文质彬彬·每日好词语｜悬壶济世

　　悬壶济世

　　行医救助世人。“悬壶”即把装药的葫芦挂起来，作为行医卖药的招牌，泛指从事医疗职业；“济世”是对困苦之人提供救助。这一观念，使行医卖药超越了一般职业与谋生手段而被赋予了人文关怀的意义。它既是世人对于医者救死扶伤、治病救人行为的一种赞颂，也是医者用以自励的道德准则和价值判断。

　　Hanging a Gourd (Practicing Medicine) to Help the World

　　This term means to help people by practicing medicine. "Hanging a gourd" refers to the tradition of using gourd containing medications as a sign for those practicing and selling medicines; it is used more broadly to refer to those in the medical profession. "Helping the world" means providing aid and relief to those in distress. This concept elevates the practice of medicine above ordinary occupations and livelihoods, and imbues it with humanistic caring. It praises the deeds of physicians who care for the sick and dying, and is also a moral standard and value by which they should measure themselves.

　　引 例

　　市中有老翁卖药，悬一壶于肆头。（《后汉书·方术传下·费长房》）（集市里有一个卖药的老头儿，把一只药葫芦挂在集市的街头。）

　　There was an old man who sold medicine in the market. He hung a medicine gourd at his market stand. (The History of the Later Han Dynasty)