A man of virtue treasures time like gold. Narrated by Patrick Murphy of the SOH Radio Network
Time flies as quickly as a galloping horse. A man of virtue knows to treasure time for the precious gold that it is. There was once a historian named Liu Shu in the Northern Song Dynasty who was known for his lofty character and noble aspirations. He was diligent in learning throughout his life. He was also a man of great self-discipline. He made a reasonable plan for each day in his life and never wasted time.
Liu studied the Confucian classics when he was young and tried every day to commit some part of them to memory. In fact, he was so interested in memorizing the classics of Confucius that he often forgot to eat or go to bed. When Liu Shu was eight, a guest in his home said Confucius didn’t have any brothers. Liu Shu immediately quoted a relevant passage to prove that Confucius did have a brother. His response amazed everyone present. Liu Shu was always able to answer questions raised by his young friends. He told them that the answers could be found in the books and that they ought to read more to find the answers.
[click to continue…]
The grandfather looked around and found himself sitting among several tombs. (Image courtesy laura padgett/Flickr)
Welcome back to the SOH Radio Network the home of Ancient Tales of Wisdom. Hello everyone, I’m Grace Mann, and it is my privilege to bring you the following factual story as told by a grandson of his grandfather’s experience. This story is titled: For a Debt of Seven Pennies.
The author’s grandfather was a famous doctor in his hometown. One night, after receiving an urgent call from a villager, he took a ferry to see the patient. Because he arrived very early in the morning and did not want to bother the patient’s family, he decided to wait until a more reasonable hour before knocking at the door. In the darkness, he settled himself on the bank beside the river to take a nap. While resting, he overheard a conversation between two children.
[click to continue…]
Be noble and incorruptible ( ATW story by Patrick Murphy)
As human beings, we might be poor or be in a difficult situation, but we have to understand the fundamentals of being human. We cannot acquire wealth by immoral means, and we must not lose or damage our virtue.
During ancient times, Yanli Jizi, the brother of the king of Wu Kingdom, went out for a stroll and saw a gold piece that someone had lost on the road. It was the month of May and very hot. A poor woodsman in feather-down clothes was passing by, and Jizi said to him, “Pick up the gold on the ground.”
The woodsman threw his sickle to the ground, raised his eyebrows, and said angrily, “You are a noble, but why do you treat other people as if they are beneath you? You have a grand and heroic appearance, but why do you speak so rudely? I would rather wear feather-down in hot May while chopping firewood. Why should I pick up gold that someone else has lost?”
[click to continue…]
Recent Comments