Let's look at a pair of top students, Xu Fei F incarnation (1838-1907):

Wen Gong is the foundation of filial piety, while Li Le is the joy of poetry and calligraphy.

In this couplet, "Wen Gong is the foundation of filial piety, Li Le is the joy of poetry, and poetry is simple". "Wen Gong" and "filial piety" mentioned in couplets can be regarded as the inherent requirement of self-cultivation, the premise of being a man and the starting point of doing things. The "rites and music" and "poetry books" mentioned in the second couplet can be regarded as external tools for self-cultivation, discipline restraint and cultural edification.

Look at Mr. Li Hongzhang again (1823- 190 1):

Follow the rules, stand by and face the truth bravely.

"Follow the rules, keep promises, and establish the ceremony of Delong", the first part says, that is, abide by the rules, abide by the credit, establish virtues, and carry forward the ceremony and righteousness.

The second part of this book, "Rooted in nuclear art and embracing truth", says-we should base ourselves on the avenue, pay attention to methods, and remain gentle and sincere.

In the second couplet, "Tao" and "Shu" are relative, "Tao" belongs to the fundamental level, and "Shu" is similar to "Shu" and belongs to the method level; Shu and Zhen are also relative. "Shu" is gentle, has temperature and can be discussed, while "truth" is firm, upright, uncompromising and there is no room for bargaining.

Think of it as a pair of princes (1752- 1823), Yongzheng X and ng:

As tall and straight as a true cloud, as warm as Ruiyu, as light as spring in Chun Xue.

The first couplet is "as straight as a true cloud, as warm as Ruiyu", which means-as straight as a loyal bamboo, as soft as a blessing.

The second couplet "Bathing in Chun Xue is as light as a spring" means that it is as clean as washing in Chun Xue and as pure as flowing spring water in a mountain stream.

The ancients said that a friend of a gentleman is as light as water. Quiet clouds: the mountain source is clear, and the water outside the mountain is dark. "Light as a spring" is exactly what it means.

Then look at Teacher Yang Sisun (1823- 1889):

A quiet and impressive person can cultivate self-cultivation, and a sage should describe the past and be content with the present.

The first part of the book "Static Ability to Observe People's Weakness and Cultivate Self-cultivation" says that "static" and "weakness" are the basic skills to observe people's self-cultivation. This sentence is an intertextual rhetorical device, which means that both "quietness" and "emptiness" can "observe people" and "cultivate one's morality", and so can the second couplet.

The "quiet" here means calm, not impulsive or impatient. The ancients often said that "everything is quiet" and "nothing is far from peace" all mean this. The "emptiness" here is to empty yourself, that is, to have an empty cup mentality, that is, to have no subjective selfish distractions. People often say that "if you are not complacent, you will stop and succeed after a few years" and "make people progress with humility", which is also the meaning.

The second part of "Sages should talk about the past and be satisfied with the present" says that "saints" and "knowledge" are the basic prerequisites for learning history and understanding today.

The "saints" here are used to make moral judgments, that is, to distinguish right from wrong. "Knowledge" is "wisdom" (a general term), which is used to make scientific judgments, that is, to find out right and wrong. Understanding the rights and wrongs of ancient and modern China and foreign countries is also the unremitting pursuit of self-cultivation.

Let's look at Mr. Wang Fuchang ān (1879- 1960):

Han Duan's golden words are bright and clear, and his arms are like autumn frost and moon.

The first part of the book, the word "broken gold", means "writing with a brush, xuān is like falling broken gold and shining"; The words are written in chapters, just like dancing bright tulle and colorful silk.

"xuān" here means flying, and the original meaning of "Hu ú" refers to the light and transparent silk fabric with wrinkles on the surface, also known as crepe. Mr. Dongpo has a saying that "the night is calm and flowing". This song "Waiting for the weather" describes the subtle ripples on the water.

It should be noted that the explanation of this sentence is often wrongly written as "broken gold", which is a deciduous tree, that is, a tree (also known as Broussonetia papyrifera). If you look at the ink on it, the lower left part of the word "ho" is "silk", not "grain". This word must be distinguished (this word is often misspelled in the interpretation of auction works, as shown below)

The second part of the couplet, "I feel like I am walking on the moon and in the autumn frost", means-I am as open-minded as the bright moon in the rain; Acting uprightly is like autumn frost.

"Gigi √" here means that it will clear up after rain (or snow). After the rain clears, the sky seems to have been washed, and the moon will be particularly bright at this time. It is very appropriate to compare people with magnanimity. "Lieliè" here means equality and equality. We often say that "autumn water leaves no dust", and here "autumn frost" also means clean, without a trace of fine dust. This metaphor is also appropriate for people to do things aboveboard.

Looking at this couplet as a whole, the first couplet stresses literary talent and calligraphy, the second couplet stresses prudence, the first couplet stresses talent and intelligence, and the second couplet stresses virtue. Having both ability and political integrity is also a gentleman's unremitting pursuit of self-cultivation.

Some people may say that couplets require couplets to end with conjunctions. Here, the couplet is associated with the word "Han Pojin", and the last word "Hu" is two tones (the first sound). Is it flat? Why did the ancients write couplets so loosely and carelessly?

In fact, this "sound" was pronounced Rusheng in ancient times (Rusheng words sound very short, as if they would be sucked back as soon as they are pronounced), which belongs to Rusheng. Indeed, that's what the ancients wrote

Let's look at a few more examples. Usually, at the end of the first couplet, we often see such words as "virtue", "happiness" and "out", such as "Wan Li is perfect, and a century-old career is followed by new people", "harmony is full of happiness, and the word" harmony "is better than a thousand dollars" and "white stones in the west of Beijing are out, and red leaves are rare in cold days". These words are all pronounced in ancient times and belong to the word "Yi".

Then look at Mr. He Weipu (1844- 1925):

Zou Dezhong Dao Mei Shen Long Mu, the amount of gas from the ocean and the sky.

"Zou Dezhong Dao Mei Shen Longmu" means-I want to learn from Zou Mei's moral character and carry forward Shen Mu's road.

Zou Mei here refers to Zou Yang and Mei Cheng in Han Dynasty, both of whom were famous for their eloquence at that time.

The "Shenmu" here may refer to Shen Buhai, a legalist figure in the Warring States Period, and Qin Mugong, one of the "five tyrants" in the Spring and Autumn Period. Both of them belong to the category of "overbearing" (as opposed to "kingly way") in China tradition. But who is the author referring to? I really don't understand. Let's doubt it.

The bottom line "measure the smoke from rivers and seas" means-my mind is broad enough to accommodate rivers and seas; I have an extraordinary spirit. I can often smoke a cigarette.

On the whole, it seems that the upper and lower links are a bit uncoordinated. Compared with the splendor of the second part, the first part is inevitably stingy-none of the characters it admires seem to be as good as the first part. As the saying goes, "take the law." It is good to learn from saints. Here might as well change:

Morality and morality are old, and smoke escapes from the river and sea.

The "Tang Wen" here refers to Shang Tang and Zhou Wenwang, and is a lofty example of Confucian morality; "Huang Lao" refers to Huangdi and Laozi, the founders of Taoist monasticism.

Let's look at Mr. Gao Shixiong (192 1-20 19):

Temperature doesn't increase flowers, cold doesn't change leaves, and mountain water collection is false and true.

The first couplet "No flowers in warm weather, no leaves in cold weather" means that when the weather is warm, its flowers will not bloom more; When the weather is cold, its leaves will not wither. Here, evergreen pines and cypresses are used to describe the constancy of a gentleman's virtue.

This sentence comes from Zhuge Liang's On Communication, and the original text is as follows:

Snobbish friends can't go far. Knowing each other, warmth does not increase China, cold does not change leaves, but four seasons, adventure is beneficial.

The bottom line is that "the mountains are empty and the water flows in reality", which means that only when the mountains are empty can we accept all kinds of phenomena, and only when the water is solid can we flow everything.

This sentence comes from Chen Jiru, a scholar in the Ming Dynasty, and the original text is as follows:

The mountain is empty and the water flows with the reality. Reading is regarded as such a view.

This is a metaphor. When reading, you must actively input and accept knowledge with an open mind. After digesting and absorbing this knowledge, we will actively practice and strive to export and serve the public. Simply put-accept it for nothing and practice it in practice.

? Mr. Hu Shi once said, "Make bold assumptions and be careful to verify". This "bold assumption" can be regarded as extensive reading and extensive input. And "serious verification" needs to be serious and serious again. It is hard work for you to judge the truth of what you have learned. Many masters have only made a little contribution to the intellectual heritage of mankind in their lifetime. But it is also the accumulation of this brick and tile that has built a magnificent building of human knowledge. Or Mr. Lu Xun put it well:

The history of human bloody battles is like the formation of coal. A lot of wood was used at that time, but only a small piece was found.

(Note: The pictures in this article are all from the Internet. Please leave a message if copyright is involved. )