Chinese Idiom: 随月读书 (Sui Yue Du Shu)
English Translation: Reading by the light of the moon
pīn yīn: suí yuè dú shū
Idiom Meaning: This phrase describes a person’s diligent and hardworking spirit in studying, regardless of the hardships faced.
Historical Source: Legend.
Idiom Story:
In ancient times, there was a man named Jiang Bi. His family was very poor; his father was paralyzed, and his mother frequently fell ill. Jiang Bi had to work outside during the day to earn money to support his family and help his mother with chores at night. As a result, he had neither the money nor the time to attend school and study.
One night, after everyone in his household had fallen asleep, Jiang Bi sat alone in his room. Suddenly, he noticed the bright moonlight shining through the window. He thought to himself, “With such bright moonlight, I can read some books without worrying about the cost of candles!” However, since the moon would gradually move across the sky, he took his book and followed the moonlight, reading as he moved until the light disappeared.
Sometimes, after a tiring day of work, Jiang Bi would still muster the energy to read late into the night. As the days passed, his knowledge steadily improved, and he eventually became a remarkable scholar.
