Zengzi lived in the kingdom of Wei. He wore an old patched robe without lining, his face was drawn, and his hands and feet were covered with calluses. He didn’t light a fire in the house for three days, and didn’t buy new clothes for ten years. If he straightens his hat, the strings will come off; if he grabs the collar, his elbows will come out of the shabby sleeves; if he grabs his sandals, the backs will come off.
But shuffling his sandals, he sang ancient hymns, and his voice, like the ringing of metal and jasper, filled Heaven and Earth. The Emperor more than once wanted to make Zengzi his advisor, but he refused. Many appanage rulers would have considered it an honor to have him among their friends, but he was in no hurry to become friends with them either.
It is not without reason that they say that the one who nurtures the will within himself forgets about the body, and the one who seeks Tao forgets about the mind.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru