Be worried about the worries of the world first, and be happy after the happiness of the world. It means to be worried before the people of the world are worried, and to be happy after the people of the world are happy. It comes from "The Story of Yueyang Tower" written by Fan Zhongyan, a poet from the Song Dynasty.
"Yueyang Tower"
[Song Dynasty] Fan Zhongyan
In the spring of the fourth year of Qingli, Teng Zijing was relegated to guard Baling County. In the next year, the government will be harmonious and people will be harmonious, and everything will be prosperous. Then the Yueyang Tower was rebuilt, its old structure was added, and poems by Tang Xian and modern people were engraved on it. It belongs to me to write down to record it.
I watched my husband Baling win the battle in a lake in Dongting. Holding the distant mountains, swallowing up the Yangtze River, the vast water stretches across the boundless horizon; the sunrise and sunset are full of myriads of phenomena. This is the grand view of Yueyang Tower, which has been prepared by predecessors. However, it is connected to Wu Gorge in the north and Xiaoxiang in the South Pole. Most of the immigrants and poets will come here, and the feeling of looking at the things is the same?
If the rain is falling, the moon is not open, the wind is howling, and the turbid waves are emptying; the sun and stars are hidden, and the mountains are invisible; business travel is not allowed, the rafts are toppled and destroyed; in the dusk, the tigers roar and the apes cry. Climbing the tower, there are those who are nostalgic for their country, worried about slander and fear of ridicule, their eyes are full of desolation, and they feel extremely sad.
As if spring and the scenery are bright, the waves are calm, the sky above and below is bright, and the vast expanse of blue; sand gulls gather in the sky, and the golden scales swim; the shore is full of orchids, lush and green. Or when the long smoke disappears, the bright moon is thousands of miles away, the floating light leaps into gold, the still shadows sink into the jade, and the fishermen answer each other's songs, how wonderful is this! When you climb the tower, you will feel relaxed and happy, forgetting your favors and disgrace together, and you will be filled with joy while drinking wine in the wind.
Sigh! I try to seek the heart of ancient benevolent people, or do the two things differently, why? Don't be happy with things, don't be sad with yourself; if you live high in a temple, you will worry about its people; if you live far away from the rivers and lakes, you will worry about your king. There is also worry when advancing, and there is also worry when retreating. But when will you be happy? It must be said, "Be worried about the worries of the world first, and be happy after the joys of the world." Alas! People from Weisi, who can I return to?
It was September 15th, six years ago.
Translation
In the spring of the fourth year of Qingli, Teng Zijing was demoted to Baling County as the prefect. In the second year, political affairs went smoothly, the people were happy, and all kinds of neglected projects were started. So the Yueyang Tower was rebuilt, expanded to its original size, and the poems of famous Tang Dynasty and contemporary people were engraved on it. I was asked to write an article to describe this incident.
I saw the beautiful scenery of Baling County, all on Dongting Lake. It connects the mountains in the distance and handles the water of the Yangtze River. It is vast and boundless. It can be cloudy or sunny throughout the day, and the weather is ever-changing. This is the majestic scene of Yueyang Tower. The previous accounts are (already) very detailed. Even so, if it leads to the Wu Gorge in the north and the Xiaoshui and Xiangshui rivers in the south, most of the demoted officials and visiting poets gather here, and the emotions triggered by (them) viewing the natural scenery will probably be different. ?
Like the continuous rain, which does not clear up for several months, the cold wind roars, and the turbid waves rush into the sky; the sun and stars hide their brilliance, and the mountains disappear into shape; businessmen and travelers (first translation: 行商) (and merchants) cannot pass, the masts of the ships are down, and the oars are broken; in the evening, the sky is dark, the tigers are roaring, and the apes are crying. (At this time) climbing up this building will make you feel like leaving the capital and missing your hometown. I am worried that others will say bad things, I am afraid of being criticized and accused, and I am filled with depressing scenes, which makes me feel extremely sad.
When the spring breeze is warm and the sun is shining, the lake surface is calm and there are no stormy waves. The sky and lake light are connected, and it is green and vast. The gulls on the sandbank sometimes fly and sometimes stop, and beautiful fish swim by. Swimming away, the herbs on the shore and the orchids on the islet are lush and green. Sometimes the large smoke dissipates completely, and the bright moonlight pours down thousands of miles, the fluctuating light shines golden, the quiet moon image sinks into the water, and the fishermen's songs ring out between you and me and the earth. This kind of fun is (really) endless. ah! (At this time) When you climb this building, you will feel open-minded and happy. You will forget the glory and humiliation. Holding the wine glass and blowing the breeze, you will be so happy.
Alas! I once explored the thoughts and feelings of people with noble moral character in ancient times. They may be different from the moods of the two people (above). Why is this? (Because) one does not feel happy or sad based on the quality of external objects and one's own gains and losses. When he was an official in the court, he was worried about the people; when he was not an official in the world, he was worried about the king. In this way, I am worried about being an official in the imperial court, and I am also worried about being in a remote world. In this case, when will they feel happy? They will definitely say: "Worry before the world is worried, and be happy after the world is happy." well! Without such people, who should I go with?
Written on September 15, the sixth year of Qingli.
Fan Zhongyan (October 1, 989 - June 19, 1052), courtesy name Xiwen, posthumous title Wenzheng, also known as Fan Lushuang, was a famous writer, politician, military strategist, and educator in the Northern Song Dynasty. His ancestral home is Pizhou (now Bin County, Shaanxi Province), and later moved to Wuxian County, Suzhou (now Wuxian County, Jiangsu Province). He was honest in government, considerate of people's sentiments, upright, and advocated reform. He was repeatedly slandered by traitors and was demoted several times. His literary literacy is very high. The famous line in "Yueyang Tower" is "worry first when the world is worried, and then be happy when the world is happy". Huang You died of illness in Xuzhou on May 20, the fourth year of his reign (June 19, 1052), at the age of 63. He was buried in Wan'an Mountain southeast of Luoyang, Henan Province in December of that year. He was granted the title of Duke of Chu and Duke of Wei. There are "Fan Wenzhenggong Collection" handed down to the world.