These two lines of poetry are: Don’t be afraid of being shattered into pieces, but you must remain innocent in the world.
Source: "Yin of Lime" by Yu Qian of the Ming Dynasty
Full text of "Yin of Lime"
"Yin of Lime"
Yu Qian (qiān)
Thousands of hammers carved out the deep mountains,
The fire burned them as if it were nothing.
Don’t be afraid of being shattered into pieces,
You must remain innocent in the world.
Meaning
(1) Lime chant: Praise for lime.
(2) Yin: chant. Refers to a name for the genre of ancient poetry returned to China (a form of ancient poetry).
(3) Thousands of hammers and thousands of chisels: Countless hammerings and excavations, describing the difficulty of mining lime.
(4) Thousands and ten thousand: refers to the number of impacts, not actually one to ten thousand. Hammer, hammer. Chisel, dig.
(5) If it is easy: it seems to be a common thing.
(6) If: as if, as if.
(7) Leisure: normal, relaxed.
(8) Innocence: refers to the whiteness of lime without pollution, and also metaphors noble moral integrity.
(9) Human world: Human world.
Translation
Stones are quarried from the mountains after many strikes and knocks. Stones regard themselves as being burned by fire as a normal thing. Even if his body is broken into pieces, he is not afraid and is willing to leave his innocence in this world.
About the author
Yu Qian (1398-1457), a native of Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang), was born in the Ming Dynasty. His courtesy name was Tingyi and his nickname was Jie'an. Yongle Jinshi, Xuandechu was appointed censor, and he accompanied Xuanzong to suppress the rebellion of Han King Zhu Gaoxu. He was worried about his country and forgot about himself. He kept silent about his merits and kept himself frugal. His residence was only protected from the wind and rain, but he had a strong and upright nature and was quite jealous of others. In the first year of Tianshun (1457), the Yingzong was restored. Shi Heng and others falsely accused him of plotting to establish King Xiang's son, and he was killed. At the beginning of Chenghua, he was restored to office and given a memorial ceremony. In the second year of Hongzhi (1489), he was given the posthumous title Sumin. In Wanli, his posthumous title was changed to Zhongsu. There is "Yu Zhongsu Collection".
On the day of Yu Qian's death, the clouds were gathering, and people all over the country believed that he was wronged. The Queen Mother did not know about Yu Qian's death at first. After hearing about it, she sighed and mourned for several days, and Yingzong also regretted it.
One year after Yu Qian's death, foreign enemies invaded the border again, and everyone in the court missed Yu Qian.
In the early years of Chenghua, Yu Qian's son Yu Mian came back from pardon. He complained to Yu Qian that he had been wronged, and was able to restore Yu Qian's official position and give him a sacrifice. The imperial edict said: "When the country is in trouble, defend the country." Even if there is no danger, he alone upholds justice and is jealous of the powerful and treacherous ministers. The late emperor already knew his injustice, but I really pity his loyalty." This edict was spread throughout the country.
In the second year of Hongzhi's reign, Sun Yat-sen's advice was adopted, and Yu Qiante was given the posthumous title of Sumin, as the official Guanglu doctor, Zhuguo, and Taifu, and was given the title of " "Jinggong" is paid homage to by relevant local departments on every festival.
In Wanli, his posthumous title was changed to Zhongsu. Hangzhou, Henan, and Shanxi have been worshiped and worshiped throughout the ages.