Life is a long road, full of unknowns and uncertainties.
The ancients said: "A lesson from the previous car, a teacher from the back." ”
The old proverb of wisdom reminds us that in the journey of life, we should use the experiences of our predecessors as a mirror, learn from them, guide our own behavior, and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. In the long course of history, countless sages have paved a path full of inspiration for us with their successes and failures.
When we read the story of Xiang Yuwujiang's suicide in the "Historical Records", we can learn the tragic outcome that pride and complacency may lead to, and from the allusion of Gou Jian's lying down and tasting courage, we can also understand the value of enduring humiliation and perseverance. These historical stories are like lessons from the past, providing valuable lessons for future generations.
In real life, each of us will face choices and challenges, whether it is a career decision or a relationship deal. When we hesitate or encounter setbacks, we might as well look back at history and look for people who are in similar circumstances to us and see how they responded.
In the long journey of life, maintain a humble and learning attitude, so that we can walk more steadily and wisely every step of the way.
Today, let's listen to the wisdom of the ancients and memorize these five ancient sayings, which may help you and me to take fewer detours on the road of life.
1. Think before you act. - Confucius
This proverb, derived from Confucius's Analects, is an important principle in Confucianism. Confucius, with his profound wisdom, warned the world that before taking any action, people should think carefully and weigh it repeatedly.
In ancient times, there was a sage named Ji Wenzi, and he had to think about everything many times when he did it. When Confucius heard this, he said, "It's enough to think twice." This also shows from the side that overthinking is not necessary, but moderate thinking can indeed avoid many unnecessary mistakes and troubles.
"Think before you act", these five short words, but contain profound philosophy.
In real life, how many times have we made wrong decisions because of impulsiveness and without careful consideration, and we regretted it afterwards.
If we can keep this teaching of Confucius in mind, calm ourselves down when faced with choices, examine problems from different angles, analyze the pros and cons, and predict possible risks and rewards, then our life path may be smoother and there will be fewer detours.
The ancients said: "Everything is foreseen, and if it is not prepared, it will be wasted." This is similar to "think before you act". They are all emphasizing the importance of preparation and thinking in advance. When we are well prepared and thoughtful, we can often get twice the result with half the effort and avoid many unnecessary troubles.
Think about Zhuge Liang again, strategizing and winning thousands of miles away. Every decision he made was the result of careful consideration and repeated deliberation. It is precisely because he can "think twice before acting" that he can repeatedly win victories in complex battle situations.
2. Those who are content are always happy. - Lao Tzu
This point of view is the philosophy profoundly expounded by Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching. In this ever-changing and materialistic society, people are often easily driven by external temptations and constantly pursue more material and spiritual satisfaction, but often ignore the beauty and happiness around them.
When it comes to contentment, I can't help but think of that popular story.
Tao Yuanming in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, he could have been in a high position and enjoyed glory and wealth, but he chose to resign and go into seclusion, and lived an idyllic life of "picking chrysanthemums under the east fence and leisurely seeing Nanshan".
For him, the harmony with nature is far more happy and comfortable than the power struggle in the court. This is a vivid portrayal of "those who are content are always happy".
Looking at modern society, how many people have lost themselves in the process of chasing fame and fortune, not only physically and mentally exhausted, but may even lose the happiness they originally had. As Lao Tzu said, true happiness does not come from the accumulation of external materials, but from inner contentment and peace.
Looking at the world, it is not only Eastern culture that emphasizes the importance of contentment, but also Western philosophers who have a deep understanding of it. For example, the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus once said, "Contentment is natural wealth, and luxury is artificial poverty." This sentence coincides with Lao Tzu's thoughts, and they are telling us: cherish the present, be content and happy.
Historically, there have been many celebrities who have also interpreted the true meaning of "contentment is always happy" with their own actions. For example, Liu Zongyuan in the Tang Dynasty, although he was degraded, he was still able to maintain a normal heart and wrote many poems that have been passed down through the ages. Although his life was simple, the spiritual world was extraordinarily rich, and this is the inner abundance that contentment brings.
3. Gentleman is cautious. - Confucianism
The word "prudence" condenses the essence of Confucianism. It warns us that when we are alone and uninhabited, we should be more ethical and not indulge ourselves because of the privacy of our environment.
"Zhou Yi" has a saying: "A gentleman works all day long, and he is not to blame." This means that a gentleman should always be vigilant and not relax his demands on himself, even when he is alone, so as to avoid calamity.
In ancient times, many sages took prudence as the foundation of self-cultivation. For example, Yang Zhen, a famous minister of the Eastern Han Dynasty, was able to maintain integrity in the face of bribery in the face of bribery in the middle of the night, and he said the ancient sayings of "God knows, God knows, I know, Zi knows, what is ignorance?", showing the lofty realm of prudence.
There is an ancient and modern folk proverb: "People are doing, and the sky is watching." This is a simple expression of the idea of Shen Du. It reminds us that even when unsupervised, our actions cannot escape the eyes of heaven and earth.
To be cautious is not only to be responsible for yourself, but also to be in awe of heaven and earth.
It is often said in modern times, "A person's character lies in how he behaves when he is alone." This sentence profoundly interprets the modern meaning of Shendu. In a complex society, we often have to face various temptations and challenges.
Prudence is not only a kind of self-restraint, but also a kind of attitude towards life. It requires us to be sober and sane at all times and not to indulge ourselves in a change in circumstances. In this way, our life can be as evergreen as a pine and cypress, no matter spring, summer, autumn and winter, we can maintain our true colors.
Fourth, if you don't accumulate steps, you can't reach thousands of miles, and if you don't accumulate small streams, you can't become rivers and seas. - Xunzi
Xunzi's famous saying, taken from his book "Persuasion", expounds the importance of accumulation with far-reaching implications. Every small effort, every drop of sweat, is the cornerstone of building success and realizing dreams.
Not only in Chinese culture, the importance of accumulation is repeatedly emphasized, but also in the West. For example, there is a saying in English: "Little strokes fell greatest oaks." (A small axe can also cut down a large oak tree), which coincides with Xunzi's thoughts, and emphasizes the power of perseverance and bit by bit accumulation.
Looking back at history, many great achievements were accumulated by countless "small steps". For example, Li Shizhen compiled the "Compendium of Materia Medica", which was the result of collecting herbs and recording medicinal properties day after day and year after year, and Edison invented the electric lamp, and after countless trials and failures, he finally found a suitable filament material.
There are also many sentences in ancient poems that describe accumulation, such as "As long as the effort is deep, the iron pestle is sharpened into a needle", which is both an encouragement and a praise for the accumulation of strength.
In real life, we often face difficulties and challenges, but as long as we can persevere in our efforts and accumulate bit by bit, we will eventually be able to converge into a river and achieve our goals.
Fifth, people have no long-term concerns, but they must have near-term worries. - The Analects
The ancients said: "Everything is foreseen, and if it is not prepared, it will be wasted." This coincides with the Analects' "People have no foresight, but must have near-term worries", which warns us to have a deep plan and plan for the future.
In ancient times, there was no shortage of stories of disasters caused by a lack of vision. For example, the farmer who "pulls the seedlings to help them grow" is in a hurry and does not take into account the growth law of the seedlings, and the result is counterproductive.
This is precisely because he does not have a long-term vision and only sees the immediate benefits, which ultimately leads to failure.
On the other hand, Zhuge Liang, the reason why he was able to strategize and win thousands of miles was because he had far-reaching plans. The strategic concept he put forward in "Longzhong Pair" laid the foundation for Liu Bei to divide the world. This is a positive example of "people who have no foresight, but must have near-term worries".
In the West, there is a similar story. For example, in Aesop's Fables, the "ants and grasshoppers" are used to have fun in the summer and have no reserves, so they can only starve and cold in the winter, while the ants prepare food in advance and survive the winter. This story also reminds us that without long-term planning and preparation, we will face immediate difficulties.
Gu Shiyun: "There will be a time when the wind and waves will be long, and the clouds will sail into the sea." "This is to encourage us to have high ambitions and long-term planning, only in this way can we ride the wind and waves and reach the other side of the ideal.
In modern society, the phrase "people have no foresight, they must have near-term worries" still has profound practical significance. Whether it is personal development or business management, it is necessary to have a long-term vision and planning. For example, in career planning, we should set long-term and short-term goals according to our interests and abilities, and work towards them. In business operations, it is also necessary to formulate a long-term development strategy to cope with market changes and competitive pressures.
At the same time, we need to learn to plan ahead and plan ahead for the challenges and difficulties that may arise in the future. As the saying goes, "Don't fight the unprepared." "Only by being fully prepared can we calmly deal with difficulties when they come.
In short, "Listening to your words is better than reading a book for ten years." "The wisdom of the ancients is a treasure that has been precipitated by time, which is worth savoring and learning.
Memorizing these five ancient sayings is not only to show off your cultural literacy, but also to go more steadily and further on the road of life.
May we all learn from the wisdom of the ancients to contribute to our lives and avoid detours!