A floating mother makes a living

A floating mother makes a living

Floating mother, Pinyin PI ā om ǔ J ì NF à n, floating mother: an old woman washing clothes by the water. Of kindness without reward.

name

Floating mother's food (floating mother's food)

Pinyin

piāomǔjìnfàn

source

Sima Qian's biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin in historical records of the Western Han Dynasty: the letter fished under the city, and all the mothers drifted. One mother saw that the letter was hungry, but she had a meal, and she drifted for dozens of days. confiscate the favor of thousands of gold. ——Preface to the inscription of Lai Shui Zhen's adopted daughter in Liyang by Li Bai of Tang Dynasty

usage

It is used as an object or attributive to show kindness without expecting repayment.

allusion

original text

Huaiyin Hou Han Xin, Huaiyin people also. At the beginning of cloth clothing, he was poor and had no business. He could not choose to be an official, and he could not manage merchants. He often took food and drink from people, and people were tired of it. There is a mother see letter hunger, rice letter, unexpectedly drift for dozens of days. Xinxi, the floating mother said: "I will have to repay my mother." The mother said angrily, "the eldest husband can't eat by himself. I mourn for the king and grandchildren and eat. I don't want to report it." The letter is expensive, and the reward is thousands of gold.

translation

Han Xin, Hou of Huaiyin, is from Huaiyin. When he was a common people, he was poor and had no good conduct. He could not be elected to be an official, and he could not do business to maintain his life. He often lived in other people's homes and ate idle food. Most people hated him. When Han Xin was fishing in the city, several old ladies washed polyester cotton. One of them saw that Han Xin was hungry, so she took out rice for Han Xin. For dozens of days, until the rinse is finished. Han Xin was very happy and said to the old lady, "I will repay the old man a lot." The old lady said angrily, "the eldest husband can't support himself. I pity you. I only give you food. Do I hope you will repay me?" Later, after Han Xin became a dignitary, he rewarded the old woman with a thousand dollars.