One night in 1928, a group of bandits, led by tomb robber Sun Dianying, sneaked into the mausoleum of the Empress Dowager Cixi and looted a large number of precious cultural relics and burial goods. This appalling tomb robbery case shocked the whole of China, and Sun Dianying became infamous and notorious ever since. However, what few people know is that this despicable tomb robber has an admirable son - Sun Tianyi.
Sun Dianying's life is legendary, but it is a negative teaching material. He came from a poor background, and when he was a teenager, he mixed in the green forest and became the leader of a bandit. In 1928, he led his subordinates to excavate the Dingdong Mausoleum of the Empress Dowager Cixi and looted a large number of precious cultural relics, including priceless pearls, gemstones, gold and silver utensils. This tomb robbery shocked China and foreign countries, and Sun Dianying was wanted for it. But he did not stop there, but intensified his efforts, and stole several Qing Dynasty imperial tombs such as Chongling. During the Anti-Japanese War, Sun Dianying even took refuge in the Japanese and acted as a traitor, and was finally imprisoned, regretting it before his death.
Completely different from his father, Sun Tianyi has been taught by his mother since he was a child, studying hard and having good conduct. He was admitted to Peking University, where he studied foreign languages, and after graduation, he became an accomplished translator and scholar. On the eve of the peaceful liberation of Peking in 1949, Sun Tianyi took the initiative to hand over some of the cultural relics stolen by his father to Peking University. Even during the Cultural Revolution, he took great risks and insisted on translating foreign literary works. After the reform and opening up, Sun Tianyi devoted himself to the protection of cultural relics, and successively participated in the excavation and repair of historic sites such as the Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor and the Tomb of the Nanyue King of the Western Han Dynasty, making important contributions to the inheritance of Chinese civilization.
Sun Tianyi's noble character and academic achievements have won the respect of the world. In his own way, he made up for his father's mistakes and restored the family's reputation. Although his children have always kept a low profile, they must have grown up to be virtuous and knowledgeable under their father's words and deeds. Sun Tianyi's life trajectory tells us that a person's background does not determine his life. Diligence, integrity, and kindness are the keys to success in life.
Sun Dianying and Sun Tianyi, a father and a son, have such different life trajectories. This is not only the joys and sorrows of a family, but also reflects the great changes in Chinese society. From war and strife to a hundred wastes waiting to be rebuilt, several generations have worked hard to bring about today's peace and development. Sun Tianyi's ordinary and great life is not only a turning point in his personal destiny, but also a microcosm of the changes of the times. His deeds deserve to be learned and admired by each and every one of us.