Interesting origins of celebrity names: Li Bai, Shi Naian, Cao Xueqin, Zhang Henshui, Tao Xingzhi, etc.

1. Li Bai

According to legend, Li Bai did not have a formal name when he was seven years old. One day, the family was playing in the courtyard, and the father wanted to write a poem about spring, which was intended to test his son's ability. After he chanted two lines, "The spring breeze brings warmth and the flowers bloom, and the gold blooms in spring, it comes first." After that, he said that you, mother and son, should continue the following verses.

The mother thought for a while and said: "The fire burns the apricot forest and the red clouds fall." As soon as she finished speaking, Li Bai pointed at the plum tree and blurted out: "The plum blossoms are in full bloom and the tree is white." His father was greatly surprised after hearing this. I admire it and think my son is very talented in poetry. The word "white" expresses the holiness and elegance of plum flowers; and the two colors in the upper and lower sentences, from dot to surface, describe the flowers in full bloom throughout the spring, which are extremely beautiful. So the family immediately decided to name their son Li Bai.

2. Shi Naian

Shi Naian, formerly known as Shi Yanduan, was a native of Qiantang in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty. When he was studying in Jiangyin, the rich man Xu Qi envied his moral character and invited him to give lectures at Donglin Nunnery. One day, when he was writing about Shi Xiuzhi killing Pei Ruhai and Toutuo knocking the wooden fish, he asked Xu Qi: "Why are the wooden fish mallets in this nunnery treasured like treasures?"

Xu Qi said : "There used to be an old monk living in this nunnery. He chanted sutras and worshiped Buddha with great sincerity. While chanting sutras, he knocked on the wooden fish. Over the years, the wooden fish left dents after knocking!" After hearing this, he nodded repeatedly and consciously started writing books. It takes perseverance and concentration! Afterwards, he took up a pen and wrote the word "Nai'an" and posted it on the lintel of the door, in order to warn himself to overcome all difficulties and write "Water Margin". Outsiders didn't know what he meant, so they called him "Mr. Naian". As time passed, he changed his name to Shi Naian.

3. Cao Xueqin

Cao Xueqin is a drinker by nature and likes food. It is said that he is backward in his family. His favorite dish is called "Snowy Celery Buds". This dish It is stir-fried with celery sprouts and shredded dove meat. Su Dongpo, a great writer in the Song Dynasty, was also particularly fond of "celery buds under the snow". In "Eight Poems of Dongpo" he once wrote, "Celery has perennial roots in the mud, and an inch of it is alone. When the snow buds move, spring doves can be seen walking." The meat and vegetables are harmonious and the fresh fragrance echoes, it is a match made in heaven. Later, he took the two characters Xueqin as his nickname. This is the origin of Cao Xueqin's name.

4. Zhang Henshui

Modern writer Zhang Henshui, whose original name was Zhang Xinyuan. Once, after he read the last line of Li Yu's "The Cry of the Night", "Since life grows and hates the water, it flows eastwards", he realized that time is like running water and must not be let go in vain with sighs. So he changed his name to Zhang Henshui as a spur to his life.

5. Tao Xingzhi

The famous educator Tao Xingzhi, formerly known as Tao Wenjun, believed in Wang Yangming's philosophical thought of "Knowledge is the beginning of action" when he was young, so he changed his name to Tao Zhixing. . Later, through educational practice, he realized the fallacy of "Knowledge is the beginning of action, and action is the completion of knowledge" that he believed in when he was young. Instead, he firmly believed that "Action is the beginning of knowledge, and knowledge is the completion of action." So he changed his name to " Knowing by doing”.