Zhu Chong gave cattle
In the Jin Dynasty, there was a man named Zhu Chong. He had been generous to others since he was a child and was very wise. However, due to his poor family, he had no money to go to school, so he had to farm at home. Herding cattle. There was a man next door who was very evil-minded and always liked to take advantage of others. He would let the cows into his field over and over again to eat the crops. After seeing this, Zhu Chong not only did not lose his temper, but instead brought some grass back when the work was over, and sent it back to the owner's house together with the cows that ate the crops. He said: "You have more cows and less grass at home. I can provide convenience for you." "When the family heard this, they were ashamed and grateful, and they never let cattle destroy crops again. Zhu Chong's kindness to others won praise from his neighbors.
Words of Wisdom: Zhu Chong gave in to his evil neighbors and showed kindness to others, which greatly changed the atmosphere around him. He did not pick up things on the roads in the countryside and there were no evil people in the villages. This is the demeanor of a benevolent person. A person with a virtuous personality will naturally be respected by others.
22. Wang Xianzhi’s study of calligraphy
Wang Xianzhi’s son, Wang Xianzhi, learned calligraphy from his father Wang Xizhi in order to inherit his family learning. After studying for a while, he felt that it was almost done, so he wrote an article and showed it to his father. After Wang Xizhi read it, he didn't say anything. He clicked a dot under the word "big" in his writing. Wang Xianzhi couldn't understand what was going on, so he showed it to his mother. Wang Xianzhi's mother was also a calligrapher. After reading the calligraphy written by Wang Xianzhi, she pointed to the point Wang Xizhi had written on it and said to him: "This is a good point." After hearing this, Wang Xianzhi realized that there was still a gap between his and his father's calligraphy. Very far away, he devoted himself to practicing calligraphy and later became a famous calligrapher.
Words of Wisdom: "Disciple Rules" says: "Don't beat yourself up, don't give up on yourself, saints and sages can be tamed." It means: When encountering difficulties or setbacks, don't give up on yourself, or give up on yourself. There is no need to be cynical, but one should be determined to study hard. Even though the realm of saints is high, it can be achieved step by step.
23. Huangzhouju
Previously, Su Dongpo went to visit Wang Anshi. He happened to be not at home, so Su Dongpo stayed in his study and waited. He saw an unfinished poem on his desk. : "The west wind blew through the garden last night, blowing down the yellow flowers and covering the ground with gold." It means that the west wind blew through the garden last night, and the petals of the chrysanthemums fell to the ground, like gold covering the earth. Su Dongpo couldn't help but chuckle to himself that the prime minister didn't even understand common sense. Chrysanthemums bloom in autumn and are the most durable. Even if they dry up, they will not fall off. So, he wrote under the poem: "Autumn flowers do not fall like spring flowers, so I asked the poet to chant carefully." He said that autumn chrysanthemums do not fall like spring flowers, so please review it carefully, poet.
When Wang Anshi came back and saw it, he didn't say anything. When he went to court the next day, he secretly asked the emperor to demote Su Dongpo to Huangzhou. After Su Dongpo was demoted, he felt very dissatisfied. He knew that Wang Anshi was retaliating against him because of his poems, but he had nothing to do. He lived in Huangzhou for nearly a year, and on the Double Ninth Festival, he invited his friends to the back garden to enjoy the chrysanthemums. Since the autumn wind had been blowing for many days, he went to the garden and saw chrysanthemums falling off their petals one after another, and the ground was covered with gold. He was stunned. After asking his friends, he learned that chrysanthemums usually do not fall off their petals, but the ones in Huangzhou are special. of. Recalling the past of continuing poems to Wang Anshi, Su Dongpo realized that he was not knowledgeable enough.