A Thousand Pieces of Gold Read Online Free Page B

or decay. I would like to discern the patterns leading from the past to the present, proffering my views as one method of interpretation.
    When I read these words, it seemed as if Sima Qian himself had stepped out of the pages of his book and was speaking to me personally, urging me to be resolute and not falter in my resolve to become a full-time writer. Although we were separated by a time span of 2100 years, at that moment I understood him completely. He was telling me that there were many who had suffered unjustly in the past. A few, like him, were able to transcend their hurt through literature. Was I prepared to follow his footsteps and do the same?
    As I turned eagerly to another page, I came across these lines:
    The reason I have borne this anguish and refused to die, living in shame without protest, is because I cannot bear the thought of leaving my work unfinished. I am still burdened with things in my heart that I have not had a chance to express….
    I placed my father’s two books with the old photographs in the large bag I brought and prepared to leave. There appeared to be no other items worth taking. Niang’s flat was scheduled to be remodeled, and everything was to be thrown away. Looking through her closets for the very last time, I suddenly saw another item abandoned by my siblings. Quickly, I retrieved it from a pile of yellowed newspaper cuttings. It was a large, framed photo of our Grandfather Ye Ye taken a few months before his death at the age of seventy-four.

CHAPTER 2
Precious Treasure Worth Cherishing

    Qi Huo Ke Ju
    A lthough my grandfather used to be a businessman before his retirement, he was always more interested in books than in money. When the Communists were taking over China in 1949, my family fled from Shanghai to Hong Kong, and I was sent to boarding school. On the rare occasions when I was allowed to go home during the holidays, Niang told me to sleep on a cot in Ye Ye’s room.
    Ye Ye and I never discussed it, but I knew in my heart that we were both happy about this arrangement. Although I was young and he was old, we shared a special rapport and I loved being with him. He would ask me to read the Chinese newspapers aloud to teach me new characters, or he would show me the proper way of writing calligraphy with a brush. Sometimes we played Chinese chess, but what I liked best of all were the stories he told about legendary figures from Chinese history.
    Once I asked him what sort of businesses my father was involved with.
    “Your father is very talented,” Ye Ye answered. “He has import-export, manufacturing, and real estate businesses.”
    “What is the most profitable business, Ye Ye?”
    “It all depends on your definition of profit,” he answered. “If your chief consideration is money, then the best investment is probably real estate. Houses and apartments in good locations will always go up in value if they are well managed. Keep that in mind.”
    “Is there any other consideration more important than money?”
    “Of course!” Ye Ye answered. “Relationships, morality, and education are all much more important than money. Many people make the mistake of thinking that cash, material goods, and real estate are the only precious things in life. They forget about education and knowledge. To me, a sharp, ethical, and cultivated mind is a much worthier asset than anything else and is truly a qi huo ke ju, ‘precious treasure worth cherishing.’ Let the proverbs I’ve taught you and the stories behind these proverbs be your most precious treasure. Cherish them, and carry them with you wherever you go.”
     
    Because of their influence on history, Confucius, the First Emperor of China, and Mao Tse-tung are regarded by many Chinese as the three most influential figures who ever lived. Confucius molded Chinese thinking, and his teaching still affects Chinese life on every level. The First Emperor unified China, abolished feudalism, and established a form of government