· This is the 4436th original debut article with a word count of 2k+ ·
· Li Gong | Wen Follow Qin Shuo Circle of Friends ID: qspyq2015·
A few years ago, I read an article about Chen Dongsheng, the founder of Taikang Insurance Group, "From Evaluating China's Top 500 to Creating the World's Top 500", which is still fresh in my memory.
The article began: "Many years ago, Chen Dongsheng, the representative of the '92 faction' Chinese entrepreneurs, the founder of Guardian Auction, Home Express and Taikang Insurance, said: 'In the future, my epitaph is to evaluate China's top 500 enterprises to be the world's top 500 enterprises'."
This is not a bluff, nor is it an exaggeration, on July 19, 2018, the Fortune Global 500 was released, and Taikang Insurance Group ranked 489th. It has jumped to 343 in 2021.
Chen Dongsheng did not smear lime on his mouth—Bai said. He really did. When summarizing his career journey, he said: "We must stand at a height of 10,000 meters to see the world, and observe the world in a hundred years of time and space, in order to have foresight and persistence." ”
As a civilian, I don't care about the information of Fortune 500 companies, but I am in awe of Chen Dongsheng's "epitaph". I have entered the autumn of my twilight years, and although my heart still exists, the aging of life is not subject to human will. Influenced by Mr. Chen, he calmed down and carefully read the meaning of these three words.
The "epitaph" is a mournful style that includes two parts: the epitaph and the epitaph:
Zhi is to use prose to describe the name, font size, place of origin, official rank, performance, meritorious deeds, etc. of the deceased;
The inscription is a rhyme to summarize the full text of the zhi, and to mourn, comfort, and praise the deceased, which is generally euphemistic and lyrical.
Many people can't figure out the difference between an "epitaph" and a "stele". "Stele" refers to the calligraphy engraved on a stone stele. The ones created for burial are called "tombstones"; the former inscribed on the burial path is called "Shinto stele", and those who enter the tomb are called "epitaphs", or "epitaphs". Xu Shi of the Ming Dynasty once said in the "Textual Discernment Preamble": "According to the zhi, the record is also; the ming is also the name." ”
"Epitaphs" take many forms, most of which are engraved for the deceased, but also have classic words reserved for themselves by the living.
Select some representative "epitaphs" below to deepen the explanation.
The epitaph of Karl Marx at Highgate Cemetery in London, England, has two sentences: Proletarians of the world, unite! Philosophers simply explain the world in different ways, and the problem is to transform the world.
Napoleon is buried in the "geranium" valley of Saint-Hele Island, the tombstone is only engraved with the words "Forever Sleeping Here", and a stone tablet behind the tomb is inscribed with his last words - I hope to be able to bury my ashes on the banks of the Seine, among the French people I love so much.
The epitaph of the Russian poet Pushkin – here is where Pushkin and his young muse are buried. Love and laziness have consumed a pleasant life together; he has not done any good deeds, but in spirit, he is really a good man.
Newton's epitaph – The dead should celebrate themselves, for humanity produced such great ornaments. This sentence echoed exactly what he said on his deathbed, "I am just a child picking shells on the seashore."
Hemingway's epitaph – forgive me for not getting up!
The epitaph of the Irish poet Yeats is the last 17 words of a poem he wrote before his death—to life, to death, to give a cold glimpse, the knight galloped by.
Martin Luther King Jr. Epitaph – I'm Free! Thank you Almighty Lord, I am finally free!
The musician Nie Er's epitaph is quoted from the French poet Corato's poem – my ears are like shells, thinking of the sound of the sea.
Franklin's epitaph – Franklin the Printer.
Many people do not leave epitaphs, even some of those who have pushed history forward. For example, on the shore of the sha (river) and li (river) where I worked and lived, a master of ancient literature and scripture - Xu Shen was born. He was the founding ancestor of Chinese philology, and the Shuowen Jiezi left behind was the first important dictionary on the mainland to systematically explain ancient Chinese characters, and it was also a classic work that summarized the results of the study of scriptures since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States period, and then explored the etymology of Chinese characters, and theoretically elaborated according to the conformation characteristics of Chinese characters.
However, looking through Xu Shen's writings, tracing relevant documents, and interviewing Xu's descendants, he could not find his epitaph. In front of Xu Shen's tomb, there are only stone tablets such as "Tomb of Han Xiaolian Xu Gong" erected for him by posterity, but his exploits will never go down in history!
Of the epitaphs listed above, if I had to choose one of the most memorable, it would be "Franklin the Printer." He was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, participated in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, conducted many experiments on electricity, and invented the lightning rod, but this great man never forgot and was proud of the work he worked in his youth, the printer.
An ordinary "work" word connects work, engineering, industry, factories, etc., and then connects the meaning of life.
In the name of "worker", the author has been working in factories and enterprises for nearly half a century. It is gratifying that in the long years, in addition to burying his head in work, he has never corroded the original intention of literary hobbies. Reading a line of books every day will open up the horizon of amblyopia, writing a line every day will record a distant journey, reading a poem every day must be open-minded, and appreciating a painting every day will definitely experience the beauty of great mountains and rivers...
When certain forces looked down on the profession of the worker and despised the ability of the technician to invent and create, I did not think so, and wanted to tailor a humble epitaph for myself:
"A lifetime of work, carrying from the text."
The author, who currently lives in Luohe, Henan Province, is a member of the Henan Writers Association, and has authored works such as the poetry collection "Looking Back at a Smile and Looking for Poetry and Grass", the long-form reportage "Let the Soul Keep Up - 75.8" Henan Flood 40th Anniversary Festival" and the short story collection "Hundred Forms of The World".
" Picture | Visual China"