the Golden Thread Clothing

By an Anonymous Poet (Tang Dynasty)

I advise you not to cherish the golden thread clothing,

I advise you must cherish the bloom of your youth.

Just pick flowers when they're worth picking，

Don't be waiting until the twigs are devoid of flowers to break.

金缕衣

(唐)无名氏

劝君莫惜金缕衣，劝君须惜少年时。

有花堪折直须折，莫待无花空折枝。

Creative background

This is a popular lyric from the Middle Tang Dynasty. It is said that Li Qi, the governor of Zhenhai during the Yuanhe era, loved this word very much and often ordered his concubine Du Qiuniang to sing it at banquets.

I have something to say

People always like to persuade others to do very reasonable things which they cannot do it themselves, so they expect others to prove it through practical actions. I think the same goes for the Confucius sage, but maybe he can do more at least he knew himself.