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Emperor T'ang's 100 Character Reminder
Translation & Commentary by Master T. T. Liang

(This article originally appeared in Wudang, Vol. 11, No. 1)

The farmers work hard, but they themselves don’t have much rice to eat.
Weaving girls work very hard, but they don’t have much clothing to protect them from the cold.

You have three meals every day, the farmers have much bitterness.
You wear one thread of clothing, you have to remember the weaving girl’s toil.

One inch of thread costs 1,000 lives (silk worm’s lives).
One bowl of rice uses 100 whip lashes (on the ox’s back).

You are not yet married, you still have some benefits,
But even sleeping and eating are not very comfortable.

You should make friends with the Virtuous,
It’s best to quit a friendship without benefits.

Only take money entitled to you.
Don’t take too much wine.

Restrain yourself from spending too much.
And, you have to shut your mouth.

If you can live according to my way, these 100 characters,
Your life will be truly successful.

Master T.T. Liang’s Commentary

He lived quite long (Emperor T’ang). He left 100 words or characters to remind you what you should do, what you should not do.

Shut up your bloody mouth, don’t make friends with bad friends, and get rid of wine, and don’t dissipate. Be a spendthrift, save money. When you are wearing clothes you must think of the weaving-girls, they torture themselves like hell—and the farmers, work like hell. Then, as soon as you think of them, all right, don’t dissipate, don’t waste all these things.

What you should have, you take it. One cent not belonging to you, don’t take it. That’s all these things, so that you can follow his way. That means you’ll be rich, become a high official, and keep good health for your whole life to last longer.

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