An eternal famous saying: Worry first when the world is worried, then rejoice when the world is happy.

Meaning: The affairs of the world are like the changes in the mulberry field, like the ups and downs of the earth. People in the world have different attitudes towards the wealth and poverty of a country, the prosperity and backwardness of a nation. It is generally human nature to worry about "poverty" and "backwardness", and to be happy about "richness" and "prosperity". However, Fan Zhongyan in the Song Dynasty said "worry about the world first, and rejoice after the world enjoys it" is very interesting. Foresight, this saying is valuable in "worry first and then rejoice".

Probably "worry" and "joy" are intertwined. Since ancient times, there have been many people who worried about the world beforehand and rejoiced later: Qu Zi in the Warring States Period worked for the revitalization of the country, "even though he died nine times, he still had no regrets", and finally died of worry in the Miluo River; Yue Fei in the Song Dynasty, "a three-foot dragon spring traveled around the world" , Looking up to the sky and roaring, with strong ambitions, galloping on the battlefield, repeatedly performing extraordinary feats.

Lin Zexu, a modern national hero, was not worried about the fall of the black gauze hat, but was worried about the national crisis caused by the importation of opium and the outflow of silver. He guarded Humen and vowed to die to ban smoking. Their spirit of "worrying before the world's worries, and rejoicing after the world's happiness" has been praised throughout the ages. It can be called the backbone of the Chinese nation. In his youth, Mao Zedong was worried about the world before he could do it, and he cried out, "Ask who is in charge of the ups and downs of the vast earth?" He was penniless and worried about the world.

Zhou Enlai traveled to Japan eastward to seek a way to save the country... In old China, countless people with lofty ideals were worried about the national crisis. However, just "worry" could not save the country. Only "worry" and a sudden rise can save the country. There is hope. Please look at Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and other revolutionaries of the older generation who ignited sparks throughout China and brought light and hope to the people.

Those countless awakened people followed them and fought in the north and south. When they died, they "buried their loyal bones everywhere in the mountains"; when they lived, they "dare to teach the sun and the moon to change the sky"! After liberation, these "worryers first" did not want to be happy because they were worried first. They do not seek high-ranking officials or generous salaries, but they are always sympathetic to national and people's difficulties. This kind of character embodies the spirit of revolutionaries who worry first and rejoice later.

Original content:

In the spring of the fourth year of Qingli, Teng Zijing was relegated to Baling County. In the next year, the government will be harmonious and people will be harmonious, and everything will be restored. 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 Shengzheng at a lake in Dongting. It carries distant mountains and swallows up the Yangtze River, which is a vast and boundless river. The sunrise and dusk are overcast, and the scenery is endless. This is the grand view of Yueyang Tower, which has been described by predecessors. However, it is connected to Wu Gorge in the north and Xiaoxiang in the South Pole. Most of the immigrants and poets gather 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 shining faintly, and the mountains are hidden; the business trip cannot be carried out, and the rafts are toppled and destroyed; the dusk is dim, and the tigers roar and the apes crow. When 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 a vast expanse of blue; sand gulls gather in the sky, and the golden scales swim; the shore is covered with orchids, lush and green. Or when the long smoke disappears, the bright moon shines thousands of miles away, the floating light leaps into the gold, the silent shadow sinks into the jade, and the fishermen answer each other's songs, how wonderful is this joy! 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! Why should I try to seek the benevolent heart of the ancients or do something different from the two? Don't be happy with things, don't be sad with yourself; if you live high in a temple, you worry about its people; if you live far away in the rivers and lakes, you worry about your king. It means that you are worried when you advance, and you are also worried when you retreat. But when will you be happy? It must be said: "Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness." Alas! People from Weisi, who can I return to?

Vernacular 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 poems and poems by famous Tang Dynasty figures 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. The previous accounts are (already) very detailed. Even so, it leads to Wu Gorge in the north and Xiaoshui and Xiangshui in the south. Most of the demoted officials and visiting poets gather here.

Like that continuous rain that 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; in the evening, the sky is dim, and the tiger is roaring , when you climb this building, you will have the feeling of leaving the capital, missing your hometown, worrying about others saying bad things, fearing criticism and accusations, seeing depressing scenes everywhere, and feeling 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, the bright moonlight pours out thousands of miles, the fluctuating light shines golden, the quiet moon image sinks into the water, and the fisherman's song is heard singing between you and me, this is The fun is endless! (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 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?

Extended information:

Writing background

This article was written in the sixth year of Qingli (1046). Fan Zhongyan lived in the era of internal and external troubles in the Northern Song Dynasty. Internal class conflicts became increasingly prominent, and externally the Khitan and Xixia were eyeing him. In order to consolidate power and improve this situation, the political group headed by Fan Zhongyan began to carry out reforms, which later generations called the "Qingli New Deal."

However, the reform offended the interests of the conservatives of the feudal big landlord class and was strongly opposed by them. The emperor's determination to reform was not firm. Under the pressure of the conservative bureaucracy headed by the Queen Mother, the reform ended in failure. After the failure of the "Qingli New Deal", Fan Zhongyan offended Prime Minister Lu Yijian, and Fan Zhongyan was demoted to Dengzhou, Henan. This article was written in Dengzhou, not Yueyang Tower.

Reference source: Baidu Encyclopedia - Yueyang Tower: