[Repost] Lu Mengzheng, the legendary top scholar and prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty,’s “Ode on Fate”
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Lü Mengzheng (944–1011 AD), styled Shenggong, was from Luoyang, Henan. Top scorer in the imperial examination of the Dingchou year, the second year of the Taiping Xingguo era (977 AD). After Lu Meng became the number one scholar in the examinations, he was appointed as an assistant to the supervisor of construction projects, and later served as an administrative officer in Shengzhou. He ascended to the throne three more times, was granted the title of Duke of Xu, and appointed as Grand Preceptor to the Crown Prince. Lü Mengzheng was generous and upright; he spoke frankly when dealing with those in authority, and was tolerant and graceful when interacting with subordinates. He died in the fourth year of Dazhong Xiangfu during the Northern Song Dynasty (1011 AD). He was posthumously honored with the title Wenmu and given the title of Chancellor of the Central Secretariat. Lü Mengzheng, the legendary top scholar and prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, wrote an essay titled \"Ode to Fate\" that has been passed down for over a thousand years. Read today, it is easy to recite; its precision in describing things and its depth of insight make it a remarkable work of its time, to be shared with all.
There are unexpected changes in the weather, and fortunes can change from one moment to the next for people. The centipede has many legs, yet it can’t move as fast as a snake ； A rooster with two wings cannot fly past a crow. A horse can cover a distance of a thousand li, but it cannot go there on its own without a rider ； Those with lofty aspirations cannot realize them without favorable circumstances. It is said that in life, one should not be corrupted by wealth and honor, nor swayed by poverty and lowly status. The article is outstanding; Confucius faced difficulties in the state of Chen ； His military strategies were outstanding; Taigong fished by the Wei River. Yan Yuan had a short life, but he was by no means a vicious person ； Dao Zhi is older; he is by no means a kind person. Emperor Yao was wise and virtuous, yet he had an unworthy son ； The foolish old man gave birth to a son of great filial piety. Zhang Liang was originally an ordinary man, while Xiao He was referred to as a county official. Yan Zi was not even five feet tall, yet he was appointed as prime minister of the State of Qi ； Kongming lived in a thatched cottage, yet he was able to serve as the strategist for the Shu Han army. Though Chu Ba was mighty, he was defeated and committed suicide by the Wu River ； Though Hanwang is weak, it still possesses vast lands. Li Guang had the prowess to shoot tigers, yet remained unrewarded until old age ； Feng Tang possessed the talent to ride a dragon, yet he never had the chance to do so in his life. When Han Xin had no opportunities, he didn’t even have enough food for three meals a day; once he gained success, he carried a three-foot-long jade seal on his waist. But when his fortunes declined, he died at the hands of villains. Some become poor first and then rich, while others are strong in old age but decline in youth. Full of knowledge, yet gray hair brings no success ； Lacking knowledge and skill, he passed the exams at a young age. A palace maid in a noble court, reduced to a prostitute when fortune turns ； A promiscuous prostitute can, when the time comes, become a wife. A youthful beauty, yet married to a foolish man ； A handsome man paired with an ugly woman. Having not yet encountered the dragon, diving among fish and turtles ； When a gentleman misses the right moment, he is forced to bow before villains. Though the clothes are tattered, dignity remains ； With a worried expression, one always maintains composure. When times are unfavorable, it is best to content oneself with poverty and fulfill one’s duties ； If the heart is honest, one will surely stand tall with confidence. A gentleman in initial poverty has naturally formed bones ； Those who suddenly become rich do not free their bodies from poverty. When heaven is not in its proper place, the sun and moon lose their light ； If the soil is not suitable, plants will not grow ； Without proper water, the winds and waves are turbulent ； When timing is off, favorable opportunities do not arise. Blessings and prosperity are predetermined by fate; who does not desire wealth and honor? If one does not rely on the principles determined by one’s birth date, how can they become a minister or official? In the past, I lived in Luoyang; I asked monks for food in the morning and slept in ruined shelters at night. I lacked clothes to cover my body and food to satisfy my hunger. The monks despised me, the common people hated me, and people considered me lowly – it was not my own choice that led to this situation. Currently in the imperial court, he holds the highest rank among officials, ranking among the three supreme ministers. Though he bows to one person above him, he stands above thousands of others. He has the rod to punish his subordinates and the sword to execute those who are greedy. When he desires clothes, he has thousands of chests full of fine silk; when he desires food, he has a hundred kinds of delicacies. When he goes out, brave men carry his whip; when he enters, beautiful women present him with drinks. He is cherished by those above him and supported by those below him. Humanity is precious; it lies beyond my control. It is determined by the times, fate, and destiny. Alas! In life, one should not exhaust all wealth and prosperity, nor deceive oneself in times of poverty; one must let the cycles of heaven and earth continue, repeating endlessly.
In high school, I cried reading the story of Wu Yuanheng, a chancellor of the Tang Dynasty. There are many examples in Chinese history of those who upheld justice but met a tragic end in political struggles, such as Yu Qian, Chao Cuo, Huang Zicheng, Fang Xiaoru... It is both sigh-worthy and admirable.