老驥伏櫪，志在千里。烈士暮年，壯心不已。

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An old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand li, an old people may still look forward to high aspirations and achievements.

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操嘗問諸子之志。彰曰：「好為將。」操問：「為將何如？」彰曰：「披堅執銳，臨難不顧，身先士卒；賞必行，罰必信。」操大笑。

建安二十三年，代郡，烏桓反，操令彰引兵五萬討之；臨行戒之曰：「居家為父子，受事為君臣。法不徇情，爾宜深戒。」彰到代北，身先戰陣，直殺至桑乾，北方皆平。

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Cao Cao used to ask his sons what career they found admirable, and Cao Zhang always replied that he would be a leader of armies.

“But what should a leader be like?” asked Cao Cao.

“He should be endued with firmness and courage, never turn aside from a difficulty, but be in the van of his officers and troops. Rewards should be certain; and so should punishments.”

Cao Cao smiled with pleasure.

In the twenty-third year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 218), the Wuhuan Peoples revolted in Daichun, and Cao Cao sent this son with fifty thousand troops to suppress them. Just as Cao Zhang was leaving, his father read him a homily on his duty.

“At home we are father and son, but when a task is given you, you have to consider your duty as a servant of your ruler. The law knows no kindness, and you must beware.”

When the expedition reached the north of Daichun, Cao Zhang led the array and smote as far as Sanggan in the Gobi Desert, and peace was restored.

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絕聖棄智，民利百倍；絕民棄義，民復教慈；絕巧棄利，盜賊無有。 此三者，為文不足，故令有所屬：見素抱樸，少私寡欲。

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Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom, and it will be a hundred times better for everyone.

Give up kindness, renounce morality, and men will rediscover filial piety and love.

Give up ingenuity, renounce profit, and bandits and thieves will disappear.

These three are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves. It is more important to see the simplicity, to realize one's true nature, to cast off selfishness and temper desire.

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十年生死兩茫茫，不思量，自難忘。

千里孤墳，無處話淒涼。

縱使相逢應不識，塵滿面、鬢如霜。

夜來幽夢忽還鄉，小軒窗，正梳妝。

相顧無言，惟有淚千行。

料得年年腸斷處，明月夜、短松崗。

蘇軾《江城子．乙卯正月二十日夜記夢》

鄴則鄴城水漳水，定有異人從此起；雄謀韻事與文心，君臣兄弟而父子。

英雄未有俗胸中，出沒豈隨人眼底？功首罪魁非兩人，遺臭流芳本一身。

文章有神霸有氣，豈能苟爾化為群；橫流築臺距太行，氣與理勢相低昂。

安有斯人不作逆？小不為霸大不王；霸王降作兒女鳴，無可奈何中不平。

向帳明知非有益，分香未可謂無情。嗚呼…

古人作事無鉅細，寂寞豪華皆有意；書生輕議塚中人，塚中笑爾書生氣。

A man whose ingratitude towards his benefactor had raised him to power.

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忘恩負義是一個人掌握權力的最短捷徑。

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YOU CHANGE FOR TWO REASONS; either you learn enough that you want to, or you've been hurt enough that you have to.

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人生不是得到，就是學到，回顧大學四年、除了教訓，我什麼都沒有學到。

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You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

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人立馬改革現狀的結果，要嘛死的像個烈士，要嘛活得夠久去看著自己變成新一代的強權惡棍。

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