The Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains

The Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains is a Chinese idiom derived from a story in the Tangwen chapter of the Chinese classic Liezi, which means that even if something seems foolish, if you persevere and work hard, you can eventually achieve something that seems impossible. 

 

Story Summary

In ancient China, a 90-year-old man named Yugong (愚公) living in Beishan (北山) decided to move the two mountains, Taihang (太行山) and Wangyoshan (王屋山), which blocked his house, when the villagers were inconvenienced. Yugong and his family began to dig up the dirt from the mountains and move it far out to the sea.

 

Upon seeing this, his friend Zhisu (智叟) tried to dissuade him, saying that it was foolish, but Yugong replied that even if he died, his children and grandchildren would continue the work for generations, and that mountains do not grow large, so he could eventually move the mountains. The Jade Emperor, impressed by his persistent efforts and faith, moved the two mountains far away, and the work was finally accomplished.

 

Lessons of Yu-gong Yi-san

• The importance of perseverance and patience: It teaches us the lesson that if we do not give up on difficult tasks and work hard consistently, we will eventually achieve them.

• Setting long-term and clear goals: A Harvard University study found that people with clear and long-term goals have a higher chance of success, so Yu-gong's attitude is still meaningful in modern times.

 

• The spirit of Baekjeolbulgul (百折不屈): It symbolizes the attitude of not giving up and pushing through to the end even after many failures.

• The cumulative effect of small efforts: It also emphasizes that small efforts made every day add up to bring about big changes.

 

Modern meaning and application

 

The spirit of Yu-gong Yi-san is very important in modern society. In a rapidly changing environment and competition, consistent efforts and patience are essential to achieve big goals. The lessons of Yu-gong Yi-san can be applied in various fields such as academics, self-development, work life, and solving social problems.

 

In particular, it is a great inspiration to the youth and society in general because it shows that even things that seem impossible at first can be achieved if you do not give up and keep going.

 

Summary:

The story of Ugong and the Mountain is an idiom that means that even things that seem foolish can be achieved if you persevere and persevere. It originated from the story of an old man named Ugong who, through his persistence and effort to move a large mountain, eventually received the inspiration of a god and was able to move the mountain.

 

This story emphasizes the importance of a challenging spirit and consistent effort, and is widely used as an important lesson for achieving goals and succeeding in modern society.