Fable Story 107 - Jinping Gong Bing Candle and Learning

This fable is selected from the "Saying Garden • Jianben", which warns us: Learning is not young or old, living to be old, learning from old age, and always beneficial.

Once, Duke Jinping said to his courtier Shi Kuang, "I am nearly seventy years old and want to ask for some knowledge and read some books, but I am afraid it is already too late!"

Shi Kuang replied, "Is it too late?" Why not light the candles?"

Ping Gong said, "I'm talking to you seriously, but who is a courtier who teases his monarch?"

Shi Kuang replied, "How dare I tease my monarch!" I have heard that people are studious when they are young, as if they were the mild sunlight when the sun has just come out in the morning; in their prime, they are eager to learn, as if they are bright at noon, and when they are old, they are eager to learn, as if they are the light when they are lit by candles. Lighting a candle to illuminate, although the light is limited, not very bright, but which is better than walking in the dark?"

Pinggong said happily, "You said it well!"