The plowmen are busy, and most of them have no food for the night; the weaver girl, Bobo, rarely has clothes to keep out the cold. When you eat three meals a day, you should think about the hardships of farmers; when you wear a robe, you should think about the work of the Weaver Girl. An inch of thread means a thousand lives, a spoonful of rice means a hundred whips. Receive salary without merit, restless in sleep and food. Make virtuous friends, never useless friends. Take your share of wealth and abstain from nameless wine. Always have a heart of self-restraint, but keep your mouth shut about right and wrong. If you can follow my words, you will be rich and famous for a long time.
The Hundred-Character Proverb is a hundred-character proverb written by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty to the ministers of the court. Use this to admonish ministers and warn yourself. The heart of loving the people, respecting labor, and cherishing things is beyond words, and the principles of self-cultivation, peace of mind, and governance of the country are contained in it.
This short article of 100 words, which is similar to vernacular, roughly means to remind officials not to forget the true nature of labor and maintain a style of hard work; at the same time, they should be cautious about their words, friends, self-restraint, and integrity. This passage seems to be a sacred precept from the king to teach his ministers how to maintain their fame and wealth, but its content is actually a warning for officials to cultivate their moral integrity and self-restraint.
Extended information
Related background:
During the reign of Li Shimin, the Tang Dynasty became very powerful and was known as the rule of Zhenguan. In his later years, he wrote the book "Emperor's Model" to teach and admonish the prince. It summarized his life's political experience and also commented on his own merits and demerits. During his reign, he implemented the government-military system, the rent-sharing system and the land equalization system, and actively promoted the imperial examination system.
In 630, he defeated the Eastern Turks and was revered as the "Khan of Heaven". In 641, he married Princess Wencheng to Songtsen Gampo of Tibet. In 649 AD, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty suffered from dysentery, and the treatment was ultimately ineffective, so he ordered Prince Li Zhi to go to Jinye Gate to act as state agent. Li Shimin died of illness in Hanfeng Hall, Chang'an in July 649. He was buried in Zhaoling on a mountain peak more than 50 miles northeast of Liquan County, Shaanxi Province, China. His posthumous title is "Emperor Wen".
Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was good at listening to the criticism and opinions of his ministers. Wei Zheng remonstrated with him and stated his faults more than 200 times. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was also proficient in calligraphy and used to write steles in running lines, becoming the originator of later generations. Famous works include "Hot Spring Inscription", "Jinci Inscription", etc. After his death, he was buried with the preface to the Lanting Collection written by Wang Xizhi, a great calligrapher of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Bai Zi Zhen