“Tasting the Medicine Himself” is a story about the filial piety of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty. This is the second story in the “Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars”. Emperor Wen of the Former Han Dynasty, named Heng, was the fourth son of Emperor Gaozu and was initially named King of Dai. His birth mother was the Empress Dowager Bo, and the emperor took care of her without any slack. His mother was ill for three years, and the emperor did not close his eyes or take off his clothes. He would not take medicine unless he tasted it himself. His benevolence and filial piety were known throughout the world.
《亲尝汤药》是一个讲述的汉代文帝孝行的故事，这是《二十四孝》中的第二则故事。前汉文帝，名恒，高祖第四子，初封代王。生母薄太后，帝奉养无怠。母长病，三年，帝目不交睫，衣不解带，汤药非口亲尝弗进。仁孝闻天下。
《二十四孝·文帝亲尝汤药》 郭居敬
前汉文帝，名恒，高祖第三子，初封代王。生母薄太后，帝奉养无怠。母常病三年，帝目不变睫，衣不解带，汤药非口亲尝弗进。仁孝闻天下。
诗曰：
仁孝临天下，巍巍冠百王。
莫庭事贤母，汤药必亲尝。
Emperor Wen of Western Han Tasted Herb Tea for Mother
Liu Heng, Emperor Wen of the Western Han Dynasty, and the third son of Liu Bang, the first emperor of the same dynasty, was first conferred upon the title of King Dai. He took good care of his natural mother, Empress Dowager Bo. During her three long years of illness, the emperor tended upon her with great care and filial piety: he had little sleep, often went to bed without taking off his clothes. Moreover, every time when the decorated herb tea was to be sent to his mother, he would first taste it to see if was all right or not. Consequently, his filial piety was known to all the people in the kingdom.
