Every day a little progress - 101 big truths in the small story of diligent learning

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Humble and Curious Yang Wanli was a famous poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, known for his profound knowledge and exceptional talent. His poems were celebrated far and wide. However, he remained modest and humble throughout his life. In Jiangxi, there was a scholar who was always very arrogant. He often claimed to be the most knowledgeable person in the world, with no one surpassing him. Later, he heard about Yang Wanli's fame and became very envious. He decided to write a letter to Yang Wanli, saying he would come in person to Yang Wanli's hometown—Jishui—to pay him a visit. Yang Wanli had long heard about this scholar's extreme arrogance and replied with a letter, saying, "I welcome your visit. May I make a small request? I've heard that your hometown is famous for a dish called 'Pei Yan You Shu.' I would love to taste it myself. Could you bring some along when you come?" The scholar opened the letter and was instantly stunned. What was 'Pei Yan You Shu'? He had never heard of it. He thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out. He was too proud to ask others for help. So, he went around the streets searching everywhere but couldn't find it. Later, he couldn't think of anything else and came to Jishui empty-handed. After greeting Yang Wanli, he asked, "The dish you mentioned in your letter, 'Pei Yan You Shu,' is it sold in a remote place? I looked for it for a long time but couldn't find it. I'm truly sorry!" Yang Wanli laughed heartily, "It's available in every household." With that, he casually picked up a book called "Yun Lue" from the shelf and opened a page in the middle. The scholar took it and saw clearly written, "Soybean paste. Also known as Pei Yan You Shu." He then realized that the so-called 'Pei Yan You Shu' was simply fermented soybean paste, a common household dish! Fermented soybean paste is made by soaking and boiling soybeans or black beans, then fermenting them before adding salt. This home-cooked side dish is also known as 'Pei Yan You Shu.' The scholar felt deeply ashamed and understood that he had read too little. From then on, he no longer dared to be arrogant or look down on others.
Learning Corner
Never be afraid to seek knowledge. Those who pretend to understand when they don't will never truly master skills. Therefore, during the learning process, we should ask more questions and boldly raise our doubts. By consulting teachers and classmates, we can only truly grasp knowledge by understanding it and remembering it through comprehension.