Source: "Bitter Learning"

Song Dynasty Fan Zhongyan

Original text:

Fan Zhongyan was orphaned at the age of two, and his family was poor and helpless. He rarely has great ambitions. He always takes the world as his own responsibility and studies hard. Sometimes he is lazy at night and often feeds his noodles with water. He eats porridge while reading without food. As an official, he always discussed world affairs generously without caring about his own life. He was even slandered and demoted, and was relegated to Dengzhou as a political advisor. Zhong Yan worked hard and worked hard, but his diet was not heavy on meat. His wife only had enough food and clothing. He often recited to himself: "A scholar should worry about the worries of the world first, and rejoice in the happiness of the world later."

Translation:

Fan Zhongyan lost his father when he was two years old, and his family was poor. No one to rely on. He had lofty ambitions when he was young. He often took governing the country as his own responsibility and studied hard. Sometimes when he was tired at night, he would wash his face with cold water; if he couldn't even eat, he would eat porridge and keep studying. After becoming an official, he often talked about world affairs without caring about his own life.

So much so that some people said bad things about him and he was demoted from the official post. He was demoted from being a political advisor to being the prefect of Dengzhou. Fan Zhongyan studied hard and encouraged himself. He did not eat more than two kinds of meat dishes at each meal, and the food and clothing for his wife and children was just enough. He often recited two sentences from his works: "Scholars should worry before the world is worried, and be happy after the world is happy."

Notes:

1. Loneliness : Lost his father when he was young.

2. Fan Zhongyan

3. Noh: always.

4. Take... as: treat... as:

5. Relegate: demean.

6. Slander: Speak ill of others.

7. Wo: water.

8. Suitable: It used to refer to a woman getting married.

9. Aristocratic family: family background.

10. Go: leave, leave.

11. Sleep: sleep.

12. Or: sometimes.

Appreciation:

Ouyang Xiu is one of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties". Although his family was poor, he overcame many difficulties, studied hard, and finally achieved success. Ouyang Xiu's experience tells us that as long as we have lofty ambitions and a spirit of hard work, we will definitely succeed. Ouyang Xiu's spirit of hard study deserves our appreciation and learning. Ouyang Xiu's success, in addition to his own efforts, is also due to his parents' good education and strict requirements.

In the fifth year of Jingyou (1038), during Li Yuanhao's rebellion in Xixia, he and Han Qi served as deputy envoys of Shaanxi economic strategy to pacify and recruit, and adopted the policy of "garrisoning the fields for a long time" to assist Xia. Song put down the rebellion. In the third year of Qingli (1043), Fu Bi, Han Qi and others participated in the "Qingli New Deal". Ten reform suggestions were put forward, including "clearly deposing the emperor, suppressing luck, and promoting fine tribute". Lasted only one year. Later, due to opposition, he was demoted to a local official and moved around Dengzhou, Hangzhou, and Qingzhou. In his later years, when he learned about Hangzhou, he established a righteous village. In the fourth year of Emperor You's reign (1052), he died of illness in Xuzhou and was given the posthumous title Wenzheng. He is the author of "Collected Works of Fan Wenzhenggong".