"Silence cultivates the body, frugality nourishes virtue, not calmness is not enough, not serenity is not enough to get far." What does it mean?

The meaning of this sentence is to improve one's own cultivation from tranquility, and to cultivate one's own character by frugality. Without tranquillity and widowhood one cannot clarify one's ambitions, and without removing external disturbances one cannot reach a far-reaching goal. Cultivate one's body: personal character cultivation. Cultivate Virtue: to cultivate one's character. Temperance: also written as "tantalizing", to be quiet and not greedy for fame and fortune. The mind is tranquil and unattractive to fame and fortune. To have a clear mind and little desire. Mingzhi: to show one's lofty aspirations. Tranquility: here refers to quietness, concentration and not distraction. Zhiyuan: to realize a far-reaching goal.

The sentence comes from a letter written by Zhuge Liang, a statesman of the Three Kingdoms period, to his son Zhuge Zhan before his death, which is called "The Book of Commandment to the Son", the original text of which reads as follows:

The gentleman's behavior is to be quiet in order to cultivate his body, and frugal in order to cultivate his virtue. If you are not indifferent, you can't be clear, and if you are not quiet, you can't be far-sighted. The study must be quiet, and the talent must be learned. Non-study can not be wide talent, non-motivation can not become learning. Slow and obscene can not motivate the essence, the risk of restlessness can not be ruled. Years and time, the intention and the day to go, so into the withered, more than not to receive the world, sad to keep the poor hut, will be back how to!

Interpretation of the vernacular: the behavior and conduct of the gentleman, from tranquility to improve their own cultivation, to thrift to cultivate their own character. Without tranquillity and reticence one cannot be clear about one's ambitions, and without removing external distractions one cannot reach ambitious goals. Learning must be quiet and concentrated, and talent comes from learning. So if you don't study, you can't grow in talent, and if you don't have ambition, you can't make your study a success.

It is not possible to revitalize the spirit of indulgence and laziness, and it is not possible to cultivate the temperament of the people if they are impatient and adventurous. The years of time and light and speed, the will with the years and pass away. Eventually withered and scattered, most do not touch the world, not for the community to use, can only sadly sit and guard the poor residence, then how to regret it is too late?

Expanded Information

Background: This article was written in the twelfth year of the Jianxing period of the Shu Han Dynasty (234 years), and it is a letter written by Zhuge Liang in his later years to his eight-year-old son, Zhuge Zhan. Zhuge Liang's life for the country, bowing and scraping, until death. He worked day and night for the national cause of Shu Han, and could not take care of educating his son personally, so he wrote this letter to admonish Zhuge Zhan.

The main theme of the "Book of Commandments" is to urge his son to study hard and to cultivate his character from the calmness and quietness, and to avoid idleness and impatience. The article summarizes the experience of being a man of learning, focusing on a "quiet" word to discuss, and at the same time, the failure is attributed to a "manic" word, a sharp contrast.

In the Book of Commandments, Zhuge Liang educates his son to be "tranquil" and "serene" and encourages his son to study hard and work hard to cultivate himself from the tranquility and serenity. Zhuge Liang educates his son not to be impetuous and behave absurdly. In the latter part of the letter, he teaches his son in the tone of a loving father: if the young and strong don't work hard, the old will be sad in their old age. This seems to be a cliché, but it is a father who teaches his son, words and phrases are the heart of the truth, is the summary of his life, and is therefore particularly cherished.

This "Book of Commandments" not only explains the ways and means of cultivating one's character, but also points out the relationship between ambition and learning; it not only explains the importance of serenity and calmness, but also points out the dangers of indulgence and laziness, and the danger of radical impatience. Zhuge Liang not only in the general principles of his son strict requirements, good guidance, and even in some specific things also reflects the children of the subtle care.

In this "Book of Commandments", there is the power of serenity: "quietness to cultivate oneself", "non-tranquility can not be far-reaching"; there is the power of thrift: "thrift to nourish virtue"; there is the power of transcendence There is the power of learning: "learning must be quiet, talent must be learned"; there is the power of motivation: "non-study can not broaden the talent, non-motivation can not become a learning"; There is the power of time: "the year and the time to go, the intention to go with the year"; the power of imagination: "then become withered, more than not to receive the world, sad to keep the poor hut, will be how and"; the power of simplicity. This article is just a few dozen words, the message conveyed, compared to the long, commandment effect is much better.