During the Northern Dynasties, a great good man named Li Shiqian appeared in Pingji (now Zhao County, Hebei Province). Li Shiqian lost her father when she was a child. When I was young, I joined the army in Wei Guangping Palace. After his mother died, he resigned from his official position and returned to his hometown to live a quiet and peaceful life with his wife and children.
Li Shiqian's family is a famous big family in Zhaojun area, with a well-off family. But his own life is very frugal, and he often teaches his wife and children to save food and oppose extravagance and waste. On one occasion, Li Shiqian's favorite little daughter threw half a white flour steamed bread to the dog to make it happy. Li Shiqian was distressed and angry when she saw it. He never hits anyone. He made an exception and hit the "Eye of Heaven". My daughter cried very sadly. Li Shiqian wiped her tears and told her how difficult it was for farmers to grow food. Every grain of grain is soaked with their blood and sweat, so we must cherish the grain. The daughter seemed to understand her father's words and stopped crying slowly.
However, Li Shiqian was very generous to the people in famine and often donated money to help the poor for fun.
One year, there was a spring drought in Zhao county, and many families were short of food, unable to open the pot, and even the seeds that should be sown were gone. When Li Shiqian learned of the situation, he immediately posted a notice, hoping to take out 65438+100000 mangoku grain from his granary and lend it to the villagers who lacked food in case of famine. This summer, another natural disaster happened. During the autumn harvest, the villagers didn't get a grain, so it was difficult to support their families, let alone have enough food to pay off their debts. Everyone came to ask Li in succession, hoping to postpone the repayment.
Li Shiqian was also very sad about the poor harvest. He didn't feel sorry for the villagers' inability to repay their debts and their failure to receive10 million stone grain, but thought that people's lives would be poorer and more difficult. Thinking about it, he couldn't help but burst into tears. Now the villagers came to ask him, and he said emotionally, "I lent the villagers food to help them tide over the famine, not for profit." Since the disaster and poor harvest this year, you don't have to pay back the borrowed food! "
The villagers were very surprised and whispered together.
When Li saw this scene, he knew that the villagers didn't fully believe him. He specially ordered the chef to prepare several tables for the villagers to eat. During the dinner, Li Shiqian raised his glass and sincerely said, "Folks, you have worked hard for a year! I propose a toast to everyone, please help yourself to a meal! "
Seeing Li Shiqian's sincere attitude and knowing that he is a good man, the villagers put down their stomachs and ate and drank for a while.
After everyone had had enough to eat and drink, Li Shiqian had a stove moved in the middle of the yard, and then all the villagers' IOUs were taken out and put on the table next to the stove. He went to the table, picked up a thick stack of IOUs and said to everyone, "This is your contract to borrow grain. I, Li Shiqian, keep my word, and now I burn it in public. The food borrowed by the villagers does not need to be returned. " Say that finish, personally put the IOUs into the burning stove.
The IOUs were rolling and burning in the stove, and the blazing fire reflected on the villagers' cheeks, and everyone was moved to tears.
The next year, the weather was favorable and the villagers happily ushered in a bumper harvest year. People who borrowed Li Shiqian's grain did not forget his great kindness, and they all rushed to pay their debts with donkeys carrying grain.
Li Shiqian's compound was dark and crowded with people, and the donkey's barking and the people's barking became one. The villagers said in unison, "Li saved our lives when we were in danger, and everyone is very grateful." Thanks to you, there was a bumper harvest of grain this year. Although the IOUs are burned, everyone knows. If you don't pay off last year's debt, everyone is really sorry, please accept it! "
Li Shiqian gave a hand and said, "Don't mention last year. When the villagers are in trouble, I take out some food to help them, which is nothing. I am very happy for you, because this year's harvest is good, but your family is thin, and you need these grains. Let's all take it back! "
No matter what the villagers say, Li Shiqian is determined not to accept it. After Xie Wan's gratitude, everyone had to carry the food home.
A few years later, there was a drought in Zhaojun area, the river drought bottomed out, the land cracked, and the grain was not harvested. Some people left their homes and fled to other places to beg, while others lived by eating bark and grass roots. The eight neighboring towns are full of hungry victims. Many victims starved to death, and some people even ate people.
Li Shiqian did his best and generously set up many porridge sheds in the village to supply porridge to the hungry twice a day. He often goes to the porridge shed, with tears in his eyes, and personally delivers porridge to the hungry and swollen victims. Thanks to his help, thousands of victims survived.
In addition, Li Shiqian also lost everything, collecting and burying the bones of hungry people who starved to death in the wilderness. When spring blooms, he takes out grain seeds and distributes them to poor households to help them grow spring grain and resume production. Li Shiqian's charitable act of selflessly helping villagers won people's praise. Many farmers in Zhao county are very grateful to him. They often tell Li's kindness with tears and runny noses: "If Li didn't lend a helping hand, how could we be alive today!"
Another year, a plague suddenly prevailed in Zhao County, and the horror of death enveloped tens of thousands of people. They are short of money and medicine, and they are bedridden after illness and are in great pain. They can only wait for the arrival of death, and many people's lives have been ruthlessly taken away. Unfortunately, Li Shiqian's little daughter was also infected with the plague. Overnight, Li Shiqian's temple climbed the silver line. He loves his daughter dearly and sympathizes with many people in cloth who are struggling with death like his daughter.
While seeking medical treatment for her daughter, Li Shiqian tried her best to heal the wounded and rescue the dying, help unrelated people prepare medicines and treat diseases, give help in life, send meals and money, and even contribute to burying the remains of the deceased. He spent more than 10,000 stone grain for this purpose and saved many people. Once, Li, his good friend, asked him, "Are you distressed that you have spent so much money for others?" Li Shiqian replied with emotion: "Money is a foreign thing. Not alive, not dead. What a pity if I try my best to help the villagers, bring them some warmth and save their lives? " ! "
Li Shiqian has been charitable for 30 years. Whoever is in a hurry and in trouble, he will enthusiastically lend a helping hand and give generously to help others.
Eight years after Emperor Wendi's reign, Li Shiqian died. When people in Zhao county heard the bad news, they all cried like their dead parents, and they were extremely sad. On the day of Li Shiqian's funeral, more than 65.438 million people came from all directions to attend the funeral. People wore white mourning clothes and white mourning crowns, and the funeral procession stretched for miles. Everyone walked silently, deeply mourning their great benefactor.