It comes from the poem "Reward Lotte and Ode to the Elder's Insights" by Liu Yuxi, a litterateur in the Tang Dynasty. The meaning of the poem is: The more you have experienced the world, the more knowledgeable you will be. The more people you come into contact with and understand, the more clear it will be through observation. Through this sentence, the poet advises his friends not to worry too much about aging. As long as they treat it correctly, they can be happy.
Reward Lotte Yong’s Advice on Aging
Whoever doesn’t care about old age will have pity on him.
The body weight loss is frequent and the hair is thin and the crown is deviated.
Discarding books means cherishing the eyes, and using more moxibustion means passing the years.
Those who have experienced things are still familiar with things, and those who read people are like reading the river.
If you think about it carefully, you are all lucky, but this will make you sad.
Mo Dao Sangyu is late, and the sky is still filled with clouds.
Translation:
Who doesn’t worry about aging? Who will show love and pity to him when he is old?
As your body becomes thinner, your clothes and belts need to be tightened more and more, and your hair will be sparse and your hat will tilt to one side.
The reason why I put the book aside and no longer read it is to protect my eyes, and I often use moxibustion because I am old and weak and suffer from many diseases.
The more you have experienced the world, the more knowledgeable you will be. The more people you come into contact with and understand, the clearer it will be through observation.
If you think about it carefully, there is a good side to aging. If you overcome your worries about aging, you will feel happy and carefree.
Don’t say that it is almost evening when the sun reaches the mulberry tree, but its afterglow can still fill the sky with red.
The author clarifies his point of view in this poem. It is believed that although people in old age have disadvantages such as thinness, thinning hair, weakened vision, and multiple illnesses, they also have advantages such as rich experience in dealing with things, knowing how to cherish time, and being self-motivated. If we think about this carefully and comprehensively, we can establish a correct view of old age, free ourselves from the emotion of lamenting the old, and make a difference. Although the mulberry trees are late, they can still emit brilliant rays of light all over the sky. "If you don't see mulberry trees in the evening, the sky will be full of clouds", which is deeply appreciated by people and has become a famous saying that has been praised throughout the ages. This poem expresses Liu Yuxi's sober and optimistic understanding of the issues of life and death, indicating that he can treat life positively with a materialistic attitude under any circumstances.