What is the purpose of> written by Song Lian?

Preface to seeing Ma Sheng off to Yang is an exhortation work written by Song Lian in his later years. Through the author's self-report on his learning difficulties and hard-working experience in his youth, and compared with the ease of learning of today's college students, it is concluded that whether a person is proficient in his career is mainly due to his carelessness and ignorance of the hard-working theory, and Ma Sheng and college students are warned to study more diligently and wholeheartedly in a superior learning environment.

Original text:

I liked studying when I was young. Because my family is poor, I can't get books to read. I often borrow money from the library, copy it myself, and send it back on the appointed day. When the weather is cold, the water in the salt pond freezes into ice and I can't stretch my fingers. I still don't relax reading. After copying, please go back to China, and dare not exceed the agreed time limit slightly. So most people will lend me books so that I can read all kinds of books. When he grew up, he admired the teachings of saints and suffered from being unable to associate with knowledgeable teachers and celebrities. He quickly walked out of the hundred miles and brought the scriptures to his fellow villagers.

Senior honorary person, Yemeni students crowded his room, and his words and attitude were never slightly euphemistic. Around Lishi, he assisted the suspect and leaned over to ask questions; Or the more respectful and polite you are when you meet, you dare not say a word; Please ask again as soon as it is happy. So I was stupid and finally learned a lot.

When I was looking for my master, I was walking in the mountains of Otani with my book box on my back and Tara shoes on. In winter, the wind was cold and the snow was several feet deep, and my feet and skin were frozen and cracked. After entering the room, my limbs were stiff and I couldn't move. The servant gave me hot water and covered me with a quilt. It took a long time to warm up.

Stay in a hotel and eat two meals a day, without fresh fat and delicious enjoyment. All the students are all embroidered, wearing hats decorated with treasures, white jade rings on their waists, swords on their left and smelly faces on their right. I am wearing a robe, but I am not sentimental at all. Because there are enough things in your heart to make you happy, don't feel that the enjoyment of food is not as good as others.

My efforts and efforts are probably like this. Although I am old and have no achievements, I am fortunate to be among the gentlemen. However, I have been blessed by the son of heaven. After I became a public official, I worked as a consultant every day, and the whole world misreported my last name. What else?

Now all the students are studying in imperial academy, and the county officials have a little support every day. Their parents have Qiu Ge's legacy at the age of 20, and there is no danger of being frozen and embarrassed. Sit downstairs and recite "poems" and "books" without running around; Some are teachers, some are teachers, some don't ask, don't tell, and some ask but don't;

All the books should be kept here. There is no need to record them through other people's hands and read them later. If they are not proficient in their studies and their moral character is not cultivated, if they have no talent and qualifications, they will not be as single-minded as I am. Can you say it's someone else's fault?

Dongyang Ma, who studied in imperial academy for two years, was praised by his peers for his virtue. I went to the capital to appear before the emperor, who met me as a fellow villager and wrote a long letter as a gift. The words were fluent and accessible, and I argued with him with a gentle and polite attitude.

He said that when he was young, he studied very hard and was a good learner. He was going home to visit his parents, and I told him about the difficulties in his studies. It is said that Yu Mian's fellow villagers are all scholars, and so is Yu. Those who despise me, brag about my wealth and prosperity, and be arrogant to my hometown know the rest!

Vernacular translation:

I liked studying when I was young. Because my family is poor and I can't get books to read, I often borrow them from people who collect books, copy them myself and return them on an agreed date. When the weather is very cold, the water in the inkstone pool is frozen into hard ice, and my fingers can't bend and stretch. I still copy books without relaxation.

Return it to others as soon as possible after copying, and dare not exceed the agreed time limit slightly. So most people are willing to lend me books, so I can read all kinds of books.

As an adult, I admire the theory of sages more, but I can't communicate with knowledgeable teachers and celebrities. Once I walked a hundred miles at a brisk pace and asked my compatriots for advice with a scripture in my hand. His predecessors were highly respected, and his master students crowded his room. His words and attitude have never been euphemistic.

I stood beside him, asking questions, asking truth, and bowed my head to him for advice; Sometimes I am reprimanded, my expression is more respectful, my manners are more thoughtful, and I dare not answer a word; Ask him when he is happy. So although I was stupid, I finally learned a lot.

When I was looking for a teacher, I walked in the deep mountain valley with my book box on my back and my heels on. In the severe winter, the wind was cold and the snow was several feet deep, and my feet and skin were frozen and cracked. When I arrived at the school house, my limbs were stiff and I couldn't move. The servant poured me hot water and covered me with a quilt. It took a long time to warm up. Staying in a hotel, eating two meals a day, no fresh, fat and delicious enjoyment.

The students' scholars are all well-dressed, wearing red scarves and jewels, with white jade rings around their waist, knives on the left and sachets on the right, which are as bright as gods;

I'm wearing an old cotton gown and a rag, and I'm not jealous. Because there are enough things in my heart to make me happy, I don't feel that the enjoyment of food and clothing is inferior to others. My efforts and hardships are probably like this.

Although I am old now, I have achieved nothing, but fortunately, I am still among the gentlemen, bearing the honor of the son of heaven, following the emperor every day, waiting for inquiries, and praising my name inappropriately under the sun, not to mention anyone who can surpass me.

Now students are studying in imperial academy, and the court provides meals every day. Parents give them leather clothes in winter and kudzu clothes in summer, so don't worry about freezing and hunger. Sitting downstairs reading classics, there is no hard work; There are teachers like doctors, who ask for advice without asking themselves and get nothing;

All the books you should have are concentrated here. You don't have to copy them by hand like me. You can borrow them from others before you can see them. If some of them are not proficient in their studies and their moral quality has not developed, if they are not talented and have low qualifications, they will not be as single-minded as I am. Can you say it's someone else's fault?

Dongyang Ma studied in imperial academy for two years, and his peers praised his virtue. When I went to the capital to see the emperor, Ma Sheng greeted me as a younger compatriot and wrote a long letter as a gift. He is fluent and approachable, arguing with him with gentle words and humble attitude.

He himself said that he was very diligent and hard-working when he was a teenager, and he can be called a good learner! He was going home to meet his parents, so I specifically told him about my study difficulties. If I encourage fellow villagers to study hard, that is my ambition; If you slander me, brag about my experience and be proud in front of my hometown, do you know me?

This article is from Song Lian's Preface to Sending Ma Sheng to Dongyang.

Extended data writing background:

In the 11th year of Hongwu in Ming Dynasty (1378), Song Lian retired from his hometown Pujiang (Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province) to Yingtian (now Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province) in the second year. A junior fellow-townsman, Ma Jun, came to visit. Song Lian wrote this preface to introduce his learning experience and attitude, so as to encourage others to be diligent and eager to learn.

This preface was written by Song Lian to fellow countryman Ma Junze. The author gave him this article to encourage him to study hard, but the meaning was not directly said, but extended from his own personal experience and understanding. It is tactfully implicit, cordial and friendly, and between the lines is full of a virtuous elder's ardent expectations for the younger generation, which is touching to read.

The full text is divided into three parts. In the first paragraph, I wrote about my study as a teenager, aiming at highlighting his studious spirit of "diligence can make up for the shortcomings". Inside, there are four levels. The first layer is difficult to learn from borrowing books. Because the family is poor and there are no books, we have to borrow books to copy books. Although it was cold, the inkstone froze and their fingers froze, they didn't dare to slack off.

The second layer is the difficulty of seeking a teacher and the necessity of learning with an open mind. Seek a teacher from a hundred miles, and be careful. Although I was scolded, I finally got something. On the third level, from the perspective of the hardships of living conditions, I am content with poverty and don't admire wealth. Because I have learned something, I only feel happy and don't feel bitter. I emphasize that as long as I am full of energy, the hardships of living conditions can be ignored.

The fourth layer is the summary of this paragraph. Because I was not afraid of all kinds of difficulties, I studied hard and finally achieved something. Although the author modestly says that he has "no achievements", the fact that a generation of great scholars is self-evident is known to all.

About the author:

Song Lian (1310-1381), whose real name is Jing Lian, whose real name is Qian Xi, and whose other names are Xuanzhenzi, Xuanzhendao and Xuanzhendun. Posthumous title Wenxian. Pujiang (now Pujiang, Zhejiang) is a native of Han nationality. A writer in the early Ming Dynasty was once praised by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. His eldest grandson was involved in the Hu Dang case, and his family was demoted to Maozhou.

His prose is either concise or graceful and elegant, each with its own characteristics. He admired Taige literature, and his style was honest and elegant, which provided a model for the literary creation of later "Taige style" writers. Most of his works were carved into seventy-five volumes of The Complete Works of Song and Shi Xue.