"Awakening the World" is a collection of vernacular short stories compiled by Feng Menglong, a writer in the late Ming Dynasty. The themes come from rich sources, most of which come from folklore, historical biographies and novels of the Tang and Song Dynasties. The book has a substantial and complete structure, delicate descriptions, and vivid characters, which reflect the social outlook and citizens' thoughts and feelings at that time to varying degrees. Several famous sayings about life in "Eternal Words to Awaken the World" are all classics
1. A person is not good for a thousand days, and a flower is not as red as a hundred days.
It means that in life, you will always encounter various setbacks. It is difficult to have a thousand good days; just like a flower, its beauty cannot last, and it will not last more than a hundred days. .
2. It’s not so cold that it’s bone-chilling, but why are the plum blossoms so fragrant?
It means that if the flowers had not withstood the suffering of wind and frost, how could they have the refreshing fragrance of fresh flowers.
3. If you don’t think twice about things, you will eventually regret them. People who can endure a hundred times will have no worries.
It means that if you do things in a hurry without careful consideration, you will easily make mistakes and regret your actions.
4. It’s better to be a peace dog than to mess around with others!
It means that I would rather be a dog in peaceful times than a person in war-torn times.
5. People cannot be judged by their appearance, and sea water cannot be measured.
It means that you cannot judge a person based only on his appearance. Sea water cannot be measured with a bucket.
6. Not all clothes are for men, so how do women define women?
It means that not all those wearing clothes are men, and those wearing women's hats are not necessarily all women.
7. Wealth has no roots and can only be obtained through hard work.
It means that wealth cannot take root, but can only be obtained through diligence and frugality.