Look up gluttony in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Gluttony, derived from the Latin gluttire meaning to gulp down or swallow, means over-indulgence and over-consumption of food, drink, or wealth items to the point of extravagance or waste. In some Christian denominations, although not stated in the Bible, it is considered one of the seven deadly sins—a misplaced desire of food or its withholding from the needy.^[1]

Portion depicting Gluttony in Hieronymus Bosch's The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things

Gluttony in Judaism[link]

According to the list of 613 commandments that Jews must keep according to the Rambam, gluttony or excessive eating or drinking is prohibited. It is listed as #169. Not to eat or drink like a glutton or a drunkard (not to rebel against father or mother) (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 21:20) (CCN106).^[2]

Gluttony in Christianity[link]

Church leaders from the deeply-ascetic Middle Ages (e.g., St. Gregory the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas) took a more expansive view of gluttony, arguing that it also consists of an anticipation of meals, the eating of delicacies, and costly foods, seeking after sauces and seasonings, and eating too eagerly.^[3]

St. Gregory the Great, a doctor of the Church, described five ways by which one can commit sin of gluttony, and corresponding biblical examples for each of them:^[4]

1. Eating before the time of meals in order to satisfy the palate.

Biblical example: Jonathan eating a little honey, when his father Saul commanded no food to be taken before the evening.^[1Sa 14:29]

2. Seeking delicacies and better quality of food to gratify the "vile sense of taste."

Biblical example: When Israelites escaping from Egypt complained, "Who shall give us flesh to eat ? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely ; the cucumbers and the melons, and the leeks and the onions and the garlic," God rained fowls for them to eat but punished them 500 years later.^[Num 11:4]

3. Seeking after sauces and seasonings for the enjoyment of the palate.

Biblical example: Two sons of Eli the high priest made the sacrificial meat to be cooked in one manner rather than another. They were met with death.^[1Sa 4:11]

4. Exceeding the necessary amount of food.

Biblical example: One of the sins of Sodom was "fullness of bread."^[Eze 16:49]

5. Taking food with too much eagerness, even when eating the proper amount, and even if the food is not luxurious.

Biblical example: Esau selling his birthright for ordinary food of bread and pottage of lentils. His punishment was that the "profane person . . . who, for a morsel of meat sold his birthright," we learn that "he found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully, with tears." ^[Gen 25:30]

The fifth way is worse than all others, said St. Gregory, because it shows attachment to pleasure most clearly. To recapitulate, St Gregory the Great said that one may succumb to the sin of gluttony by: 1. Time (when); 2. Quality; 3. Stimulants; 4. Quantity; 5. Eagerness

In his Summa Theologica (Part 2-2, Question 148, Article 4), St. Thomas Aquinas reiterated the list of five ways to commit gluttony:

• Laute - eating food that is too luxurious, exotic, or costly
• Nimis - eating food that is excessive in quantity
• Studiose - eating food that is too daintily or elaborately prepared
• Praepropere - eating too soon, or at an inappropriate time
• Ardenter - eating too eagerly.

Aquinas notes that the first three ways are related to the nature of the food itself, while the last two have to do with the time or manner in which it is consumed

St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote the following when explaining gluttony:

"Pope Innocent XI Odescalchi has condemned the proposition which asserts that it is not a sin to eat or to drink from the sole motive of satisfying the palate. However, it is not a fault to feel pleasure in eating: for it is, generally speaking, impossible to eat without experiencing the delight which food naturally produces. But it is a defect to eat, like beasts, through the sole motive of sensual gratification, and without any reasonable object. Hence, the most delicious meats may be eaten without sin, if the motive be good and worthy of a rational creature; and, in taking the coarsest food through attachment to pleasure, there may be a fault."^[5]

in the Bible (King James Version)==

• Proverbs 23:20-21 "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."
• Proverbs 23:2 "And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite."
• Luke 7:33-35 "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children."

[edit] Other sins and virtues

A woodcut representing Gluttony

• Seven Deadly Sins
  • Lust
  • Gluttony
  • Greed
  • Sloth
  • Wrath
  • Envy
  • Pride
• Seven Heavenly Virtues (opposite of the deadly sins)
  • Chastity
  • Temperance
  • Charity
  • Diligence
  • Patience
  • Kindness
  • Humility

See also[link]

• Hunger (1974 film)
• Obesity
• Mr. Creosote

References[link]

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Fang La (died 1121) was a rebel leader who lived during the Song Dynasty. He is also featured as one of the antagonists and nemesis of the 108 Liangshan heroes in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Biography[link]

Fang La was a native of Shezhou (present-day She County, Anhui). However, some claimed that he was from Qingxi, Muzhou (present-day Chun'an County, Hangzhou). In 1120, Fang La led an uprising against the Song Dynasty in Qixian Village, Shezhou. Others claimed that he started the rebellion in Wannian Village, Chun'an County. Fang La's forces conquered Hangzhou and subsequently took control over parts of present-day Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi, with a total of 52 counties and six administrative divisions.

In 1121, the imperial court sent general Wang Yuan to lead an army to crush the rebellion. Wang Yuan's subordinate, Han Shizhong, disguised himself and infiltrated Qingxi and captured Fang La. Later, Xin Xingzong, defending general of Zhongzhou, led his army to block the exit route of Qingxi and took control of Qingxi. Fang La and 52 of his subordinates were captured and escorted to the capital city of Kaifeng by Tong Guan. Four months later, Fang La was executed in Kaifeng on a charge of treason.

By 1132-1133 or later the rebellion was linked to Manichaeism. Though not having original connection, in the public and historical conscience it became confused with the Taizhou unrest of April–June 1121, where Manichaeism was widespread.^[1]

In fiction[link]

The classical novel Water Margin presents a semi-fictional account of Fang La and his battle with the Liangshan outlaws. The outlaws are granted amnesty by Emperor Huizong of Song after defeating the imperial army five times. The emperor sends the Liangshan heroes on military campaigns to suppress rebel forces within the empire and defeat the Liao Dynasty in the north. Fang La is one of the rebel leaders based in the Jiangnan region.

Whilst the Liangshan forces suffered hardly any casualties in the campaigns against the Liao Dynasty, Tian Hu and Wang Qing, the campaign against Fang La proved to be calamitous. 59 of the original 108 heroes were killed in action, mostly by Fang's warriors, whose combat skills and abilities rival the best of Liangshan. Unlike the other rebels who do not have good leadership and experience, Fang La has rebelled for a long time and rivals the power of the Liangshan heroes.

Fang La is eventually captured by the Liangshan heroes after an elaborate infiltration scheme involving Chai Jin and Yan Qing. During his escape attempt, he is defeated by Lu Zhishen and escorted back to the capital by imperial troops under the command of Tong Guan. Four months later, Fang La is found guilty of treason and executed by slow slicing in Kaifeng.

Fang La forces[link]

Nobles[link]

• Fang Tianding (方天定) - Fang La's oldest son and crown prince

• Fang Jinzhi (方金芝) - Fang La's daughter and princess. She marries Ke Yin. She commits suicide by hanging herself after the fall of Fang La's palace in the final battle.

• Fang Jie (方傑) - Fang La's nephew

• Ke Yin (柯引) - Fang La's son-in-law. He is actually Chai Jin in undercover.

Premiers, civilian officials, magicians[link]

• Lou Minzhong (婁敏中) - the left premier of Fang La's kingdom. Originally a schoolteacher, Lou Minzhong supported Fang La during his early stages of rebellion and rose through the ranks. He refers Ke Yin (Chai Jin's undercover identity) to Fang La after being pleased with Ke's appearance, wisdom and personality. He kills Liangshan's Ruan Xiaowu after discovering Ruan's undercover identity as a mole attempting to sabotage Fang La's navy. He commits suicide after Fang La's fortress was taken by the Song army in the final battle.

• Zu Shiyuan (祖世遠) - the right premier of Fang La's kingdom. He suggests with Shi Bao and Deng Yuanjue to Fang La to send reinforcements to Muzhou when it is besieged by Liangshan forces, as it is a key barrier to Fang's palace. However Fang La cannot relocate any soldiers and refuses to send his royal palace army to help defend Muzhou. This resulted in the fall of Muzhou and Zu Shiyuan is captured by the Liangshan heroes.

• Bao Daoyi (包道乙) - a Taoist magician serving under Fang La

• Zheng Biao (鄭彪) - Bao Daoyi's student

• Deng Yuanjue (鄧元覺) - Fang La's royal advisor

• Wang Yin (王寅) - Fang La's secretary of military affairs

Generals[link]

• Shi Bao (石寶) and deputies:
  • Wen Kerang (溫克讓)
  • Zhao Yi (趙毅)
  • Leng Gong (冷恭)
  • Wang Ren (王仁)
  • Zhang Daoyuan (張道原)
  • Wu Zhi (吳值)
  • Lian Ming (廉明)
  • Feng Yi (鳳儀)

• Pang Wanchun (龐萬春) and deputies:
  • Lei Jiong (雷炯)
  • Ji Ji (計稷)

• Li Tianrun (厲天閏) and deputies:
  • Zhang Tao (張韜) - slays Liangshan's Dong Ping in an ambush when Dong was distracted by Li Tianrun.
  • Li Tianyou (厲天佑)
  • Zhang Jian (張儉)
  • Yao Yi (姚義)

• Si Xingfang (司行方) and deputies:
  • Xue Dounan (薛斗南)
  • Huang Ai (黃愛)
  • Xu Bai (徐白)
  • Mi Quan (米泉)

• Lü Shinang (吕师囊) and deputies ("12 Deities of Jiangnan"):
  • Shen Gang (沈剛) - from Fuzhou, nicknamed "Heaven Supporting Deity" (擎天神)
  • Pan Wende (潘文得) - from Shezhou, nicknamed "Youyi Deity" (游奕神)
  • Ying Ming (應明) - from Muzhou, nicknamed "Armoured Deity" (遁甲神)
  • Xu Tong (徐統) - from Mingzhou (present-day Ningbo), nicknamed "Liuding Deity" (六丁神)
  • Zhang Jinren (張近仁) - from Yuezhou, nicknamed "Thunderbolt Deity" (霹靂神). He slays Liangshan's Peng Qi by sneaking up behind him when Peng rides to fight Gao Keli to attempt to avenge for his fallen comrade Han Tao.
  • Shen Ze (沈澤) - from Hangzhou, nicknamed "Giant Deity" (巨靈神)
  • Zhao Yi (趙毅) from Huzhou, nicknamed "Great White Deity" (太白神)
  • Gao Keli (高可立) - from Xuanzhou, nicknamed "Taisui Deity" (太歲神). He kills Liangshan's Han Tao with an arrow when Han was dueling with Zhang Jinren.
  • Fan Chou (範疇) - from Changzhou, nicknamed "Diaoke Deity" (吊客神)
  • Zhuo Wanli (卓萬裡) - from Runzhou, nicknamed "Yellow Flagpole Deity" (黃幡神)
  • He Tong (和潼) - from Jiangzhou (present-day Jiangxi), nicknamed "Leopard's Tail Deity" (豹尾神)
  • Shen Bian (沈抃) - from Suzhou, nicknamed "Death Deity" (喪門神)

• Bai Qin (白欽) - one of Fang La's warriors. He fights with Lü Fang at Black Dragon Ridge. Both of them roll down the slope to their deaths after losing their balance at the edge of a cliff.

• Guo Shiguang (郭世廣) - one of Fang La's generals. He fights with Xuan Zan and both of them perish together under Yinma Bridge in Suzhou.

• Chao Zhong (晁中)
• Tang Fengshi (湯逢士)
• Wang Ji (王績)
• Yuan Xing (元興)
• Mao Di (茅迪)
• Cui Yu (崔彧)
• Su Jing (蘇涇)
• Bei Yingkui (貝應夔)

References[link]

External links[link]

• (Chinese) Fang La on Baidu Baike