During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, Jiang Shui was recommended to be an official in the imperial court. The emperor summoned him, and he was too nervous to answer, so he recommended his student Dai Zhen. Dai Zhen talked with Kan Kan, analyzed the problem to the point, and made it clear. The emperor was very excited. Ask Dai Zhen: Who is more talented than the teacher? Dai Zhen replied: My level is low.
The emperor asked again, why can't the high-level people answer? Dai Zhen said: The teacher is old and hard of hearing, but his knowledge is ten thousand times more than mine. The emperor appreciated his humility and made him an academician.
2. Einstein
When Einstein was alive, he was already a famous physicist and was deeply admired by people. Among the statues of the world's greatest scholars set up by the new york Riverside Church, Einstein is the only one alive. But he was not carried away by honor, and always maintained the quality of humility.
He feels that he can't understand that others regard him as an idol. He is tired of the publicity and praise in newspapers and periodicals, especially those journalists, painters and sculptors who come to take pictures, portraits and statues, which makes him unbearable. He said he just became a model of these industries.
Einstein never considered himself a superman. He realized that the road he took was an extension of the road taken by his predecessors, and the new era of science was opened on the basis of his predecessors, so he always appreciated the contributions of his predecessors with admiration and gratitude. He knows that there are many people working together on the road of science, each with his own work and contribution, so he respects the work of his peers very much.
Even to his subordinates and students, Einstein didn't show any arrogance. Anyone who came into contact with him was moved by his affability and peace. He also summed up such a success formula: A = X+Y+Z, where a stands for success, x stands for hard work, y stands for correct method, and z stands for less empty talk. He thinks he is not a genius, but a loyal and diligent truth seeker.
3. Li Zicheng
Li Zicheng, the leader of the peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty, was able to share weal and woe with the officers and men at the beginning of the uprising, and he was a corporal with noble character, so he won many battles. However, with the growth of the uprising team and the outstanding achievements, his pride increased day by day, he coveted enjoyment, did not listen to advice, and actually killed Yan Li, a loyal minister who advised him, so that his morale was scattered, his brilliant achievements were destroyed, and finally he brought himself to ruin.
4. Mo Bosang
Zola once described his student, the French great writer Mo Bosang, as follows: He often listens to our conversation all afternoon, with bright eyes and a smile, and only dares to interrupt for a long time.
No one expected that this cheerful and energetic young man would later produce boule de suif, a perfect work full of tenderness, ridicule and courage. He listened to our conversation quietly, and then his works poured out, showing perfect skills. It can be said that the popularity of boule de suif in the literary world is the result of modesty and eagerness to learn.
5. Newton
He discovered the law of universal gravitation and established Newton's law of motion, which became the basis of classical mechanics. He decomposed light and founded optics; In thermodynamics, he defined the law of cooling; In astronomy, he created the reflecting telescope, investigated the laws of planetary motion, scientifically explained the tidal phenomenon, and predicted that the earth was not a right sphere; In mathematics, he is the founder of calculus …
Engels was surprised at his great achievements in England. However, he is very modest. On his deathbed, relatives and friends who came to visit him said at the bedside: You are a great man of our time ... He heard the word "great man" and shook his head and said: Don't say that, I don't know what the world thinks of me. I just feel like a child playing on the beach and accidentally picked up some shiny shells.
But the sea of truth in Wang Yang has not been familiar and discovered before my eyes. After a pause, he added: If I see farther than Descartes, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants. With these words, he closed his eyes calmly.