It is a Chinese proverb that the predecessors planted trees and the descendants enjoy the shade, which means: the trees planted by the previous generations can only enjoy the shade under the trees after they have grown up and become shaded. It is a metaphor for the benefit of future generations. It is often used to describe the kindness of predecessors, and it is also used to emphasize the importance of protecting the ecological environment.
There are two theories about the origin of the sentence that the predecessors planted trees and the descendants enjoyed the shade, one is from the Qing Dynasty Zhai Hao's "Popular Edition, Volume 1, Slang Couplets", and the other is from the Ming Dynasty Hu Wenhuan's "Group Sound Selection, Qing Cavity Class, Gui Zhixiang". The specifics of the two statements are as follows:
From Zhai Hao's "Popular Edition, Volume 1, Slang Couplets" in the Qing Dynasty: "Plant bamboo this year, eat bamboo shoots next year;."The predecessors planted trees, and the descendants enjoyed the shade. Here, planting bamboo and trees is used as a metaphor for the labor and contribution of the predecessors, and eating bamboo shoots and enjoying the shade are used as a metaphor for the enjoyment and welfare of the descendants, expressing the truth that the predecessors will benefit the future generations.
From Hu Wenhuan of the Ming Dynasty's "Selected Groups of Voices, Qingcao Classes, Guizhixiang": "That knows the three outlines and five constants, only knows that the seven green and eight yellow, the oars fall from the duck eggs, the bamboo poles are empty, there is no food in the stomach, the predecessors planted trees, and the descendants enjoy the shade." Here the three outlines and five constants are used to refer to traditional ethics and morality, the seven green and eight yellow are used to refer to the flashy world, the oars in the duck eggs and the empty bamboo poles are used to describe the incompetence and uselessness, the lack of food in the stomach is used to describe poverty and hardship, and the predecessors are used to plant trees, and the descendants take advantage of the shade to satirize the behavior of the descendants who are not grateful and only know how to enjoy.
The words of the predecessors planting trees and the later people enjoying the shade have great enlightening significance for each of us, which is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Inspire us to be grateful for the efforts of our predecessors, cherish the wealth and resources left by our predecessors, do not forget our roots and greed, have a grateful heart and a heart of awe, know that our happiness and success are built on the basis of our predecessors, respect and inherit the wisdom and spirit of our predecessors, and inherit and carry forward the fine traditions and culture of our predecessors.
It inspires us to have a sense of responsibility and mission, make more contributions to the society, not only take care of our own interests and enjoyment, but also consider the needs and future of future generations, have foresight and vision, create better conditions and opportunities for future generations, and plant trees like our predecessors, so that future generations can enjoy the shade and grow, so that the society can progress and develop.
Inspire us to protect the ecological environment, maintain the balance of nature, do not destroy and waste, save and utilize, know that natural resources are limited, the ecological environment is fragile, trees are precious, the shade is happy, we must love and cherish, we must be reasonable and scientific, so that trees can flourish and prosper, so that the shade can be lasting and eternal.
Summary. It is a Chinese proverb that the predecessors planted trees and the descendants enjoy the shade, which means: the trees planted by the previous generations can only enjoy the shade under the trees after they have grown up and become shaded. It is a metaphor for the benefit of future generations. There are two theories about its origin, one is from Zhai Hao's "Popular Edition, Volume 1, Slang Couplets" in the Qing Dynasty, and the other is from Hu Wenhuan's "Selected Qunyin Classes, Qing Cavity Classes, Guizhixiang" in the Ming Dynasty. It has great enlightening significance for each of us, mainly reflected in three aspects: gratitude, responsibility and protection. Understanding and grasping the meaning of our predecessors planting trees and later generations enjoying the shade is of great significance and value for improving our cultural literacy and moral cultivation.