“You will know the pines and cypresses when the weather is cold, but you will see the true love in times of adversity” comes from “Resurrection of the Peony Pavilion” by Tang Xianzu, a playwright of the Ming Dynasty.
The full text is as follows:
You know the pines and cypresses in the cold years, and the true love is revealed in times of adversity. Horsepower can be seen from a distance, and people's hearts can be seen from time to time.
It turns out that the colorful flowers are blooming all over the place, but they are all abandoned by the ruined wells and ruined buildings. What kind of beautiful scenery is there in the good time? Whose house is there to enjoy the pleasure?
The sky is flying in the morning and the evening is rolling, the clouds are green and green, The rain is falling, the wind is falling, the mist is like a boat, the people in Jinping find this time very despicable.
For you are as beautiful as a flower, and the years are passing by like a fleeting time. I am looking for you everywhere, feeling sorry for myself in the secluded boudoir.
Translation: In the severe cold season, thousands of trees wither, and only the pines and cypresses stand proudly despite the ice and snow. Only the road and distance can tell whether the horse is strong. Only when you get along with people for a long time can you see the human heart clearly. The flowers used to be in full bloom, but now they are ruined and ruined. The beautiful scenery can only depend on the weather. Whose yard should I go to enjoy now? Yunxia Cuixuan and Yusi Yanbo painted boats, the people of Jinping looked at this time.
Extended information
Introduction to the main characters of "The Return of the Peony Pavilion"
1. Du Liniang
Female, 16 years old, early Southern Song Dynasty The only daughter of Du Bao, the governor of Nan'an, Jiangxi Province, she was loved by her parents since she was a child. She was born with a beautiful face and extremely delicate appearance. Her temperament has a gentle, tenacious and persistent side, but also a soft-hearted, sentimental, and infatuated side. He had a tryst with Liu Mengmei, a Lingnan scholar, in his dream, and missed him until he woke up.
After Xiangxiaoyu died, he came back to life with the help of Liu Mengmei, Taoist Sister Shi, Judge Hu, Fairy Peony and other people and gods, and finally got married to Liu Sheng after going through many hardships. Although she lives in a boudoir and is influenced by feudal ethics, she still has a sense of rebellion against traditional etiquette and a spirit of resistance to cruel reality.
My heart burns with a strong desire to break free from the feudal cage, smash the shackles of Neo-Confucianism, pursue individual liberation, and yearn for beautiful love. She died because of love and was born because of love. She was not only a tragic figure who was strangled by the feudal era, but also had a romantic life shaped by art.
2. Liu Mengmei
Formerly known as Chunqing, male, 20 years old, Lingnan scholar, descendant of Tang Dynasty poet Liu Zongyuan, handsome, extraordinary temperament, erudite, ambitious, but unlucky , his parents died early, and he had no relatives. He only relied on Liu Zongyuan's servant Guo Tuo and later Guo Tuo to run the orchard and flower garden for support, despite his embarrassment.
He still had high aspirations and persisted in studying hard. He had the ambition to serve the country, but his talent was not recognized. After going through many hardships, he finally realized his ambition and became the top scholar in high school. Although he has a scholarly spirit, he is also full of justice and heroic heart. He also has the spirit of youth and frivolity. He often speaks up and fights injustices.
He and Du Liniang fell in love because of a dream. They were loyal, unwavering in their true love, and unchanging in their infatuation. He risked beheading to dig graves to save people for Liniang's rebirth, and took daring actions. A wonderful love has been achieved.
Baidu Encyclopedia-The Return of the Peony Pavilion