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铁杵成针 (tie3 chu3 cheng2 zhen1) Li needled into action
September 27, 2009, Sunday
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The verbatim translation of "tie3 chu3 cheng2 zhen1" is "to grind an iron rod into a needle." This Chinese idiom has a similar meaning as such phrases as "grinding away at one's studies" and "keeping one's nose to the grindstone."
But behind this Chinese saying there is an interesting story about Li Bai, one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.
Born into a rich merchant's family in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), Li was a prodigy when it came to writing Chinese classic poetry.
He began to write poems when he was only 10 but he wasn't a hardworking student and tended to while away the time outdoors.
When Li was roaming through a small village one day, he noticed an old woman grinding an iron rod on a big grindstone in front of a straw-thatched hut.
Being curious, the teenager went forward and asked: "What are you doing, granny?"
The old woman looked up and answered, "making a needle."
"What? Making a needle out of an iron rod?" Li burst into laughter, thinking the old woman must be joking.
But the old woman responded seriously. "Don't laugh, young man. As long as I keep grinding, I will make a fine needle out of this coarse rod someday."
Li stopped laughing and began to ponder the meaning of the old woman's remark for quite a while.
Then, with great respect, he bowed deeply to the needle grinder, turned around and returned home.
From that day onward, Li became a very diligent student and made "ti(r)? ch(r)°? ch(r)?ng zh(r)?n" his lifelong motto.
Later, he established himself in Chinese literature as one of the greatest poets.
Even today, Li's poems enjoy great popularity among Chinese-speaking people all over the world.
And "tie3 chu3 cheng2 zhen1" a story which has been retold for generations, is now not only a household phrase in China, but also a legend reflecting Chinese people's deep belief in being industrious.
Today, this idiom is often quoted to encourage people, particularly of younger generations, to make unremitting efforts to achieve their goals.
But behind this Chinese saying there is an interesting story about Li Bai, one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.
Born into a rich merchant's family in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), Li was a prodigy when it came to writing Chinese classic poetry.
He began to write poems when he was only 10 but he wasn't a hardworking student and tended to while away the time outdoors.
When Li was roaming through a small village one day, he noticed an old woman grinding an iron rod on a big grindstone in front of a straw-thatched hut.
Being curious, the teenager went forward and asked: "What are you doing, granny?"
The old woman looked up and answered, "making a needle."
"What? Making a needle out of an iron rod?" Li burst into laughter, thinking the old woman must be joking.
But the old woman responded seriously. "Don't laugh, young man. As long as I keep grinding, I will make a fine needle out of this coarse rod someday."
Li stopped laughing and began to ponder the meaning of the old woman's remark for quite a while.
Then, with great respect, he bowed deeply to the needle grinder, turned around and returned home.
From that day onward, Li became a very diligent student and made "ti(r)? ch(r)°? ch(r)?ng zh(r)?n" his lifelong motto.
Later, he established himself in Chinese literature as one of the greatest poets.
Even today, Li's poems enjoy great popularity among Chinese-speaking people all over the world.
And "tie3 chu3 cheng2 zhen1" a story which has been retold for generations, is now not only a household phrase in China, but also a legend reflecting Chinese people's deep belief in being industrious.
Today, this idiom is often quoted to encourage people, particularly of younger generations, to make unremitting efforts to achieve their goals.
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