Among the traditional couplets, there is one that is widely circulated, that is, "As time goes by, people live longer, and spring fills the universe with blessings." So, who wrote this couplet?

Speaking of it, this person is really no ordinary person, but a champion of the Ming Dynasty, named Lin Daqin, a native of Chaozhou, Guangdong.

A very interesting thing happened when Lin Daqin took the first prize in the examination.

It was the eleventh year of the Jiajing reign of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty (1532). When the palace examination was about to begin, the examiner saw that all the candidates had arrived, so he held an impromptu meeting: "In order to reflect the new atmosphere of our dynasty, , under the personal guidance of the current Holy Master, the examination rules are now stipulated as follows:..."

After saying these new rules, the candidates were dumbfounded, because the new rules have many restrictions. Very different from what I prepared before. It's not easy to change your writing style on the spot, but there's nothing you can do about it. The leader's rules are rules, and there's nothing you can do about it no matter how ridiculous you are. As a candidate, you can only obey, unless your dad spends money on you.

However, one candidate did not have such troubles. Because he was late, he did not hear about the new regulations at all. Other candidates wished that no one knew about it, so no one told him. This candidate is Lin Daqin. So, while other candidates were struggling to improve their writing style, Lin Daqin had no scruples and started writing as soon as he picked up his pen, making rapid progress.

Facts have proved that the difference between those who have scruples and those who have no scruples is quite big. Not only the candidates are tired from writing, but also the examiners are tired from reading: What kind of article is this? It is jerky and difficult to understand. Even the composition of primary school students Can't even keep up! One can imagine how happy the examiners were when they suddenly saw Lin Daqin's un scrupulous article!

However, the examiners also had difficulties. Although this paper was enjoyable to read, it was not written according to the new regulations, which was a violation. However, if it was judged to be failed, it would be a pity for such a good article. ,what to do? The examiners summed it up and said, forget it, let’s not worry about it anymore, let’s let the emperor worry about it. Therefore, the examiners placed the illegal paper in third place and gave it to the emperor along with other papers.

The emperor brought over the paper. Although the first place was written well, it was a bit jerky to read. The second place also had the same problem. It looked very tired. What's going on? Are all the candidates in this subject so bad? The emperor suppressed his anger and continued to read the third place. After reading a few lines, the emperor slapped his thigh, "Okay!" This is great! What a pleasure! It feels better than taking laxatives! So, on the spot, I put this paper at the top of the list, and it was the most popular one in the world.

The world is so unpredictable. A situation that was bound to lose has turned out to be the greatest advantage. I don’t know how other candidates should cry or curse when they know this ending.

Highlights about Lin Zhuangyuan

Lin Zhuangyuan did not do much in the officialdom. He served as a minor official for three years before resigning and going home. Lin Zhuangyuan was 20 years old when he was the top pick in high school. In other words, Lin Zhuangyuan was just 23 years old, which is equivalent to just graduating from college. He resigned from his position as a senior civil servant and went home to farm. What a unique personality!

However, Lin Zhuangyuan resigned not because of his personality, but because of his filial piety. Lin Zhuangyuan was a well-known filial son. After he passed the imperial examination, he took his mother from the countryside to the capital, hoping that she would enjoy a happy life. It is a pity that the old lady does not have this blessing. She is not accustomed to the climate in the capital and gets sick every day.

Lin Zhuangyuan looked at it and thought, this is not okay. I brought my mother here to make her happy, not to get sick. But what if I send her back and there is no one to take care of her? Come on, it’s not fun for me to be a civil servant anyway, so let’s just go home and take care of my mother! So, Lin Zhuangyuan, who was just 23 years old, gave up his glory and wealth and accompanied his mother to return to the place where his dream began.

Such a filial son is really rare!

Five years after returning to his hometown, Lin Zhuangyuan’s mother passed away. Lin Zhuangyuan was heartbroken. He cried so much that he vomited blood several times and couldn’t even take care of the crops. Relatives and friends came to try to persuade him, but to no avail. From then on, he felt like he was suffering from a serious illness and was in a trance every day. Five years later, he also followed his mother, who was only 33 years old.

Lin Zhuangyuan has a famous saying: "You don't need to be an official in life, you can only be filial to your relatives, your elder brother, your relatives and your loved ones." It is worth pondering for everyone.

In history, Lin Daqin is also very famous for his talent, which is antithetical couplets. In the history of Chinese couplets, they have a very important position. The couplet was written by him.