“周之尹氏大治產，其下趣役者，侵晨昏而弗息。有老役夫，筋力竭矣，而使之彌勤。晝則呻呼而即事，夜則昏憊而熟寐。精神荒散，昔昔夢為國君。居人民之上，總一國之事。游燕宮觀，恣意所欲，其樂無經。覺則復役。人有慰喻其懃者，役夫曰：“人生百年，晝夜各分。吾晝為仆虜，苦則苦矣；夜為人君，其樂無比。可所怨哉？”尹氏心營世事，慮鐘家業，心形俱疲，夜亦昏憊而寐。昔昔夢為人仆，趨走作役，無不為也；數罵杖撻，無不至也。眠中啽囈呻呼，徹旦息焉。尹氏病之，以訪其友。友曰：“若位足榮身，資財有餘，勝人遠矣。夜夢為仆，苦逸之復，數之常也。若欲覺夢兼之，豈可得邪？”尹氏聞其友言，寬其役夫之程，減己思慮之事，疾并少間。”
"Mr. Yin of Chou runs a big business and keeps his servants working all day long unmercifully. There is one old servant in particular whose physical strength has quite left him, yet Mr. Yin makes him work even harder. All day long the old man keeps groaning as he goes about his work, and when night comes he is reeling with fatigue and will sleep like a log. His spirit is then set free to adrift at will, and every night he dreams that he is a king in authority for all people, and controlling the affairs of the whole country. He takes his pleasure in palaces, with indulgence in comfort and joy to his heart's contents. But when he awake, he is the old servant again. To someone who condoles on his hardship the old man replys: 'Human life may last a hundred years, and the whole of it is equally divided into nights and days. In the daytime I am only a slave -- how much I suffer! But by night I am a king, and my happiness is beyond compare. So what do I have to grumble at?'
Now, Mr. Yin's mind is full of worldly cares and racks his brains with towering anxiety for the affairs of his estate. He is overworking himself in both mind and body, and at night he also falls asleep utterly exhausted. Every night, however, he dreams that he is another man's servant, running about on others' menial business; and falls prey only to abuse and ill-treatment. He will whine and groan in his bed, only to find relief until morning came. This state of things at last costs him serious illness, and Mr Yin seeks the advice of a friend about the affliction. 'Your station in life,' his friend said, 'is glorious and your wealth is inexhaustible. You have well passed others in these respects, so it is natural for you to see yourself in dreams as a slave, for where can you find a person so lucky that he finds pleasure in both reality and in dream?' On hearing what his friend said, Mr Yin lightens his servant's toil, and allows his own mental worry to abate. In this way, pains of both parties begins to decrease in proportion." "Lieh Tzu -- Book III Dreams"
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Kwun Kee Claypot Specialist 坤記煲仔小菜
Address: G/F, 263 Queen's Road West, Sai Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: 2804 7209 (booking in advance essential)
Opening hours: Mon - Sun 0700 to 2300 (last order at 2200)
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