Playing in the Crowd

Playing in the Crowd (based on a traditional Chinese story) ong ago in China, there lived a king who was very fond of music. His favourite pastime was listening to his musicians play a Chinese instrument called the Yu. The king often put hundreds of players together to perform grand music. And he treated his musicians very well. A man named Nanguo did not know how to play the instrument. But he really wanted to be treated to the king's grand meals. So he found a way to join the king's band.

滥竽充数 (根据一个中国传统故事改编)很久以前，在中国有一个国王喜欢音乐。他最喜欢的消遣是听他的音乐家演奏一种叫做竽的中国乐器。 国王经常把数百名乐手聚集在一起演奏宏大的音乐。他对待他的音乐家非常好。 有个叫南国的人，根本不会吹竽。但他真的很想吃到国王的大餐。所以他想办法加入了国王的乐队。

Whenever the band played for the king, Nanguo just stood there and pretended to play like the others. No-body knew that he was making no sound at all. After the concerts, he always enjoyed eating and drinking with everyone else Eventually, the king died and his son became the new king. Although the new king also liked music, he wanted something different. He ordered the musicians to play one by one, rather than all together. Upon hearing the news, Nanguo fled the palace immediately.

每当乐队为国王演奏时，南国只是站在那里，假装和其他人一样演奏。没有人知道他根本没有发出任何声音。除了音乐会，他总是喜欢和大家一起吃喝。 最终。国王死了，他的儿子成为了新国王。 虽然新国王也喜欢音乐，但他想不同的东西。他命令乐手们一个一个演奏，而不是一起演奏。 南国一听到这个消息，立刻逃离了皇宫。