Lu Mengzheng’s View on Fates
 
In traditional Chinese culture, it is believed that a person's fate is determined by Heaven, and that a person needs to respect Heaven and follow his or her own fate. Only if the person does good deeds and accumulates virtue will he or she be rewarded with a good life. The famous official Lu Mengzheng (946 – 1011 AD) of the Song Dynasty was an honest and tolerant person. He dared to say what was on his mind, was tolerant of challengers, and had a broad understanding. He served as prime minister under three generations of emperors. He wrote an article entitled Ode to the Slums that described many famous instances in history in an effort to advise people that everything is controlled by Heaven. All a person should do is to try his best and follow the will of Heaven, and go along with the natural course of things. Fighting to gain self-interest cannot change anything. It was said that he used the article to teach the crown prince, who was young and arrogant. After reading the poem, the prince modified his behavior and became much more modest. The prince later became Emperor Zhenzong (968 – 1022 AD). The following is a translation of the Ode to the Slums:
 
"The blue sky can suddenly turn stormy, and a person's fortunes can change abruptly. With hundreds of legs, a centipede cannot outrun a snake. With a pair of powerful wings, a rooster cannot outfly a duck. A horse can run a thousand miles, but it has to be guided by its rider. A person has mile-high ambition, but without good luck, he will not achieve anything. It is said that a person should not give up his morals for riches, nor should he alter his will when he is poor. Confucius could write peerless  articles, but he was once stranded in the Kingdom of Chen. Jiang Taigong (the founding official for Zhou Dynasty) had great talent in military strategy and martial arts, but he once fished idly at the Wei River. Yan Yuan (a model student of Confucius') had great integrity, but was short-lived. Dao Tuo (a bandit in Confucius' time) was a scum, but had a long life. Emperor Yao was a supreme leader, but raised an unworthy son. Gusou was stupid and stubborn, but his son was famous for his filial piety. Zhang Liang met Xiao He and became a mayor; otherwise, he would have been an ordinary citizen. Yanzi was less than five feet tall, but he became the prime minister of the Kingdom of Qi. While living secluded in a hut, Kongming became the military commander of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period. Despite his almighty power, the King of Chu eventually committed suicide at Wu River. Even though he was a weak person, the King of Han conquered the whole country. Li Guang was so powerful that he shot and killed tigers with bows and arrows, but was never appointed an officer during his life. Feng Tang (a famous person under Emperor  Hanwen) had the greatest talent, but he never had a good opportunity to flourish. Han Xin was so poor that he could not afford three meals a day before his luck arrived. Then he became a high official and carried an astonishingly large seal. But finally he was murdered when his luck ran out.”
 
"Some people are poor first and become rich later. Some people are weak when young and strong when old. There were intelligent people who tried to pass the examinations (for selecting learned people) all their lives, but failed. There were people who knew little, but passed the examination at a young age. Concubines in the emperor's court became prostitutes when their luck ran out. Prostitutes were married to noble people when they were in luck. Young and pretty girls sometimes married ugly, old men. Handsome men sometimes married grotesque women. A powerful dragon, before finding its time to emerge, may swim along with fish and turtles in a little pond. A gentleman, missing his time, may serve under some lowly person. One needs to still maintain proper manners when one is poor, and one needs to still respect others when one is distressed. When luck is not in your favor, you should be patient and quietly do your duty. As long as you maintain your integrity, things will turn around. A true gentleman will not be bothered by a poor life. A lowly person is always lowly, even when he suddenly becomes rich.”
 
"When the timing is not right for Heaven, the sun and the moon will lose their radiance. When the timing is not right for the earth, the plants will not grow. When the timing is not right for the ocean, the water will be stormy. When the timing is not right for a person, he will have bad fortune. People's luck and fortunes are all predetermined by their fate. Everyone wants to be rich and noble. But how will you get it if that is not your fate?”
 
"I used to live in Luoyang City. I was so poor that I relied on the monks for food and slept in a slum. I did not have enough clothes to keep me warm and was always starving. No one liked me, and they all looked at me as if I were a bum. Now, I serve in the emperor's court as the highest official. I am above everyone in the country except for the emperor himself. I can punish any official and I can order a citizen's immediate death. If I think about clothing, I will have thousands of cartons of silk. If I wanted to eat, I will be served all kinds of delicacies. When I go out, warriors drive my carriage. When I am inside, beautiful girls serve me fine drinks. Everyone worships me. It is not because I am so capable. It is because of my fate, my luck, and my time.”
 
"A person should not consume all of his luck for riches, nor should he be worried so much about poverty. Heaven and the earth go in cycles. It goes around and around."
 

吕蒙正劝人「安于天命」
 
在中国人的神传文化中，认为人的命运是由上天注定的，人需要敬天知命，只有积德守德才能有福报。宋朝名臣吕蒙正，为人质朴宽厚，遇事敢言，气量宽宏，历任三朝宰相，他曾专门写有一篇《破窑赋》，其中例举了很多历史上的著名事例，藉以劝诫世人：世间的一切都是上天在掌控，只需尽人事知天命，凡事随其自然，那无谓的抢夺和争斗并不会改变甚么。据说他曾以此篇文章教授太子，太子少年时目中无人，看过此文后一改常态，变的谦逊了很多，就是后来的真宗皇帝。以下为吕蒙正所著《破窑赋》全文：
 
天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。蜈蚣百足，行不及蛇；雄鸡两翼，飞不过鸭。马有千里之程，无骑不能自往；人有冲天之志，非运不能自通。盖闻：人生在世，富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移。文章盖世，孔子困厄于陈邦；武略超群，太公钓于渭水。颜渊命短，殊非凶恶之徒；盗跖年长，岂是善良之辈。尧帝明圣，却生不肖之儿；瞽叟愚顽，反生大孝之子。张良原是布衣，萧何称谓县吏。晏子身无五尺，封为齐国宰相；孔明居卧草庐，能作蜀汉军师。楚王虽雄，难免乌江自刎；汉王虽弱，竟有万里江山。李广有射虎之威，到老无封；冯唐有乘龙之才，一生不遇。韩信未遇之时，无一日三餐，及至运行，腰悬三尺玉印，一旦时衰，死于阴人之手。
 
有先贫而后富，有老壮而少衰。满腹文章，白发竟然不中；才疏学浅，少年及第登科。深院宫娥，运退反为妓妾；风流妓女，时来配作夫人。青春美女，却招愚蠢之夫；俊秀郎君，反配粗丑之妇。蛟龙未遇，潜水于鱼鳖之间；君子失时，拱手于小人之下。衣服虽破，常存仪礼之容；面带忧愁，每抱怀安之量。时遭不遇，只宜安贫守份；心若不欺，必然扬眉吐气。初贫君子，天然骨骼生成；乍富小人，不脱贫寒肌体。
 
天不得时，日月无光；地不得时，草木不生；水不得时，风浪不平；人不得时，利运不通。注福注禄，命里已安排定，富贵谁不欲？人若不依根基八字，岂能为卿为相？
 
吾昔寓居洛阳，朝求僧餐，暮宿破窑，思衣不可遮其体，思食不可济其饥，上人憎，下人厌，人道我贱，非我不弃也。今居朝堂，官至极品，位置三公，身虽鞠躬于一人之下，而列职于千万人之上，有挞百僚之杖，有斩鄙吝之剑，思衣而有罗锦千箱，思食而有珍馐百味，出则壮士执鞭，入则佳人捧觞，上人宠，下人拥。人道我贵，非我之能也，此乃时也！运也！命也！
 
嗟呼！人生在世，富贵不可尽用，贫贱不可自欺，听由天地循环，周而复始焉。