Wang Yongbin, also known as Mr. Yishan, lived through five periods in his life: Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng and Tongzhi. He didn't like the imperial examination, so he was awarded the title of Gongsheng Examination very late, and became a Xiuzhilang, and later he was a candidate for teaching. He studied extensively throughout his life and was diligent in writing.
He mentioned the origin of this book at the beginning of "Night Talk around the Stove": Wailing around the stove on a cold night is the fun of the Tian family. Isn't it a wasted night to be silent or to laugh and have fun? I was a barely literate peasant, and when I got together with my family in the evening to roast sweet potatoes over a charcoal fire, I came up with something and told my son to write it down and save it, titled "Night Talk Around the Fire".
He described a rather warm scene: at the end of the year and in the cold weather, he and his family gathered around the fire to talk at night, while roasting sweet potatoes, he told his children and grandchildren what he had gained and felt in life. Perhaps it is this atmosphere that sets the natural and friendly tone of the book. It's not a sermon or a nonsense article, it's just an elder telling you his philosophy of life. This philosophy is Confucian, literati, rural, and the most Chinese.
For example,
Regarding being a good person, he said: If you live for more than a hundred years, you must always be a good person, have good intentions, and leave an example to future generations. Everyone has a permanent career to make a living, so there is no need to meddle in other people's business, gossip, and waste my serious time.
Regarding reading, he said: Even if your family is poor, you must leave the seeds of reading; no matter how rich you are, you must not forget the hardships of farming.
Regarding making friends, he said: When making friends, you must pay attention to learn their good points in order to benefit; when it comes to the words of sages, you must practice them in your usual way before you can be considered a student.
Regarding life, he said: There is a free and unrestrained mind in the sorrow, and the spring breeze is full of peace; in the darkness, you can see the bright world, and this heart is the blue sky in the daytime.
There are no shocking words in the whole book. They are all based on life experience. The simple words have rich connotations, giving people a feeling of spring breeze blowing on the face and moisturizing things silently.
Reader comments
The painting is quite nice, but the combination of classical Chinese and vernacular language in the article is a bit inconsistent. Overall, it feels like listening to a high school class teacher's class meeting. There is nothing to gain, just some principles of how to deal with people, but it still feels good after reading it, like an old man talking.
This book is like a kind elder chatting with you and sharing his wisdom on life. The author Wang Yongbin conveys many principles about life, reading, making friends, and dealing with the world through simple stories and plain words. The content in the book is easy to understand and full of profound meaning, making people feel warm and inspired while reading. Just like the family sitting around the fire on a cold winter night, listening to the elders talk about those sincere philosophies of life.
The painting is quite nice, but the combination of classical Chinese and vernacular language in the article is a bit inconsistent. Overall, it feels like listening to a high school class teacher's class meeting. There is nothing to gain, just some principles of how to deal with people, but it still feels good after reading it, like an old man talking.
This book is like a kind elder chatting with you and sharing his wisdom on life. The author Wang Yongbin conveys many principles about life, reading, making friends, and dealing with the world through simple stories and plain words. The content in the book is easy to understand and full of profound meaning, making people feel warm and inspired while reading. Just like the family sitting around the fire on a cold winter night, listening to the elders talk about those sincere philosophies of life.