Confucius, the renowned thinker and educator of the late Spring and Autumn period, is said to have taught over 3,000 students in his lifetime, with 72 particularly accomplished disciples. Among these, his most beloved and valued was Yan Hui.
Yan Hui lived in extreme poverty with only a few acres of barren land, yet he was diligent and studious, rising at dawn to read and often studying late into the quiet night. His life was simple—he dwelled in a humble alley, eating only a bamboo basket of rice and a gourd of water each day. Despite this, he remained cheerful and never worried about his circumstances.
Yan Hui deeply respected Confucius, earnestly practicing his teachings, and whenever he made a mistake, he worked hard to correct it and never repeated it. Confucius once said, "Ever since I took Yan Hui as my student, the other students have become even closer to me."
Once, Confucius was traveling through various states with some of his students. When passing through Kuangyi, they were suddenly surrounded by the people of Kuang. Yan Hui and several other students traveling with Confucius were separated. After the danger passed, Yan Hui rushed to Confucius's side. Confucius said, "Yan Hui, I thought you had died!"
"With you here, Master, how would I dare to die?" Yan Hui replied.
Confucius was deeply moved. One day after returning to Qufu from his travels through the states, he said to Yan Hui, "Yan Hui, your family is poor and your house is small. Why not seek an official position?"
Yan Hui replied, "I have some meager fields; though their yield is modest, it's enough for food and clothing, and I have my zither for amusement. As long as I can learn the teacher's virtue and knowledge, why should I go out and become an official?"
After hearing Yan Hui's reply, Confucius sighed and said to his students, "Yan Hui is truly virtuous! He eats from a simple bamboo basket, drinks from a gourd ladle, and lives in a humble alley—hardships others cannot bear, yet he remains joyful. He is truly a man of virtue!"
Thanks to Confucius's praise, every move Yan Hui made became a model for other students to follow.
Later, "Dan Shi Piao Yin" was used to describe people of noble aspirations living in poverty.
Source: *The Analects*, Chapter "Yong Ye"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "箪食瓢饮" came to describe people of noble aspirations living in poverty.