晉代的祖逖是個(gè)胸懷坦蕩、具有遠(yuǎn)大抱負(fù)的人。可他小時(shí)候卻是個(gè)不愛(ài)讀書的淘氣孩子。進(jìn)入青年時(shí)代，他意識(shí)到自己知識(shí)的貧乏，深感不讀書無(wú)以報(bào)效國(guó)家，于是就發(fā)奮讀起書來(lái)。他廣泛閱讀書籍，認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)歷史，于是就發(fā)奮讀起書來(lái)。他廣泛閱讀書籍，認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)歷史，從中汲取了豐富的知識(shí)，學(xué)問(wèn)大有長(zhǎng)進(jìn)。他曾幾次進(jìn)出京都洛陽(yáng)，接觸過(guò)他的人都說(shuō)，祖逖是個(gè)能輔佐帝王治理國(guó)家的人才。祖逖24歲的時(shí)候，曾有人推薦他去做官司，他沒(méi)有答應(yīng)，仍然不懈地努力讀書。

　　后來(lái)，祖逖和幼時(shí)的好友劉琨一志擔(dān)任司州主簿。他與劉琨感情深厚，不僅常常同床而臥，同被而眠，而且還有著共同的遠(yuǎn)大理想：建功立業(yè)，復(fù)興晉國(guó)，成為國(guó)家的棟梁之才。

　　一次，半夜里祖逖在睡夢(mèng)中聽(tīng)到公雞的鳴叫聲，他一腳把劉琨踢醒，對(duì)他說(shuō)：“別人都認(rèn)為半夜聽(tīng)見(jiàn)雞叫不吉利，我偏不這樣想，咱們干脆以后聽(tīng)見(jiàn)雞叫就起床練劍如何？”劉琨欣然同意。于是他們每天雞叫后就起床練劍，劍光飛舞，劍聲鏗鏘。春去冬來(lái)，寒來(lái)暑往，從不間斷。功夫不負(fù)有心人，經(jīng)過(guò)長(zhǎng)期的刻苦學(xué)習(xí)和訓(xùn)練，他們終于成為能文能武的全才，既能寫得一手好文章，又能帶兵打勝仗。祖逖被封為鎮(zhèn)西將軍，實(shí)現(xiàn)了他報(bào)效國(guó)家的愿望；劉琨做了都督，兼管并、冀、幽三州的軍事，也充分發(fā)揮了他的文才武略。

　　故事出自《晉書·祖逖傳》。成語(yǔ)“聞雞起舞”，形容發(fā)奮有為，也比喻有志之士，及時(shí)振作。

rising up upon hearing the crow of a rooster to practise sword playing

  zu ti of the jin dynasty（265-420）was a big-hearted and farsighted person who,however,was very naughty and did not like to study when he was a small kid.when he became a young man,he felt acutely that his knowledge was inadequate and that he could not serve his country well if he did not study hard.so he put all his energies into his study.he read extensively,seriously studied history from which he absorbed rich knowledge,and made good progresss in his studies.he had been to the capital city luoyang several times,and all the people who had to the capital city luoyang several times,and all the people who had come into contact with him said that zu ti was a talented person who was capable of assisting the emperor in governing the country.when he was 24,someone recommended hem to be an official,but he refused the post.he was still making a sustained effort in his studies.later,both zu ti and liu kun,his close frined since early childhood,were appointed chief clerks responsible for document administration in the sizhou prefecture.he and liu kun cherished a deep affection for each other.they not only often shared the same bed in sleeping,but also shared the same lofty ideals;to render meritorious service in rejuvenating the jin dynasty and play the part of the pillars of the state.once,zu ti heard a cock crow in the wasteland in his dream at midnight.he kicked liu kun a wake,saying to him:"people say it is inaupicious to hear a cock crow in the wasteland.i don's think so.what about getting up and practicing sword playing the moment we hear the cock crow form now on?"liu kun agreed readily.so every day when the cock crow,they got up and practied sword playing,the cold steel of the swords glinting and flashing.day by day and year in,year out,they never stopped.as the saying goes,constant effort yields sure success.through long periods of hard study and training,they finally becaome versatile persons versed in both civil and military affairs.they could write good essays,and were capable of leading troops in fighting victoriously.zu ti was invested with the title the general for guarding the western regions,thus realizing his wish of rendering meritorious service to the country.liu kun became a governor,and at same time was in charge of the military affairs of the three prefectures of bingzhou,jizhou and youzhou.in discharging his duties,liu kun also fully displayed his talent in both polite letters and martial arts.this stroy appears in "the life of zu ti" in the history of the jin dynasty.from this story people have coined the set phrase" rising up upon hearing the crow of a rooster to practise sword playing' to signify that someone is exerting himself to do something worthwhile.it is also used to signify that a person of noble aspirations exerts himeself in time.