圖形去找，一無所獲。又

按書中所寫的特征去找，最后發現有一只癩蛤蟆很像書中寫的千里馬

的特征，便高興地把癩蛤蟆帶回家，對父親說：爸爸，我找到一匹

千里馬，只是蹄子稍差些。父親一看，哭笑不得，沒想到兒子竟如

此愚笨，便幽默地說：可惜這馬太喜歡跳了，不能用來拉車。接著

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感嘆道：所謂按圖索驥也。

故事出自明朝楊慎的《藝林伐山》。成語按圖索驥，比喻機械

地照老辦法辦事，不知變通；也比喻按照某種線索去尋找事物。

lookingforasteedwiththeaidofitspicture

duringthespringandautumnperiod,therewasamanin

gwasvery

er

thehormightbe,hecouldtellwhetheritwasgoodorbad

calledhimbole(bolewasthenameof

oneofthecelestialbodiesandwasfabledtobeinchargeof

heavenlysteeds),andhewasoftenaskedtoappraiand

lecthors.

oneday,whensunyangwaspassingaplace,anold

horpullingacartloadedwithsaltsuddenlyneighedtohim

near,andsawthatitwasahor

thatreallycouldcoverathousandliaday,andthattheonly

hor

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yangfeltacutelythatthehorwasreallyunjustlytreated,for

wasagreatpitythatitwaspullingthecartloadedwithsalt

withoutattractingpublicattention,whichhadtakentheedge

thoughtofthis,

hewassogrievedthatheshedtears.

inordertohelpmorepeoplelearnhowtoapprai

horssothatfinehorswhichcouldcoverathousandlia

daywouldnolongerfallintooblivion,andalsoinorderto

ensurethathisuniqueskillinjudginghorswouldnotbelost,

sunyangworteabookentitledtheartoflookingathors

andjudgingtheirworth,badonhixperiencesand

kwasalso

illustratedwiththepicturesofvarioushors.

sunyanghadasonwho,afterreadinghisfather'stheart

oflookingathorsandjudgingtheirworth,thoughtitwas

okthebookwithhimto

thearchedaccording

tothepicturesinthebook,

hearchedaccordingtothecharacteristicsofatoadfitvery

ppily

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tookthetoadbackhome,andsaidtohisfather,father,ihave

foundahorthatcancoverathousandliaday,onlyitshoofs

gatthetoad,sunyangdidnot

gthathisson

wasstupid,'sapitythatthis

sighed,that

isjustwhatwecalllookingforasteedwiththeaidofits

picture.

later,peoplehaveudthetphralookforasteed

withtheaidofitspicturetorefertohandlingaffairs

mechanicallyintheoutmodedwayswithoutbeingflexible.

somethimesitisalsoudtorefertotryingtolocate

tphraoriginatesin

lumberingintheforestofartwrittenbyyangshenintheming

dynasty（1368-1644）.

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