You can't have both, and you have to sacrifice your life for righteousness.
-Mencius "Fish I Want"
I cherish life and righteousness. In the case that I can't get both at the same time, I'd rather give up my life and get the essence.
Mencius believes that "righteousness" is more important than life and is worth paying. In later generations, many people with lofty ideals took "sacrificing life for righteousness" as their code of conduct. For example, Wen Tianxiang, a national hero in the Southern Song Dynasty, said, "No one has died in life since ancient times, and the heart of a pure child shines in the history of history", which has been praised throughout the ages.
Where there is Bole, there is a swift horse.
A thousand miles away, there are not many boles.
-Han Yu's Ma Shuo
Only when there is Bole in the world can there be a swift horse. There are often swift horses, but Bole is not often.
There is no shortage of talented people in this world, but there is no shortage of identifying and discovering talented people. It's a pity that there is talent but no one finds it, and there is no stage to display it.
Diligence is good at diligence, barren is good at playing;
What I did was thought, but it was destroyed.
-Han Yu's "Learning Solution"
Study, because of diligent study, will be increasingly refined; Because of playing, it will become more and more deserted. Virtue is gained by independent thinking and corrupted by conformity.
Throughout the ages, reading has always been a very hard thing. These two words of Han Yu have always inspired people who study hard and keep learning. If you want to achieve something, you must study hard and think independently.
So disciples don't have to be inferior to teachers.
A teacher need not be superior to his students.
I have heard of Taoism, and my skills are specialized.
That's all.
-Han Yu's "Shi Shuo"
Students are not necessarily inferior to teachers, and teachers are not necessarily more talented than students. They have heard about it early and heard about it late, and their knowledge and skills have their own specialties. That's all.
Confucius said: in a threesome, there must be a teacher. Anyone who surpasses himself or has a skill in Taoism and industry can be a teacher.
The mountain is not high, and the fairy is famous.
The water is not deep, and the dragon is the spirit.
-Liu Yuxi's "Humble Room Inscription"
The mountain is not high, as long as there are immortals living there, they will be famous; The water is not deep, as long as there is a dragon dwelling, it will show the gods.
This sentence is quite philosophical. The mountain is not high, but there are immortals and they will be famous. The water is not deep, as long as there is a dragon. Even today, this sentence still applies.
When you are old and strong, would you rather be moved?
Poverty is strong, not falling into the sky.
-Wang Bo's Preface to Wang Tengting
You should be more ambitious when you are old. How can white-haired people give up their ambitions? Be strong when you encounter difficulties, and never give up your lofty aspirations.
Being old and strong, being poor and strong, inspired many people to persist and fight for their ideals to the end.
Worry about the world first, and enjoy it later.
-Fan Zhongyan's "Yueyang Tower"
Almost all people in China know this ancient prose, which has deeply influenced people with lofty ideals in China, caring for and attaching importance to the country.
It is precisely because of this spirit and because of people like Fan Zhongyan who put the country and the people first that our nation is endless.