It means: Every bowl of porridge and every bowl of rice must be thought of as hard-won; every piece of clothing must be cherished considering the difficulty of material resources.

"A porridge and a meal should reflect on the difficulty of getting there; half a thread and a half thread, always thinking about the difficulty of material resources" comes from "Zhu Xi's Family Instructions". "Zhu Xi's Family Instructions" was written by Zhu Bailu, a scholar during the Qing Dynasty. It is an enlightenment textbook focusing on family ethics.

Source

"One porridge and one meal, when you think about where you came from, it is not easy; half a thread, half a thread, always remember that material resources are difficult" comes from "Zhu Xi's Family Instructions", the full text is as follows:

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Get up at dawn, sweep the courtyard, and make sure it is clean inside and outside; when you feel faint, you will take a rest, lock the door, and make sure to check it yourself.

A porridge and a meal, when you think about the difficulty of getting there; half a thread, half a thread, always think about the difficulty of material resources.

It is better to be prepared before it rains and not to dig a well when thirsty.

You must be frugal in serving yourself, and do not linger when entertaining guests.

The utensils are clean and earthenware, and the earthenware and pots are better than gold and jade; the food is simple and refined, and the vegetables in the garden are more delicious.

Don’t build luxurious houses, don’t seek fertile land.

Three aunts and six wives are matchmakers for adulterers and thieves; beautiful maids and coquettish concubines are not the blessings of a boudoir.

Slaves should not be handsome, and wives and concubines should not use colorful makeup.

Although the ancestors are far away, the sacrifices must not be dishonest; although the descendants are foolish, they must read the scriptures.

You must be simple in your home life and teach your children in a righteous way.

Don’t be greedy for unexpected wealth, and don’t drink too much alcohol.

When trading with Jian Tiao, do not take advantage; when you see poor relatives and neighbors, you must show warmth and compassion.

If you are mean and start a family, you will not be able to enjoy it for a long time; if you have a bad relationship, you will soon perish.

Brothers, uncles and nephews must be divided into many to benefit the few; elders and younger ones, both internally and externally, should be strict in their speech.

How can he be a husband if he listens to his wife and behaves like a good boy? He who values ??his property but despises his parents cannot be a good son.

When you marry a daughter and choose a good son-in-law, don’t ask for a generous offer; when you marry a daughter-in-law, don’t ask for a generous dowry.

It is most shameful to be flattering when seeing wealth; to be arrogant when seeing poverty is nothing more despicable.

Avoid lawsuits at home, as lawsuits will lead to disaster; avoid talking too much in life, as talking too much will lead to mistakes.

Do not rely on power to bully the orphans and widows, do not be greedy for food and drink, and do not kill livestock and poultry.

If you are eccentric, you will have many regrets and mistakes; if you are lazy and resigned, your family fortune will be difficult to achieve.

If you have a bad relationship with others, you will suffer from it for a long time; if you are old and mature, you can rely on each other in times of emergency.

Listen carefully to what is said, how can you be aware of the inhuman accusations? You should be patient and think twice; if you fight over things, how can you know that it is not my fault? Need to think quietly.

Don’t think about giving favors, and don’t forget the favors received.

You should leave room for everything, and you should not go back when you are proud.

When people are happy, don’t be jealous; when people are in trouble, don’t be happy.

It is not really good to be kind if you want others to see you; to be evil if you fear others will see you is evil.

If you see lust and have lustful thoughts, you will repay it to your wife and children; if you hide your grudges and use hidden arrows, you will bring disaster to your descendants.

The family is harmonious, and although the food is not enough, there is still a lingering joy; the national lessons are finished early, and there is nothing left in the bag, and I am happy.

Studying aims at being a sage, not just a scholar; when serving as an official, you only care about the country, how can you care about your wealth?

Stand by one's orders and live in peace, and obey God's will. If you behave like this, you will be close to being a common man.