按图索骥的故事

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按图索骥的故事

按图索骥按图索骥的故事春秋时候，秦国有个叫孙阳的人，擅

长相马，无论什么样的马，他一眼就能分出优劣。他常常被人请去识

马、选马，人们都称他为伯乐（伯乐本是天上的星名，据说负责管

理天马）。

有一次，孙阳路过一个地方，忽见一匹拖着盐车的老马冲他叫

个不停，走近一看，原来是匹千里马，只是年龄稍大了点。老马拉着

车艰难地走着，孙阳觉得太委屈了这匹千里马，它本是可以奔跑于疆

场，可以发挥更大作用的宝马良驹，现在却默默无闻地拖着盐车，慢

慢地消耗着它的锐气和体力，实在可惜！孙阳想到这里，难过得落下

泪来。

为了让更多的人学会相马，使千里马不再被埋没，也为了自己

一身绝技不至于失传，孙阳把自己多年积累的相马经验和知识写成了

一本书，配上各种马的形态图，书名叫《相马经》。

孙阳有个儿子，看了父亲写的《相马经》，以为相马很容易，就

拿着这本书到处找好马。他按照书上所绘的图形去找，一无所获。又

按书中所写的特征去找，最后发现有一只癞蛤蟆很像书中写的千里马

的特征，便高兴地把癞蛤蟆带回家，对父亲说：爸爸，我找到一匹

千里马，只是蹄子稍差些。父亲一看，哭笑不得，没想到儿子竟如

此愚笨，便幽默地说：可惜这马太喜欢跳了，不能用来拉车。接着

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感叹道：所谓按图索骥也。

故事出自明朝杨慎的《艺林伐山》。成语按图索骥，比喻机械

地照老办法办事，不知变通；也比喻按照某种线索去寻找事物。

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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