"Escaping the bondage of official life to return to the fields and gardens of my home, though poor, my mind is incredibly clear and peaceful."
Today's Question
If you set aside the desire for social success or career growth, what is the 'most simple space or moment of daily life' that brings you true peace?
Tao Yuanming, resigning from office to return to his hometown
Tao Yuanming was a poet who took low offices to feed his family but grew tired of the corruption of official life.
When told to wear formal robes to flatter a visiting supervisor, he said: 'How can I bend my back to a rustic boy for five bushels of rice?' He resigned immediately, returning home to farm.