The whole poem is: Gains and losses, prosperity and failure are always in the sky, and all the mechanisms are in vain. The human heart is not enough for a snake to swallow an elephant, and everything in this world is like a mantis catching a cicada. There is no medicine that can prolong the life of your minister, and it is difficult to buy wise descendants with money. If you live in poverty and live by your fate, you will be a free and easy immortal.
From: "The Classic of Mountains and Seas: Hai Nei Nan Jing": "A snake eats an elephant, and its bones are born when it is three years old." Qu Yuan of the Warring States Period, "Heavenly Questions": "If a snake swallows an elephant, how big will it be?" ?" Luo Hongxian's poem: "The human heart is not enough for a snake to swallow an elephant, and everything in the world is like a mantis catching a cicada." ——Zhai Hao of the Qing Dynasty, "Popular Collection·Birds and Fishes"
Explanation: "The human heart is not enough for a snake to swallow an elephant." Human greed is like a snake swallowing an elephant but still not being satisfied.
"When things are difficult, a mantis stalks a cicada" means that when things in the world are complicated and complicated, people's hearts are sinister and unpredictable, intrigues and intrigues are exhausted, and in the end, everyone is harmed and there is no end to their grudges, it is like a mantis stalking a cicada. The oriole is behind and the vulture is in the sky.
Background story and source:
Legend has it that once upon a time there was a python spirit that violated the laws of heaven, and the Jade Emperor ordered Thunder God to bombard it. The python spirit had nowhere to hide and showed its original shape, turning into a small snake and curling up in the dust. It happened that Mei Sheng, a poor scholar in Shouzhou City, discovered the snake during an outing. He rescued the little snake and took it home to feed. As spring passes and summer comes, the little snake gradually grows up. Mei Sheng's life became increasingly difficult. One day, Mei Sheng was wandering on the street and saw everyone watching the imperial list.
It turned out that the Empress Dowager was seriously ill and the imperial doctors failed to treat her. The announcement was made to the world that anyone who could cure the Empress Dowager's illness could be appointed as a capital official. Mei Sheng thought to himself, if I have a panacea to cure the Empress Dowager's illness, I can reach heaven in one step. Unknowingly, he walked out of the north gate and came to the jungle of Beishan on the outskirts. Suddenly there was a strong wind and a giant python appeared in front of his eyes. Mei was shocked. The python uttered human words: "Don't be afraid, Mr. Mei, you saved my life before. Today I will repay you."
Mei Sheng remembered that he once saved a little snake, and said: "It's just a small thing, why should I repay you?" The python said: "The Queen Mother is sick now, and you took it from my belly. Cutting off a piece of the heart and liver can cure the Queen Mother's illness." Mei Sheng hesitated, and the python said, "But it doesn't matter." Mei Sheng immediately took the knife and got into the belly of the big snake, cut off a piece of heart and liver and left.
Meisheng went to Beijing to cure the Queen Mother's illness. The emperor was delighted and made Meisheng prime minister. He went back to his hometown during the three-month holiday to worship his ancestors and show off his power. He then thought, since all the glory and wealth are fleeting, why not cut a piece of heart and liver from the python for his own use in the future and to live forever. The next day, Mei Sheng entered the Beishan jungle and found the giant python.
At this time, the big snake had realized that Mei Sheng was a greedy person. Remembering that he had saved his life, he had no choice but to let him cut him again. Mei Sheng got into the snake's belly, intending to cut out all the heart and liver of the snake. The python was in unbearable pain, its whole body twitched, and it closed its mouth with force. Mei Sheng was finally buried in the snake's belly. This is the origin of "people's hearts are not as good as snakes swallowing them".