Be content with poverty and take pleasure in adhering to your beliefs.

Story:

1

Legend has it that Confucius had 3,000 students, 72 of whom were the most famous, and Yan Hui was Confucius’s most proud disciple.

Every move Yan Hui made seemed to Confucius to be in line with his wishes. Therefore, Confucius often used Yan Hui's examples to educate other students.

Yan Hui's courtesy name is Ziyuan, so he is also called Yan Yuan.

On one occasion, Confucius said to his students: "How virtuous it is to go back! With a basket of food and a ladle of drink, in the back alleys, people cannot bear their worries, but they will not change their happiness when they return. It is virtuous to return home." Ye!" means: Yan Hui, a true sage! He lives in a remote alley and leads an extremely difficult life. The utensils he used for meals were baskets made of bamboo, and the utensils he used for scooping out water were ladles made of wood. If this happened to others, it would be unbearable, but Yan Hui always felt satisfied and happy. Yan Hui is indeed a very virtuous man!

Confucius admired Yan Hui's character very much. But what kind of moral character is this? Kong Anguo said that this is "being content with poverty and being happy with Tao".

Another time, Duke Ai of Lu asked Confucius: "Among your more than 3,000 students, who is the best learner?" Confucius said, "Only Yan Hui is the best learner. He does not express his anger and does not make mistakes. Unfortunately, he died soon." This means that Yan Hui loved studying the most. When he is angry, he can adapt to the situation and never transfer it to other things. If he makes a mistake, he corrects it and never makes it again.

Yan Hui’s hair turned white at the age of 29, and he died at the age of 32. Confucius was very sad about his short life.

The idioms "A poor man is happy in peace", "A scoop in a shabby alley", "A scoop in a scoop to eat", "A scoop in a scoop is often empty", and "Take one's anger at others" all come from this story.

It means: strengthen your belief in life and take the hard life calmly.

2

Sima Hui'an is poor and happy

Pang Shiyuan of Nanjun heard that Sima Decao was in Yingchuan, so he waited for him for two thousand miles. At that time, when De Cao was picking mulberry, Shi Yuan said from the car: "I heard that my husband should wear gold and purple when he is in the world. How can he bend the torrent and hold a silk wife?" De Cao said: "Get off the car." The master knows the speed of evil paths and does not worry about the confusion of losing track. In the past, Bo Cheng was a couple farming, and he did not admire the glory of the princes; in the original Xian Sang Shu, it was not easy to have an official residence. How can it be strange to sit in a luxurious house, walk in a fat horse, and have dozens of maids? This is why Xu and his father are generous, and why Yi and Qi sigh. Although there are nobles who steal the Qin Dynasty, the wealth of a thousand princes is not enough to be noble. Shi Yuan said: "The servant is born with a side hanging down, and few people know the righteousness. If you don't knock the bell and beat the thunder drum, you don't know its sound!"

Translation:

Pang Shiyuan (Pang Tong) of Nanjun heard that Sima Decao (Sima Hui) was in Yingchuan, so he came from two thousand miles away to visit him. When I got there, I met my boss Sima Decao picking mulberry leaves. Pang Shiyuan said to him in the car: "I heard that a real man should wear a gold seal and purple ribbon when he is in the world. How can he be a coward and do what these women do?" "Decao said, "Get out of the car first. You only know the convenience of taking a small road, but you don't consider the danger of getting lost. In the past, Bocheng would rather farm than envy the glory of the princes; I would like to be an official and live in a mansion. How can a person who lives in a gorgeous house, rides on a big horse, and is surrounded by dozens of maids, be able to achieve great things? This is why Xu You and Chao Fu generously declined, and Boyi and Shu Qi lamented that the country was destroyed and starved to death in Shouyang Mountain. Even if Lu Buwei stole a high-ranking official like Xiangguo, Qi Jinggong's wealth of 4,000 horses would not seem precious. " Pang Shiyuan said: "I was born in a marginalized place. , I didn’t hear any profound principles. If I hadn’t personally struck the bells and thunder drums, I wouldn’t have known their roar.

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