The *Zhu Xi Family Instructions* advise: “Be frugal in your own life, and do not linger at feasts.”
Earning much means little if you spend without restraint—like a jar with a hole at the bottom, never full. Simplicity is not a loss but a gain. Eat moderately; skip heavy dinners for better health. Those who feast day and night may seem fortunate, but they burden their bodies and miss the quiet joy of a simple meal.
Frugality nurtures virtue; stillness cultivates the self. When we need little, we take little—no greed, no waste, no harm to others. The resources saved can uplift those in need.
True happiness lies in living simply.