Even those born into poverty have a path to nobility.

 　　Shakespeare said, "It takes three generations to produce a nobleman." Not long ago, I read a long article on Tianya Forum titled "It's Harder for Children from Poor Families to Achieve Nobility." It's undeniable that background significantly limits our development; this is an indisputable fact.

　　However, even with a humble background, we can still achieve nobility. For young people from impoverished backgrounds, there is a path—the lowest threshold to nobility. This path, regardless of wealth or status, is fairly presented before you: reading. Reading more naturally cultivates a broad mind, expands horizons, refines thoughts, enhances character and temperament, and fills the soul with fragrance.

　　The reading I'm referring to here isn't about going to university, but about reading itself. The benefit of going to university is that you step out of your small town, broaden your horizons, and meet a group of people of the same age, exchanging ideals and futures with them. The benefit of reading, however, is that it changes your character and temperament from the inside out.

　　Zeng Guofan said, "A person's temperament is largely innate and difficult to change, but reading can transform it."

　　Sanmao also said, "Reading a lot naturally changes one's appearance. Many times, one may think that many books read have become fleeting memories, but in fact, they remain in one's latent temperament, in one's speech, and in the boundless expanse of

　　one's mind. Of course, they may also manifest in one's life and writing." I once met an elderly Chinese woman in Los Angeles. She looked to be in her sixties, wearing a light blue sweater and a white knee-length skirt. Her demeanor made you feel that you could see her pure heart at a glance. Even in movies and TV dramas, it's rare to see such an elegant elderly woman.

　　I couldn't help but look at her because she was so beautiful. Her clothes, her expression, and her face involuntarily attracted me. For the first time, I took the initiative to make small talk and get closer to her.

　　Over the course of a cup of coffee, I learned that she was a playwright. She said that her work and her interests in life were reading and writing. Her tone was calm, and every word was precious. I asked her if she came from a wealthy family, perhaps a descendant of a talented woman from the Republic of China era, or the child of a former Kuomintang official. She smiled: "I was born in a poor village in Liaoning."

　　This old lady's demeanor and temperament were no less than that of any aristocrat. Her beauty came from an inner tranquility and serenity, from the dual cultivation of her body and spirit.

　　Speaking of nobility, the first person that comes to mind is Fu Lei.

　　"In the early morning of September 3, 1966, unable to bear the humiliation, Fu Lei and his wife hanged themselves in their home on Jiangsu Road in Shanghai. To prevent their bodies from kicking over the stools and waking their sleeping neighbors, the couple, determined to end their lives, laid a quilt on the floor beforehand."

　　The shock I felt when reading this detail left me deeply moved.

　　What is nobility? Nobility is not about living in a villa or driving a Porsche, not about flying first class, nor about being surrounded by entourages and the spotlight. Nobility is thinking of others even in the face of danger; nobility is not compromising one's principles and not selling one's soul.

　　Fu Lei came from humble beginnings, but he was noble. In his will, he asked his brother-in-law to pay their rent of 53 yuan and gave their only 600 yuan savings to their nanny, Zhou Judi. Even on his deathbed, he thought of placing a quilt under his stool so as not to disturb the neighbors. For Fu Lei, nobility was the thickness of a quilt! His nobility stemmed from his vast learning.

　　The Qing Dynasty scholar Jin Ying wrote in *Geyan Lianbi* (A Collection of Maxims) on learning: "Many noble families throughout history have accumulated virtue; the highest quality in the world is still reading. Even if reading doesn't bring fame, it ultimately elevates one's character and refines one's virtue. Cultivating virtue without expecting reward naturally brings peace of mind and tranquility, and doing good is the greatest joy. Reading is the best."

　　"Reading is the best"—these four simple words point us to a clear path. Complaining about one's background is useless; the time spent blaming fate is better spent reading.

　　When Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou, he could still write lines like, "With bamboo staff and straw sandals, I travel lighter than on horseback; who cares? A straw raincoat and misty rain, let life take its course." This was thanks to his profound learning, for the well-read Su Shi believed in the principle of "When successful, benefit all under heaven; when unsuccessful, cultivate oneself." Tao Yuanming's "Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I leisurely gaze at the Southern Mountains" after his reclusion also embodies a similar optimistic attitude towards life.

　　A lack of education doesn't mean a deficiency in earning power, but rather a deficiency in perspective. Knowledgeable people can live a refined life even in hardship; those with little education believe that money is the key to a fulfilling life.

　　I have a junior high school classmate who went to work in a factory after graduation. Last year, around the time I resigned, she also left the factory, deciding to stay home and raise her children.

　　When I called her, she complained of her depression. She asked me, "What do you do at home? I'm so bored! Don't you feel like you're just sitting around doing nothing?" I said I'm very busy, I don't have time to be bored. Even if I don't work, I feel like I have endless things to do every day. She was very curious: "What do you do?" I said I read Tang and Song dynasty poems, write articles, and I always feel like I don't have enough time. She suddenly realized: "I saw those articles you posted on your WeChat Moments. How much money do you make from writing an article?"

　　When she learned that I didn't earn a penny, she was very confused: "Why do you write if you're not making money?" I suddenly felt like I couldn't continue the conversation with her. For her, money was the lever that measured everything. But what was meaningless to her was a kind of happiness to me: having my own time to do what I like, what more could I ask for?

　　Mr. Nan Huaijin said, why should a person read books? The most correct answer in tradition is the four words "reading to understand principles."

　　The more you read, the more you can see things from multiple perspectives. You can be more tolerant of others, not get stuck on trivial matters, and not be too hard on yourself.

　　There's a Taiwanese woman here who always dresses up beautifully for every gathering. She always kept a book in her car, and she would flip through a few pages while waiting for someone or arriving too early for a date.

　　She insisted on dancing twice a week and tutoring a few children in Chinese once a week for free. I always thought she was someone with plenty of free time and money. Later, as we got to know each other better, we learned that her husband had a rather eccentric temper, and she was completely unhappy in her marriage. Her mother suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis and was unable to care for herself. She hired a Filipino maid for her mother in Taiwan, and half of her monthly salary went to her mother's side.

　　We praised her for her positive attitude, for being so optimistic and positive in the face of relationship troubles and financial burdens. She smiled calmly: "What can I do? Crying won't help. I might as well think more positively and live each day happily. My body is my own, and dancing is taking responsibility for myself, especially since it's my hobby. Teaching Chinese gives my soul a place to rest and allows me to find my own value."

　　Reading, like time, is fair. Even the richest person will grow old and ugly, and even the poorest person can read. When you are well-read and confident, you won't envy others' lives. You'll understand the deeper meaning of "You stand on the bridge admiring the scenery, while others admire you from their towers." When you've read widely and witnessed the full spectrum of human experience, you'll understand that life has many ways and many possibilities. No matter the circumstances, you can face them with equanimity.

　　Read more books.

　　May you see the beauty of the sunset and think of "The sunset glows and the lone wild goose flies together, the autumn water blends with the sky," rather than "Wow, that's so beautiful!"

　　May you see the Great Wall and think of "The Great Wall is so damn long," rather than "A majestic pass stretching for thousands of miles, impregnable as a fortress."

　　In movies, European nobles sit in front of a fireplace in a gilded chair, a book in hand, and spend an afternoon there. Let us also become spiritual nobles: a wooden table, a cup of tea, a book. So simple, yet so pleasant.