chinese reading - 拾葚异器 Leave Better Food for Mother

cài shùn hàndài rǔnán jīnshǔ hénán rén

蔡顺，汉代汝南（今属河南）人，

 

shàoniánsànɡfù shìmǔshènxiào

少年丧父，事母甚孝。

 

dānɡshí zhènɡzhí wánɡmǎnɡzhīluàn yòuyùjīhuānɡ

当时正值王莽之乱，又遇饥荒，

 

cháimǐ ánɡɡuì zhídé shísānɡshèn múzǐ chōnɡjī

柴米昂贵，只得拾桑葚母子充饥。

 

yìtiān qiǎoyù chìméijūn yìjūn shìbīnɡ lìshēnɡ wèndào

一天，巧遇赤眉军，义军士兵厉声问道：

 

wèishénme bǎ hónɡsède sānɡshèn hé hēisède sānɡshèn fēnkāi zhuānɡzài liǎnɡɡe lǒuzilǐ

“为什么把红色的桑葚和黑色的桑葚分开装在两个篓子里？”

 

cài shùn huídáshuō hēisède sānɡshèn ɡònɡlǎomǔshíyònɡ hónɡsède sānɡshèn liúɡěi zìjǐchī

蔡顺回答说：“黑色的桑葚供老母食用，红色的桑葚留给自己吃。”

 

chìméijūn liánmǐn tādexiàoxīn sònɡɡěitā sāndǒubáimǐ yìtóuniú

赤眉军怜悯他的孝心，送给他三斗白米，一头牛，

 

dàihuíqù ɡònɡfènɡ tādemǔqin yǐshìjìnɡyì

带回去供奉他的母亲，以示敬意。

 

Cai Shun was a man in Runan (today's Henan) of the Han Dynasty. His father died when he was young and he was very pious to his mother. His time coincided with the Chaos Caused Wang Mang and famine and living expenses were very high. He could not but pick mulberries as food for himself and his mother. One day, he encountered the Red-Brow Army and the solders asked him: "Why do you put red mulberries and black mulberries into two baskets separately?" Cai Shun answered: "The black mulberries are for my mother and the red mulberries are for myself."The solders had compassion for his piety and gave him two deciliters of rice and one bovine hoof in respect.