Cutting porridge means dividing porridge into four parts with a knife every day, taking one part in the morning, then dipping it in spicy seasonings such as leek, onion and garlic, and sticking to it. This can increase the nutrients your body needs, and also exercise your endurance and toughness.
Scratching refers to cutting some pickles into pieces and mixing them in porridge when eating porridge, which can make the originally plain porridge more delicious. This practice can not only make people enjoy a little delicious food in the hard life, but also implies the spirit of having fun in the bitter.
This allusion expresses the belief of maintaining noble sentiment and moral quality in a difficult environment. In ancient times, many literati got into trouble because of their adherence to moral principles, but they were still able to maintain their integrity and dignity and persevere. This spirit is of great significance to future generations.
In modern society, the story of cutting porridge and drawing pigs can also inspire people to keep the good habit of frugality in life and the spirit of not giving up easily in the face of difficulties.
Cutting porridge to catch horseshoe crab background:
The story of cutting porridge and scratching mud comes from the story of Fan Zhongyan in Song Dynasty. Fan Zhongyan was a famous politician, writer and educator in Song Dynasty. He once held important positions such as participating in politics during the Song Renzong period and actively participated in the reform of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Fan Zhongyan was poor when he was young, and his mother died early. In order to make a living, he had to leave his hometown to make a living in other places. In the following days, he continued to study and work hard and gradually became a respected official and scholar.
However, Fan Zhongyan did not forget his miserable life. He has always maintained a simple living habit and frugal spirit, and fills his hunger with a bowl of porridge and pickles every morning. He also divided the porridge into four parts, took one part every morning, and then dipped it in spicy spices such as leeks, onions and garlic. This hard lifestyle has lasted for three years.
Fan Zhongyan can lead such a hard life because he deeply understands the meaning and value of life. He believes that human life is limited, and time and energy should be spent on contributions to society and people. Therefore, he was not only politically active, but also devoted himself to education and cultural undertakings, leaving a rich cultural heritage for future generations.