September 25
Why does anyone heap up wealth if no guest sits at his table? Acquiring finds its meaning only in sharing.
Tirukkural (freely rendered)
The Portable Stove
Why does anyone heap up wealth if no guest sits at his table? Acquiring finds its meaning only in sharing.
The rapeseed fields outside Suzhou were in bloom, and Shen Fu wanted to eat and drink out of doors with friends. But there was no tavern among the flowers. Cold wine, cold food: on that they were quickly divided.
His wife Yun knew a vendor who carried his wonton stove through the streets. Why not hire him for the afternoon? She would prepare the dishes at home; out there they would only need warming up.
The man's name was Bao, and he agreed. The next day the friends spread mats beneath the willows. On Bao's stove they boiled tea and warmed the wine and the food. Then they asked him, too, to sit down and drink with them.
