1. If you persevere, the rotten wood will not be broken; if you persevere, the metal and stone can be carved. ——Xunzi's "Encouraging Learning" during the Warring States Period

Vernacular translation: If you stop after a few carvings, then the rotten wood will continue to be carved. If you keep on carving, you can also carve gold and stone successfully.

2. Therefore, when Heaven is about to entrust a person with a great responsibility, he must first strain his mind and will, strain his muscles and bones, starve his body and skin, deplete his body, and mess up his actions. Therefore, if he is tempted to endure, he has Benefit from what it cannot do. ——Mencius of the Warring States Period, "Born in Sorrow, Die in Comfort"

Vernacular translation: Therefore, if God wants to place a heavy responsibility on this person, he must first make his mind distressed, make his muscles and bones tired, and make him endure. Hungry makes him suffer from poverty, confuses the things he does, shocks his heart, toughens his temperament, and adds talents that he does not have before.

3. It’s not so cold that it’s bone-chilling, but why are plum blossoms so fragrant? ——Pei Xiu of the Tang Dynasty, "Wanling Record: Ode to the Speech in the Hall"

Vernacular translation: If I hadn't experienced such a coldness that penetrated my heart, how could I have such a fragrant fragrance of plum blossoms?

4. When you are old and strong, you would rather have a gray-headed heart? Be poor and strong, and never fall into the clouds. ——Wang Bo of the Tang Dynasty, "Preface to Prince Teng's Pavilion"

Vernacular translation: As you get older, you should be more ambitious. How can you change your ambition when you are gray-haired? When you are in a difficult situation, you should become stronger and not give up your ambition to reach the top.

5. Stay firm on the green hills and keep your roots firmly planted in the broken rocks. It has endured thousands of blows but is still strong, regardless of the winds from east to west, north and south. ——Zheng Xie's "Bamboo and Stone" of the Qing Dynasty

Vernacular translation: Clinging to the green mountains tightly without letting go, originally rooted deeply in the cracks of the rocks. My body and bones are still strong despite countless blows, no matter how strong the wind blows from east to west, north and south.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Encouragement to Study

Baidu Encyclopedia - Born in sorrow, died in happiness

Baidu Encyclopedia - It's not a bone-chilling cold, how can you get plum blossoms? Incense

Baidu Encyclopedia - Preface to Prince Teng's Pavilion

Baidu Encyclopedia - Bamboo and Stone (Seven-Character Quatrains by Zheng Xie)