PART 1 Thoughts

昨天看到一个记载在《阅微草堂笔记》里的关于清代名臣李卫的故事觉得很有意思。故事说的是李卫还没做官的时候，一次渡江遇到一位道人。舟行一半，江上狂风大作，而道士念咒使得狂风停息才使得他幸免于难。李卫拜谢那位道人，但道士说：“你是贵人，今天遇难而得救，也是命中注定的，我不可不救。”道士又说:"一个人的荣辱、升沉、富贫等等，应该安命，顺其自然。不安命则尔虞我诈，互相倾轧。李林甫、秦桧等人，若能安命，也会当宰相，因为他们命中有。但是他们用尽心机，陷害忠良，也没能当上更大的官只是徒增罪恶而已。至于国计民生，则不可言命，不可听之任之。身为官吏，手握事权，束手而委命，天下何必生此才，国家何必设此官？"

故事虽然很可能是虚构的，但是其中的话语却发人深思。就苏东坡而言，他的才华，他的运气，都是上天给予的，但是他的伟大是自己成就的。他本可以利用自己的盛名去结党和丰厚自己的羽翼，也可以依仗太后的恩宠去为自己谋得高官厚爵，但是他没有那么做。他不被浮名所牵绊，在人生的起起落落里始终保持仁爱和正直的秉性，不求自身的荣华，只求为百姓谋福利。《论语》里有一句耳熟能详的话叫：“生死有命富贵在天。”我是相信这句话的，但我同样相信，一个人成为一个怎样的人，怎样去对待身边的人，怎样去看待自己的命运，这一切都是掌握在自己手里的。一个人的善良和高贵是自己的选择，一个人的卑劣和狭隘也是自己的选择，不可归咎于命运。

今天是2017年的最后一天，一年将尽夜，有太多的想法和情感涌上心头。今天做了几件不一样的事情，一是cold email了几个自己从未蒙面但非常崇拜的人，本来还想给Trevor Noah写一封邮件但是遗憾没能找到他的邮箱。另一件事就是给几位经常见面但很少交谈的人送上新年贺卡并致上自己的感谢，包括我们小区的快递员和超市的阿姨。我妈一直说我二十好几的人还像一个孩子一样，既不懂得茶米油盐贵，也不知道人情世故。但我还是很喜欢自己的这种状态，不参加任何纯社交的聚会、只和自己喜欢的人交朋友，不为了任何功利目的去学习。也许有一天我会改变会成熟，但在那之前，我仍然享受着这种做自己想做的事的自由。

想起几周前有一次搭顺风车遇到一个阿姨，她有一个正在读高三厌倦书本和学校的女儿，她问我，这个世界上真的有人喜欢读书吗？我很肯定的告诉她，有的。我对她讲述了 84Charing Cross Road里的故事，那里面的Helene和Frank绝对是对书爱到了骨髓。我也和她聊起了我们的读书会，一群不同背景但因为喜欢英文喜欢阅读而聚到一个群里每个月共读的人。 不管她女儿喜不喜欢学校教育，但我真心希望她能喜欢读书本身，因为这是我们真正可以从学校带走的受益终身的东西。我很感谢今年加入了Eric的读书会，很感谢这几个月一路有好书的相伴和群里伙伴们的相伴。新的一年打算趁毕业前多出去旅旅游，并且多读几本好书，成为更好的自己。最后祝愿大家新的一年一切顺利，健康平安，与幸福快乐相伴！

PART 2 Summary

During his period of banishment, Su Tungpo grew deeply interested in yoga, alchemy and the quest for Taoist chang sheng, i.e. immortal life. However, Su remained a certain amount of sanity and never indulged himself in the quest for immortality. After going through ups and downs in his life, Su was now going to spend his old age as a farmer in idyllic surroundings and he requested to retire. Ironically, not long after Su was granted by the Emperor to retire and settle down at the Lake District of Changchow, the Emperor died and Su was recalled to capital by Empress Dowager during her regency.

Life at the capital was a far cry from that on the farm. Su had a quick rise to power and finally took charge of drafting imperial edits in his capacity as hanlin academician. He was at the height of his fame and power and gained the favor of the Empress as well as the populace. On the flip side, the Empress's grace put Su in a quagmire. Su's coveted post incurred the hostility of the petty politicians. Conceivably, Su would have to choose between swimming with the tide or fighting with those cliques if he continued to assume office. Unwilling to stoop to do either of them, Su decided to get out of power.

Su Tungpo did more to his country when serving on the land than at the capital. The canal system in Hangchow bore witness to Su Tungpo's genius in engineering. He also made great contribution to the city by staving off the famine. Su put emphasis on prevention done beforehand. However, his project was aborted as Su Tungpo was obstructed by bureaucracy and later recalled to capital.