an idiom story: Living in Peace

Today’s phrase reflects our very best wishes for you in the New Year. It refers to a prosperous and contented life. The Chinese reads: An Ju Le Ye, literally meaning “live and work in peace and contentment.” It comes from the words of a great thinker who lived during the Spring and Autumn period, about 2,600 years ago.

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He was a famous philosopher named Li Er. He was so erudite and well-known that people admiringly called him Lao Zi. Many non-Chinese people have heard of Lao Zi. He is, of course, said to be the founder of Daoism. www.1155815.cn

Lao Zi was very dissatisfied: he opposed the social changes that he saw happening around him, and missed the old days. He believed that material prosperity and the development of a complicated culture contaminated people’s minds, and would only bring them pain.

Chinese Folklores & Festivals Website

Lao Zi dreamed of small countries, with few people, leading simple, contented lives, like those of their ancestors. Such people would not feel the need for lots of possessions. They might have vehicles, but would rarely use them, for they would lead quite solitary lives, and rarely go and visit people in other places. The people would not want to go out in search of adventure, or move to another country. Even if they had weapons, there was no need or desire to use them.

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There should be no barriers between countries. People could even hear the cries of hens and dogs of neighboring states.
From Lao Zi’s utopian ideas, people drew the idiom An Ju Le Ye - to live in peace and be contented with one’s life and work. Now it is used to describe people enjoying a happy, prosperous life. So if someone asks you how you are, I hope you can reply with a smile, An Ju Le Ye, whose tone pattern is first, first, fourth, fourth. 

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