When Sima Guang was seven years old, he was as steady as an adult. When he heard the teacher explain Zuo's Chunqiu, he liked it very much. After school, he told his family what he had learned. He immediately understood the connotation of Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals. From then on, he couldn't put books in his hand, and even forgot hunger and cold.
Once, he and his friends were playing in the backyard, and a child climbed into the vat and fell into the water in the vat. When the other children saw something was wrong, they all gave up and ran away, but Sima Guang used his quick wits to pick up a big stone from the ground and hit it hard at the water tank. The water gushed out and the child was saved.
original text
Sima Guang is a gentleman from Xia County, Shaanxi Province. Seven-year-old Guangsheng is as imposing as an adult. As soon as he heard about Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals, he couldn't put it down. He retired for his family and lost his big finger. Naturally, I can't put down my books. I don't know if I'm hungry or thirsty. A group of children were playing in court. One climbed the urn and his foot fell into the water, so everyone abandoned it. As long as the urn is broken with a stone, the water will burst and the child will live. -Arutu's History of the Song Dynasty at the end of the Yuan Dynasty
Vernacular translation
Sima Guang, a native of Xia County, Shaanxi Province. When Sima Guang was 7 years old, he was like an adult (the ancient adult refers to the weak crown, 16 years old, not the present 18 years old). He especially likes to listen to Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals, and come back to tell his family after understanding its main idea. From then on, I couldn't put it down for Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals, even forgetting hunger and cold.
A group of children are playing in the yard. A child stood on a big urn (not an urn, but a small pottery urn and a large porcelain urn, which was late), fell into the urn and was submerged by water. All the other children have run away. Sima Guang took a stone, broke the urn open, and the water flowed out, and the child survived.
Extended data
Sima Guang was born in Tianxi, Song Zhenzong for three years (A.D.1019117 October). At that time, his father Sima Chi was the county magistrate of Guangshan County, Gwangju, so he was named "Guang". Sima Guang's family has been an official for generations, and his father Sima Chi later became an official to the Ministry of War, a doctor and a celestial pavilion, and has always enjoyed a high reputation for being honest and kind.
Sima Guang, a native of Xia County, Shaanxi Province. His father, Sima Chi, was appointed as the official name of the Song Dynasty. Influenced by his father, Sima Guang was smart and eager to learn since childhood.
According to historical records, Sima Guang likes reading Zuo Zhuan very much, and often "never stops reading books, never knowing hunger and thirst." At the age of seven, he was able to recite Zuo Zhuan skillfully, and he could clearly tell the historical outline of more than 200 years, indicating that he had a very strong interest in history since he was a child.
In addition, there is another thing that made Xiao Sima Guang famous in Kyushu. This is the story of "Sima Guang smashing a jar" that has been passed down to this day. People in Bianjing and Luoyang recorded it with pictures and spread it widely. Sima Guang is a gentleman from Xia County, Shaanxi Province. Seven-year-old Guangsheng is as imposing as an adult. As soon as he heard about Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals, he couldn't put it down. He retired for his family and lost his big finger.
Naturally, I can't put down my books. I don't know if I'm hungry or thirsty. A group of children were playing in court. One climbed the urn and his foot fell into the water, so everyone abandoned it. As long as the urn is broken with a stone, the water will burst and the child will live.