岳阳楼：先忧后乐的智慧
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老桑说
岳阳南湖湖光一色
李白曾这样描述这里的景色：
“水天一色，无风无月。”
杜甫也在《登岳阳楼》中写道：
“昔闻洞庭水,今上岳阳楼。”
历代以来，岳阳楼启发了很多人。
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。」
老桑在岳阳楼景区
你是否曾有过一成不变的生活?也许你一直很沮丧，或者为自己感到难过。你可以尝试着振作起来，但有时却发现自己很难摆脱苦闷无聊的境况。而冬天的阴郁和夏天的炎热会让我们情绪低落。如果你现在处于这种状态，那么正好，我今天有一些好消息要告诉你。
在我最近的中国之行中，我去了岳阳，一个位于湖南省长沙市北部约150公里的城市。我来到了君山岛以探索黄茶的原产地。我们还乘船穿过洞庭湖，洞庭湖是中国五大湖泊之一。由于该湖地处长江流域的一个洪泛区，它得以与更加广阔的国内水道相连。
从岳阳楼往君山岛看
高高地矗立在洞庭湖岸边aloft（高处的）是岳阳楼，那里可以看到湖的全貌、君山岛以及周围的城市。历史追溯至公元220年，它最初被用于军事和防御的目的，但后来成为了一处无数文人墨客登临远眺，unburden（吐露）心声，留下许多诗词歌赋的地方。
岳阳楼
公元8世纪的唐朝诗人李白曾这样描述这里的景色：“水天一色，无风无月。”在同一时期，杜甫在《登岳阳楼》中写道：“昔闻洞庭水,今上岳阳楼。”历代以来，岳阳楼启发了很多人。
Memorial to Yueyang Tower
岳阳楼记
然而，描写岳阳楼的最著名的作品是范仲淹的《岳阳楼记》。范仲淹是北宋时期名臣，杰出的思想家、政治家、文学家。这篇作品现在被雕刻在了12块红木屏风上，游客在进入楼里的时候就能见到它。1045年，范仲淹写下这篇作品来鼓励他的朋友，时任巴陵郡守滕子京。
《岳阳楼记》
在文章中，范仲淹歌颂了岳阳楼的历史与自然之美。同时他也分享了人生的一课，认为我们应该：“不以物喜,不以己悲”。对于当权者而言，他们应该为人民服务：“居庙堂之高,则忧其民。”
岳阳楼阁一角
但也许这首诗最著名的是一句劝诫：“先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐。”换句话说，领导者应该首先关心他人，最后才考虑自己享受。这种忧国忧民的理想抱负一直传承到今天。
First bitter, then sweet
先苦后甜
随着时间的流逝，这篇作品的意义已经扩展到适用于我们所有人的广度上了。国家对人民有义务，但是人民也对国家有责任。这就创造了一个良性的循环，在这个循环中，每一方都能与另一方合作，创造一个人人都能从中受益和成长的环境。
在1961年的就职演说中，总统约翰•肯尼迪（John F. Kennedy）说：“因此，我的同胞们：不要问你的国家能为你做什么，而是应该问问自己能为国家做点什么。“他要求每个美国人都以某种方式为公共利益做出贡献。
岳阳楼景区新碑廊
由此来看，范仲淹的文字表达了一种更加旷达的胸怀：“先忧后乐”，从而面对人生各个方面的问题。只有 “吃得苦中苦，方为人上人”，只有“先苦后甜”才能“富贵万年” 。
Find pleasure in helping others
助人为乐
你可能听说过这样一句中文格言：“如果你想快乐一小时,打个盹;如果你想快乐一天,去钓鱼;如果你想快乐一年,继承一笔财产;如果你想快乐一生,帮助别人。”
“给予就是我们的收获”——圣方济各
如果你现在觉得乏味，一个surefire（肯定有效的）方法是把注意力从自己身上移开，转而去帮助别人。无论的努力或大或小，你都会感觉更好。
岳阳楼景区
我们付出多少并不重要，重要的是我们投入了多少的热爱。如果你喜欢教学，你可以辅导学业有问题的学生完成家庭作业。如果你是一个富有同情心的人，你可以照顾生病的亲戚一段时间。如果你工作太忙，你可以向学校或为弱势群体服务的慈善机构捐款。
虽然你不会为了得到任何回报而帮助别人，但你在创造一种氛围，让别人在你需要的时候也能帮助你。有些人认为这是一种交换，其他人则认为这是一种“善业”。不管怎样，当你做好事的时候，总会有善缘来回报你。
你能想象当自己帮助别人的时候，你会感到不舒服吗?可能不会。众所周知，做好事的最大好处之一就是你会感觉很棒。科学研究已经一次又一次地证明了这一点。帮助别人是一个让自己感觉更棒的好方法，它能提升你的情绪和自我价值。
想想上次你让别人微笑的情景。感觉很棒吧？就是这么简单。
通过将我们的注意力转移到其他人那里，我们经常会意识到自己的“问题”其实并没有一开始想的那么糟糕。有时他们甚至就miraculous（神奇的）自己恢复了。
下面是一些能够通过帮助他人来使自己畅达的具体方法
对别人微笑，不管你是否认识他们。
给曾经帮助过你的人写封信，让他们知道自己的帮助是怎样影响到你如今生活的。
给老朋友寄一个惊喜包裹，不管是否是他们的生日。
赠送一本励志书籍，比如《钻石就在你家后院》。
给他人一个拥抱。
把你的一些旧衣服送人。
让你的家人和朋友知道你爱他们。
为你关心的事业做志愿者。
送别人一束花。
为那些与你可能面临的类似问题(如减肥或疾病)作斗争的人建立一个支持小组。
参加一个短期志愿服务，帮助一个你可以通过教学或提供你所拥有的技能来服务的社区。
岳阳门
Fortress（堡垒）一样的岳阳门打开了一道门洞直穿过城墙，保护城市免受入侵，正所谓：”一夫当关,万夫莫开”。这句谚语象征着我们的思想和行动。如果你保护自己的心灵和思想不受消极内容和外人的影响，这样就能创造一个保护自我的环境，使自己不那么容易受到他人的攻击。
老桑与岳阳朋友
黄茶
岳阳剁椒鱼头
我的朋友，岳阳楼的诗句鼓励着一代又一代的人去做善意的事。虽然文章最初的用意是号召当权者为百姓谋福祉，但它也可以应用到我们自己的生活中，号召我们帮助别人以使自己安心。研究表明，分享我们的时间和财富是幸福的关键，也有助于治愈自我的忧郁。试一试，看看你自己——还有别人——能否得以振作起来。
本文部分图片来源网络。
往期文章
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英文版
English
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Yueyang Tower:
help others to help yourself
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
Have you ever been in a rut? Perhaps you have been down or feeling sorry for yourself. You try to pick yourself up, but sometimes you find it hard to escape the blahs. The doldrums of winter and heat of the summer can also get us down. If you’re in this state now, I have some good news for you today.
On my recent visit to China, I went to Yueyang, a city about 150 km (100 mi) north of Changsha, in Hunan province. I went to tour Junshan Island to explore yellow tea’s place of origin. We went by boat across Dongting Lake, one of the five largest lakes in China. As the lake is a flood basin of the Yangtze River, it is connected to greater China’s waterways.
And sitting high aloft the shore of Dongting Lake is Yueyang Tower, offering panoramic views of the lake, Junshan Island, and the surrounding city. Dating back to AD 220, it was first used for military and defense purposes, but later became a place where countless people sought to ascend in life, unburden their hearts, and even compose poetry.
Yueyang Tower
8th century Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai described the scenery as “The water and the sky merge in one color, and the wonders of natural beauty are boundless.” During this same era, Du Fu, in his Ascending Yueyang Tower, wrote ,“Of old I heard of the waters of Dongting Lake, now I've climbed to the top of Yueyang Tower.” For many generations, Yueyang Tower has inspired many.
Memorial to Yueyang Tower
However, Yueyang Tower’s most famous poem is the Memorial to Yueyang Tower by Fan Zhongyan, a famous Northern Song Dynasty minister and author. The poem, now carved into a 12-piece rosewood screen, greets visitors as they enter the tower. In the year 1045, Fan wrote the poem to encourage his friend Teng Zijing, who was the local prefecture chief at the time.
View from Yueyang Tower
In the poem, Fan extols the history and natural beauty of the tower. But he also shares a life lesson, saying that we should “not become attached to material things, not to pity oneself.” For those in power, they were to serve the people: “When they were in high position in the Imperial Court, they would be concerned about the people.”
Yueyang Tower Scenic Area
But perhaps the most famous line of the poem is the exhortation, “to be the first to worry about the affairs of the state and the last to enjoy oneself.” In other words, leaders should be the first to show concern and the last to enjoy themselves. This ideal of being concerned about one’s country and people has extended to the present day.
First bitter, then sweet
Over time, the meaning of Fan’s verse has been expanded to apply to us all. The state has an obligation to the people, but the people also have an obligation to the state. This creates a positive cycle where each side cooperates with the other, creating an environment where everyone benefits and grows.
In his 1961 inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy said, “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” He challenged every American to contribute in some way to the public good.
By extension, Fan’s words have given rise to a more general mindset to “grieve first, rejoice afterwards” in almost any aspect of life. Only if you can stand the hardest of hardships can you hope to rise in society. If you endure “bitter” trials and tribulations in your early years, you will enjoy the “sweetness” of your success in many years to come.
Find pleasure in helping others
You have probably heard the Chinese saying, “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” For centuries, the greatest thinkers have suggested the same thing: happiness is found in helping others.
“For it is in giving that we receive”
— Saint Francis of Assisi
Ancient City Wall
If you’re feeling in a rut at the moment, one surefire way to get out is to take the focus off yourself and help someone else. No matter how big or small the effort, you’ll feel better.
How much we give is not as important as how much love we put into giving. If you enjoy teaching, you can help a troubled student with their homework. If you’re a compassionate person, you can spend some time with a sick relative. If you’re too busy with work, you can donate to a school or a charity that serves disadvantaged persons. Give what you love to do.
Although you don’t help others in order to receive anything in return, you are creating an environment where others will help you when you need it. Some may call it quid pro quo, others may call it creating good karma. Either way, when you do good, some good will return to you.
Can you ever think of a time when you helped someone and felt bad about it? Probably not. It’s well known that one of the greatest benefits of doing good is that you’ll feel great. Studies have proven this over and over again. Helping others is a great way to feel better about yourself, which boosts your mood and self-worth.
Think of the last time you made someone smile. Didn’t it feel great? It’s that simple.
By shifting our attention to others, we often realize that our “problems” are not as bad as we perceived them to be in the first place. Sometimes they are even miraculously healed.
Here are some specific ways you can help yourself by helping others:
Smile at someone, regardless of whether you know them or not. Or send a smiley emoji text to someone.
Write a letter to someone who has helped you in the past, letting them know how their support has influenced your life today.
Send a surprise package to an old friend, regardless of whether it’s their birthday.
Give away an inspirational book, such as Acres of Diamonds.
Give someone a hug.
Give some of your old clothes away.
Let your family and friends know you love them.
Volunteer for a cause that you care about.
Give a bouquet of flowers to someone.
Start a support group for people struggling with similar issues you may be facing, such as weight loss or illness.
Take a volunteer vacation, going to a community that you can serve by teaching or otherwise offering a skill you have.
Yueyang Gate
The fortress-like Yueyang Gate opens to a tunnel through the city wall, protecting the city from invasion: “If one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot get through.” This is a metaphor for our thoughts and actions. If you guard your heart and mind from negative content and people, you create a protective environment where you are less susceptible to others’ attacks.
My friend, Yueyang Tower’s poetic verse has inspired generations to do good. Although originally a call to state leaders, it can also be applied to our own lives, calling us to help others to help ourselves. Research has shown that giving our time and treasure is the key to happiness and can also cure a bout of the blues. Give it a try, and see yourself—and others—perk up.
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Aloft \ ə-ˈlȯft \
a)含义：adj. 在空中的；在高处的
b)例句：
i.And sitting high aloft the shore of Dongting Lake is Yueyang Tower, offering panoramic views of the lake, Junshan Island, and the surrounding city.
高高地矗立在洞庭湖岸边高处的是岳阳楼，那里可以看到湖的全貌、君山岛以及周围的城市。
ii.If you would go up high, then use your own legs. Do not let yourself be carried aloft, and do not sit on the backs and heads of others.
如果你想登上高处，那么请用你自己的双腿。不要让人把你搬到高处，不要坐在别人的背上和头上向上爬。
c)近义词： above, over, overhead
2.Unburden
\ ˌən-ˈbər-dᵊn \
a)含义：v. 吐露
b)例句：
i.Dating back to AD 220, it was first used for military and defense purposes, but later became a place where countless people sought to ascend in life, unburden their hearts, and even compose poetry.
历史追溯至公元220年，它最初被用于军事和防御的目的，但后来成为了一处无数文人墨客登临远眺，吐露心声甚至留下许多诗歌作品的地方。
ii.There's got to be somebody in the world to whom you can unburden yourself.
这世界上总有那么一个人你可以向他吐露心事。
c)近义词：divest, free, relieve
3.Surefire \ ˈshu̇r-ˈfī(-ə)r \
a)含义：adj. 一定成功的
b)例句：
i.If you’re feeling in a rut at the moment, one surefire way to get out is to take the focus off yourself and help someone else.
如果你现在觉得乏味，一个肯定有效的方法是把注意力从自己身上移开，转而去帮助别人。
ii.That’s your surefire route to ultimate success.
困难是你最终成功的必经之路。
c)近义词：certain, infallible, unfailing
4.Miraculous \ mə-ˈra-kyə-ləs \
a)含义：adj. 不可思议的
b)例句：
i.Sometimes they are even miraculously healed.
有时他们甚至就神奇的自己恢复了。
ii.The caterpillar completes the miraculous transformation into a beautiful adult butterfly in about two weeks.
毛虫大约在两个星期内完成神奇的蜕变，变成一只美丽的蝴蝶。
c)近义词：magical, supernatural, unearthly
5.Fortress \ ˈfȯr-trəs \
a)含义：n. 堡垒
b)例句：
i.The fortress-like Yueyang Gate opened to a tunnel through the city wall, protecting the city from invasion: “If one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot get through.”
堡垒一样的岳阳门打开了一道门洞直穿过城墙，保护城市免受入侵，正所谓：”一夫当关，万夫莫开“。
ii.They yielded the fortress to the enemy.
他们把要塞让给了敌人。
c)近义词：bastion, citadel, redoubt
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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