Eating a small basket of rice, drinking a gourd ladle of water, living in a poor and humble alley, others can't stand such poverty, but Yan Hui doesn't change to be a Taoist. Yan Hui is really virtuous.
Eat: a bamboo basket of rice.
Ladle drink: refers to a ladle of soup.
This allusion is often used to describe a literati's lofty life of being content with poverty.
Confucius was a great educator, with 3,000 students, of whom 72 were the most famous, and Yan Hui was his favorite. Yan Hui's every move can be regarded as an example by Confucius, so Confucius often taught his disciples what Yan Hui did. On one occasion, Confucius grasped the problem of Yan Hui's diet and daily life and thought that Yan Hui was too noble to do what others could not do. He can do it, which is worth learning. He said: "A spoonful of food and a spoonful of wine, in a mean alley, people can't bear their worries, and they won't change their fun when they go back." Xian zai, you come back! " Yan Hui eats with bamboo utensils, drinks with wooden spoons, and lives in a humble alley. This is a bitter day that others can't stand, but Yan Hui is still happy. How noble, Yan Hui!
Other allusions about Yan Hui include Yan Hui's dirty rice.
Original: Confucius is poor between Chen and Cai. He doesn't pour quinoa soup, he doesn't taste grains for seven days, and he sleeps during the day. Yan Hui took the meal, burned it and cooked it a few times. Confucius saw that Yan Hui robbed him of his rebuttal and ate it. He chose a room, cooked a meal, paid homage to Confucius and ate it. Confucius pretended not to see it. Confucius said, "Today, I dreamed of being the first gentleman, and then I ate nothing." Dependent people have good hearts, but their hearts are still insufficient. It is not easy for disciples to remember. "("Lu Chunqiu, Shen Finland, Shu Ren ")
Translation:
Confucius traveled around the world and only spent all his money on Chen and Cai. Confucius and Yan Hui didn't eat a grain of rice for several days and nights, and they were so hungry that they had no strength at all. Confucius slept during the day and Yan Hui went out to beg for some food. When he came back, when the cooking was about to be done, Confucius saw Yan Hui grabbing rice in a pot with his hands. After a while, the rice was cooked, and he took it to Confucius to pay his respects. Confucius pretended not to see it and said, I just dreamed of my ancestors, so I should think about them before eating. Yan Hui said: No, because the coal just fell into the pot and the rice was polluted, so he reached out and ate the dirty rice in the pot. Confucius said that what he believed was what he saw with his own eyes; I rely on my own heart, but my heart is also unreliable. Disciple, you should remember that it is not easy to understand others.