On Not Speaking with Servility
Wen Tianxiang, a minister of the Southern Song Dynasty, was a scholar by training. Yet when his nation faced invasion, he sold his possessions, raised 30,000 volunteers, and took up arms. Someone asked, “The enemy outnumbers you vastly. Isn’t this like a lamb fighting a tiger?” He replied, “What pains me most is seeing my country in peril with no one to help. Though my strength is small, I must do all I can.”
Later, as other generals surrendered, Wen refused to yield. He told his men, “Saving our country is like saving a parent. Even if the illness seems incurable, a son never stops trying.” Captured in battle, he spoke no word of submission. Instead, he wrote: “No one since ancient times has escaped death—let my loyalty shine through history.”
Pride is not the same as dignity. One can be humble without being servile. True strength lies in speaking with respect, yet never with self‑abasement. Let your words reflect your inner honor.