CHINESE PROVERBS: WORDS OF WISDOM AND DEEP THOUGHTS

Chinese proverbs, which originate from famous philosophers and writers from China, are traditional sayings that express truth or give advice. These words of wisdom that teach us about the valuable lessons of life have passed from generation to generation throughout the centuries. In this article, I would like to share 30 meaningful Chinese proverbs with my readers and I hope that they would enjoy reading them and share them with their family, relatives and friends.

1.  A clear conscience is the greatest armor (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

2.  A coin a day makes a thousand coins in a thousand days. In the fullness of time, a rope may saw through a tree and constant dripping of water can wear away a stone (Zhang Guiya, Southern Song Dynasty).  

3.  A fish that frees itself from the hook will swim away never to return (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

4.  An army can be deprived of its commander but a man cannot be deprived of his will (Confucius).

5.  A man should seek friends who are better than him, not his own kind (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

6.  Ancestors plant trees, but the descendants rest in the shade (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

7.  A real man dies on a battlefield, and his body is wrapped in horsehide. Who wants to die in bed, surrounded by his wife and children? (General Ma Yuan, Eastern Han Dynasty).

8.  A virtuous man concentrates on his own work, not that of others (Zeng Shen, better known as Zengzi, 505-435BC).

9.  Coward have dreams, brave men have visions (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

10.  Distant fire cannot put out a fire close at hand (Li Chu).

11.  Do not drive the tiger from the front door while letting the wolf get in the back (Hu Zhidang, Han Dynasty).

12.  Feed the soldiers for a thousand days to use them in battle for one day (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

13.  He who governs by virtue is like the Pole Star, which keeps its place while the other stars revolve around it (Confucius).

14.  He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know (Lao Tzu)

15.  He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good (Confucius).

16.  If you suppress your desire for glory, you will not be disappointed (Emperor Yu, founder of the Xia Dynasty).

17.  It is a disgrace for a gentleman to let his words outrun his deeds (Confucius).

18.  Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened. Listen to one side and you will be in the dark (Wei Zheng, minister in the Tang Dynasty, 580-643).

19.  People differ in life, but all are equal in death (Yang Zhu, Zhou Dynasty).

20.  Shrimps may attack dragons in shallow water (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

21.  The caged bird yearns for its former forest (Tao Qian, warlord and governor of Xu Province in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, 132-194).

22.  The higher the rank I attain, the more humble I become. The greater my power, the less I exercise it. The richer I get, the more I give away. Thus I avoid envy, spite and misery (Sunshu Ao, court minister during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, 630-593BC).

23.  The leader must be at the forefront of the army's struggles. He neither sits in the shade in summer, nor dons warm clothing in the winter (Zhang Yu, Song Dynasty).

24.  The man with a clear conscience fears not a knock on the door at night (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

25.  There is good government when those who are near are made happy, and those who are far away are attracted (Confucius).

26.  The sky has unexpected wind and clouds. Mankind has unexpected calamities (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

27.  The truly wise man does not display his wisdom. Such is the secret of being well-liked (Yang Zhu, Zhou Dynasty).

28.  The wise man puts himself last and finds himself first (Lao Tzu).

29.  You can lead a cow to water, but you cannot make it drink (Traditional Chinese Proverb).

30.  You can only say that you have learned archery when you know why you have hit the target (Guan Yinzi).

You may also like to read QUOTES ABOUT NECKLACES; QUOTATIONS FROM THE BIBLE; and INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES FROM POPE FRANCIS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

Reference:

The Little Book of Chinese Proverbs (Compiled by Jonathan Clements). Parragon Books.

I HAVE LIVED BY THIS SENTENCE BY DR. JOSEPH R. SIZOO

Footprints in the Sand

According to Dr. Joseph R. Sizoo, President of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, during the darkest moments of his life when everything seemed to be overwhelmed by forces beyond his control, he has lived by one important sentence. One morning, as he opened his New Testament, his eyes fell upon this sentence, "He that sent me is with me - the Father hath not left me alone" and his life was never the same since that moment. Everything for him has been forever different since then. Not a day has passed without him repeating that sentence to himself. Throughout the years, he has sent away countless people who went to see him for counseling with this sustaining sentence. Why did this sentence sound so important to him? Bevause he has walked with it and found his peace and strength in it. As what Dr. Sizoo says, "To me it is the very essence of religion. It lies at the rock bottom of everything that makes life worth living. It is the Golden Text of my life."

Dr. Sizoo's sustaining sentence reminded me of one of my bookmark with the poem entitled Footprints which I bought at Evangel during my schooldays. If Dr. Sizoo has lived by his sustaining sentence, I have lived by this sustaining poem. In this article, I would like to share my sustaining poem with my readers. Here it goes:

FOOTPRINTS

One night a man had a dream. 

He dreamed he was walking 

along the beach with the Lord. 

Across the sky flashed 

scenes from his life. 

For each scene, he noticed  

two sets of  footprints in the sand: 

one belonging to him, 

and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life 

flashed before him, 

he looked back at the 

footprints in the sand. 

He noticed that many times 

along the path of his life 

there was only one set of footprints. 

He also noticed  that it happened 

at the very lowest

 and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and 

he questioned the Lord about it. 

"Lord, you said that once 

I decided to follow you, 

you'd walk with me all the way. 

But I have noticed that during the 

most troublesome times in my life, 

there is only one set of footprints. 

I don't understand why when 

I needed you most 

you would leave me.

The Lord replied, "My son, 

My precious child, I love you 

and would never leave you. 

During your times 

of trial and suffering, 

when you see 

only one set of footprints, 

it was then that I carried you.

                       - Author Unknown

This poem describes the protagonist's experience of walking along the beach with the Lord. There were two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonged to the protagonist and the other belonged to the Lord. As he looked back at his life, he saw that at some points, especially during the darkest moments of his life, only one set of footprints could be seen. When the protagonist asked the Lord why He abandoned him during the most hopeless moments of his life, He said to him, "It was then that I carried you."

What does this poem signify? The answer can be found in Deuteronomy 1:31 which states:

"And in the desert (as you have seen) the Lord, your God, carried you, as a man carried his child, all along the way until you came to this place." Like a father carrying his little child in his arms, God will lead you through obstacles and adversities to your destination. 

Another explanation of the poem can be found in Psalm 46:2-4:

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in distress. Thus we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains crumble into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake as the waters surge. The LORD Almighty is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold." So let us have confidence in God and submit ourselves to Him as He will watch over us, protect us and save us from dangers and despair. 

This poem clearly portrays our relationship with God. The message that the author is trying to convey to us is easily understandable. In a nutshell, the message is that God will never leave us alone as He is always there for us particularly during the most trying times when we need Him most. He will carry us when the burdens of life are too heavy for us to carry. So, let us not fear for the future since God is traveling with us on our journey of life. In Isaiah 43:2, God says, "When you pass through the water, I will be with you; when you pass through the rivers, you shall not drown. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be scorched; the flames will not consume you." No matter how hopeless or desperate your situation may be, always remember that God is with you. Have no fear because God says, "Do not fear, I am with you; do not be dismayed, I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10). In Joshua 1:5, God promises, "I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you." So, even if you have hit rock bottom, do not give up because He will be there to rescue you as He has promised that He will never leave you or forsake you.

As I look back at my life, I could see very clearly that God has been with me and guiding me all these years. The year that my mother passed away was also the year I sat for University of London's LL.B. Intermediate Examination for external students. When I had to refer my Criminal Law paper, I was totally devastated because I could not accept the fact that I failed that paper by 2 marks. Criminal Law was my favorite subject and if I could pass English Legal System and Constitutional Law, then why did I have to refer Criminal Law? It was like a bad joke to me because I had to give up my law studies temporarily and enter Teachers' Training College just because of that 2 marks! Why? Because I needed a permanent job to support myself and pay for my studies. But now, I know why I had to refer the Criminal Law paper. I honestly feel that the teaching profession is the best thing for me because the legal profession is very stressful and may not be suitable for me. And, of course, God knows what is best for me and He has guided me to choose the perfect job that fits my lifestyle. My life hit rock bottom when my mother passed away, when I failed the Criminal Law paper by two marks, and was without a permanent job. It was then that the Lord carried me to lead me onto the correct path to a bright future. Frankly speaking, if I did not fail the Criminal Law paper by 2 marks, I would never enter Teachers' Training College that year. Since I love to teach and do research work and hate office work, working in a legal firm would make me feel very miserable. I am thankful to the Lord for His career guidance that makes me what I am today. It seems that He understands me more than I understand myself. 

Thanks for reading. You may also like to read How Abraham Lincoln Inspired Me to Pursue My Ph.D.?, How to Leave the Past Behind You and Move Forward and SALUTATION TO THE DAWN. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

Reference:

How to stop worrying and start living by Dale Carnegie. Cedar Publishing.

HOW DID FATHER SLAVKO BARBARIC TURN INTO A VAMPIRE?

For months I have been wondering whether I should write this article for my blog. Tonight I read again the article entitled "The Undead Vampire of Medjugorje" and below are some excerpts taken from this article.

Medjugorje and the Undead

Barbaric is not dead, that is because he is a sucking vampire. In a strange twist surrounding the already highly contro-versial Medjugorje movement, a message purportedly from the Blessed Virgin Mary claims that one of the most influential backers of the "seers" of Medjugorje is a saint in Heaven -- but suspicions have arisen that Father Slavko Barbaric may actually be alive - and avoiding an international criminal fraud investigation.

Kronzer's investigation of the dark underworld of religious fraud was prompted by the loss of his wife, Ardie, to what he describes as the Medjugorje "cult."

Adherents to Medjugorje, however, have poured millions, if not billions of dollars into the cult. It is the potential misappropriation of these funds which has prompted several investigations into the dealings of the Medjugorje promoters.

The examination of fraud connected with Medjugorje reached spectacular proportions in 2002 when military-style attacks were launched against a bank, Hercegovacka Banka, known to be controlled by Croatian extremists in Bosnia. Croatian extremists used the bank to finance their efforts to separate the Croatian section of Bosnia from the nation of Bosnia, and unite Croatian Bosnia with the independent nation of Croatia.

Ominous signs for Fr. Barbaric and the Hercegovacka Banka began to appear as early as the November 11, 2000 general elections in Bosnia. As election results began to come in, the loss of influence of Croatian extremists in the future Bosnia government became increasingly certain. At the same time, their activities were coming under increasing scrutiny from the international community.

The day after Barbaric's reported death, the Blessed Virgin is said to have told one of the "seers" that, "I rejoice with you and I desire to tell you that your brother Slavko has been born into Heaven and intercedes for you."

Kronzer states that he has information from a reliable source that puts the "Our Lady of Medjugorje" message in doubt, and strongly indicates that "Slavko" may actually be alive, and avoiding unheavenly questions concerning what he knows about the Hercegovacka Banka.

Because the bank was involved with activities undermining the international peace agreement in the Balkans, it is possible that "Slavko," if found alive, could spend time before The Hague Tribunal.

Each time I read this article, I feel really sad. After reading this article again tonight, I somehow feel that I should write something for my hero, Father Slavko Barbaric. A holy man like him should always be remembered and honoured for generations to come and shouldn't be defamed like this.

Bram Stoker's "Dracula" has always been one of my favourite books and all I know about vampires is that they rule armies of wolves and hordes of rats. They can turn into bats. They corrupt the pure and destroy the innocent. They can enter dreams and torment minds and they feast forever on our blood. Well, as far as I know, Father Slavko did none of these horrible things. Those who know him would agree that he is a very religious man and that he lived a very holy life. It is certainly unfair to compare a harmless man like Father Slavko with a vampire.

We all know that Father Slavko lived a very simple and humble life and he did not care much for himself nor did he ask for anything for himself. That was why he aged and died prematurely. Now to answer the question whether he really died prematurely. Well, why should Father Slavko fake his death in the first place? What is his purpose for doing do? Do you think he would enjoy himself hiding away from the whole world thus being unable to do the things that he loves to do so much - to celebrate mass, to tend to the needs of the Medjugorje pilgrims, to serve God and us, to pray on Podbrdo Hill and Mount Krizevac? He is not the kind of man who lives only for himself and he certainly would not hide away from the whole world and enjoy life secretly. That is not his purpose! His purpose is to live the life of Christ and to serve the world as He did.

Did he fake his death for the sake of money? What does he need so much money for? He doesn't have to pay for his children's college fees nor does he need money to buy a ring for his wife on every Valentine's Day. Celibate priests devote their lives to God and to the Church and they do not care much about money. Whatever they have belongs to the church. Father Slavko has written so many books but did he become rich? The answer is "no" because whatever money he has goes to the church.

When Our Lady says that "I rejoice with you and I desire to tell you that your Brother Slavko has been born into Heaven and intercedes for you" it doesn't mean that Father Slavko faked his death. Which part of the sentence explains this? Is there anyone who has seen Father Slavko hiding away in secret? Who is this person? Being alive in Heaven doesn't mean that he is still alive on earth and is hiding away secretly!

Do the Croatian extremists really want to separate the Croatian section of Bosnia from the nation of Bosnia and unite Croatian Bosnia with the independent nation of Croatia? Whose creative idea is this and what proof do we have? We don't even know if this statement is true. The question is, "Can the Medjugorje priests undertake such an important task?" They are not trained soldiers and they probably don't even know how to handle a gun. They are not extremists nor are they politicians who thirst for power. Medjugorje is a peaceful and humble place of prayer. In Medjugorje there is no war, only peace. There is no hatred, only love. And the Croatian people are very friendly, helpful, honest and selfless people. I am saying this based on my own personal experience. I haven't seen more honest people in my life.

What kind of criminal fraud is Medjugorje involved in? As far as I know, the Croatian people there make an honest living. And whatever donations that the pilgrims give to the Church are given willingly and wholeheartedly. There is no fraud!

Can we say that Medjugorje is a cult? What is a cult? A cult is defined in the Longman's dictionary as (a group of people that follow) a system of worship, esp. one that is different from the usual and established forms of religion in a particular society. I don't see any difference between the system of worship in Medjugorje and the churches in Malaysia. The only difference is people tend to be more religious when they are in Medjugorje. This is one of the good fruits of Medjugorje and it is something we should celebrate and not condemn.

Anyone who has lost his wife to Medjugorje should perhaps first of all take a look at his marriage lines. According to palmistry, there is a time set apart in one's life to marry and to divorce. Why is it so? Until all the secret laws and forces of nature are known, we can take no other standpoint than to accept this perpetual fact. Everything in life is fated. He should look at things positively. It may be a blessing in disguise for him. As one of my lecturers used to say, a successful man could easily find a much better and younger wife anytime should his wife choose to leave him irrespective of how old he is. Just look at Lee Majors. How beautiful his young wife is! Thanks for reading. You can click here to go to the contents page of this blog.

THE CACHOT: THE DWELLING-PLACE OF THE SOUBIROUS FAMILY AT THE TIME OF THE APPARITIONS

The Door / Entrance of the Cachot

The Casterot family had been working at Boly Mill since 1786 and hoped to own it one day. However, on 1 July 1841, Justin Casterot died in a cart accident leaving behind his widow, Clare, four daughters and a son. Since Clare was unable to run the mill by herself, she decided to marry her eldest daughter (Bernarde) off to Francois Soubirous, a 34-year-old bachelor who was working at a mill nearby. However, Francois Soubirous was not interested in Bernarde but fell in love with her younger sister, Louise, who was then 16 years old. On 9 January 1843, when Louise was 17, they got married at the parish church. On 7 January 1844, Louise gave birth to their first daughter, Bernadette. On 17 September 1946, their second daughter, Antoinette, was born.

In 1848, Claire Casterot (Bernadette's grandmother), decided to leave Boly Mill with her other children and live with Bernarde who was already married by then. Because of the strained relationship between Francois Soubirous (Bernadette's father) and his in-laws as well as overcrowding at the mill, this was probably the best solution for them. But without Claire Casterot's help and being too generous with their customers, Francois and Louise soon began to encounter financial difficulties. To make matters worse, their livelihood was threatened by the new steam-powered mills due to the technological advances of the industrial revolution.

In 1849, Francois was blinded in the left eye in an accident while working on a millstone. On 4 January 1851, his young son, Jean-Marie died. On 13 May 1851, Louise bore him another son who was named after his death brother.  The mill was sold to a new owner in 1852 as the Soubirous family could no longer afford to keep it but they were allowed to stay there on the condition that they had to pay rent. On 24 June 1854, the Soubirous family had to leave Boly Mill because they had no money to pay rent. After their brief stay in Laborde House, they leased Baudean Mill but they did not do any better at the mill. In 1855, when the cholera epidemic broke out in Lourdes and caused 38 deaths, Bernadette almost died from this potentially fatal disease. Although she recovered, she had to suffer from chronic asthma all her life. When Claire Casterot died in the same year, she left Francois and Louise 900 francs and they used the money to rent a mill at Arcizac-ez-Angles. But due to a series of poor harvests, Francois was out of work. In 1856, Lourdes was struck by famine and Francois was reduced to penury. Without a stable job but with a wife and four children to support, Francois could not afford to feed his family. Hopeless and destitute, the Soubirous family ended up at Rives House, a "miserable shack" but they still could not afford the rent. After being evicted from the shack and penniless, the Soubirous family moved into the Cachot.

Inside the Cachot

The Cachot is a humble dwelling located at 15 rue des Petits Fosses, 65100, Lourdes. It has been called the Cachot because it was formerly a prison cell. It's damp, filthy, and unhealthy condition rendered it unfit for human habitation. Jean Pierre Taillade, the builder who bought this building in 1824, left it to his grandson, Andre Sajous, in 1848. Sajous made some alterations to the Cachot - he added a second window and built a fireplace in it. In 1856, Sajous allowed his penniless and homeless cousin, Francois Soubirous, to stay in the Cachot rent-free out of sympathy. Thus the 4.4 metres by 3.72 metres single room became the family home for the six members of the Soubirous family, namely, Francois Soubirous and his wife Clare and their four children, Bernadette (13), Antoinette (10), Jean-Marie (6) and Justin (18 months). The Soubirous family stayed in the Cachot until July 1858 when Father Peyramale rented the Lacade Mill for them.

Inside the Cachot

It was in the Cachot that the Soubirous family went through the most difficult and darkest days of their lives. For the purposes of survival, everyone in the family had to work. Francois became a day-laborer while his wife, Louise, worked as a cleaner and farm hand in order to earn a meager income. Bernadette, who was no longer attending school, helped to look after her brothers and sister. To supplement her parents' income, she collected rags, bones and scrap iron which she sold for a meager sum and helped out at her aunt's tavern. However, despite their hard work, the family income was barely sufficiently to make ends meet during those difficult times when famine was threatening the country. To make matters worse, Francois was accused of stealing two sacks of flour from the baker on 27 March 1857. He was arrested and imprisoned but was released 8 days later due to lack of evidence. According to the plaintiff, "it is his extreme poverty that makes me think that he could be the thief." Although Francois was released from prison, his public disgrace made it even more difficult for him to find work. In September 1857, Bernadette was sent to Bartres to work as a farm girl so that her family would have one less mouth to feed. However, hardship, loneliness, and homesickness made her persuade her parents to let her return to Lourdes. On 21 January 1858, she was glad to be reunited with her family in the Cachot (To find out more about Bernadette's life in Bartres, you may also like to read Bartrès and Bernadette).

And after darkness, came light. It was from the Cachot that Bernadette went, on 11th February 1858. to collect firewood at Massabielle with her sister, Antoinette, and their friend, Jeanne Abadie. That day, at the Grotto of Massabielle, she saw a Lady dressed in white with a blue belt and a yellow rose on each foot. From 11th February 1858 to 16th July 1858, the Lady appeared to her 18 times and these apparitions changed her life forever. Please read Bernadette Recounts Her Apparitions for the most authentic and vivid account of the apparitions told by Bernadette herself.

Throughout the years, the Cachot has been preserved in its original condition. Next to it is a room that has been been turned into a little museum where the memorabilia of Saint Bernadette and the apparitions are displayed. You can also see the gilt-covered wooden statue of the Virgin Mary from the old parish church in this room. Bernadette used to pray in front of this statue in the old parish church.

Memorabilia of Saint Bernadette and the apparitions in the room next to the Cachot

The room / little museum next to the Cachot

Today, the Cachot and the little museum next to it belong to the Sanctuary and are looked after by the Sisters of Charity of Nevers, the religious order of Saint Bernadette Soubirous. Admission is free

You may also like to read The Passion of Bernadette and The Message of Lourdes. To read more about Lourdes, please click here to view the content page of this blog. There is a complete list of my articles about Lourdes on this page.


References:
1.  Lourdes & Bernadette by Antonio Bernardo. Publisher "il Calamo".
2.  Discover Lourdes. MSM.
3.  Lourdes by Antonio Bernardo. A. Doucet Publications - Lourdes.
4.  Lourdes: In Bernadette's Footsteps by Father Joseph Bordes. MSM.