In "Will the World Be Better?"

"In this book, the 90-year-old Liang Shuming tells about the person he admires most in his life, this person is his friend Wu Yongbo.

This Mr. Wu is also Mr. Liang’s in-law, and Mr. Wu’s wife is Mrs. Liang’s sister.

Mr. Liang admired Mr. Wu as a "person who can truly take charge of his own life."

He told three stories about Mr. Wu.

During the Northern Expedition, Mr. Wu served as the director of the General Council Office in the National Revolutionary Army. Mr. Liang and his friends went to see him.

They talked together in Mr. Wu's office, and at noon, Mr. Wu left them to eat.

After eating, he said to the three friends: You can sit down and talk as you please, I want to rest and I will sleep for fifteen minutes.

He sat on a chair next to him, closed his eyes and fell asleep. He woke up after fifteen minutes.

Mr. Liang was very surprised and admired at that time.

Later, Mr. Liang heard another story about Mr. Wu sleeping. Compared with this story, the previous one was nothing.

It was during the Anti-Japanese War. Mr. Wu led the Fourth Column to fight guerrillas in Guangdong. He served as the commander of the column and dealt with the Japanese.

Once he led part of the army to station in one place - the fourth column had 2,000 people, but the 2,000 people were scattered, and there were only 300 people around him.

The scouts came to report that a small group of about 300 enemies was coming in their direction from south to north.

The people under my command asked: Maybe they are here for us?

Mr. Wu thought about it and said: No, they are not here to follow us or attack us. I guess their destination is XX.

The subordinates were dubious and worried.

He said to everyone: You are on guard, I want to rest.

There is a high stage where they are stationed, which is a stage for performances in the countryside during the Spring Festival.

There was a chair on the stage, and he sat on it and began to rest.

None of the subordinates dared to relax, because no one could be sure whether the enemy was coming for them, and the distance was getting closer and closer.

The subordinates thought that the commander said he wanted to sleep for a while, but he might not be asleep at this time.

So someone went to the stage to see him, and he actually fell asleep, soundly asleep.

And the enemy did pass them by.

When Mr. Liang recalled it, he smiled and sighed: He can lift it up and put it down.

Ordinary people can't lift it up or let it go.

This shows that he lives independently.

He is truly able to unify his body and spirit, and is able to be independent and free. This is remarkable.

There is another typical story that illustrates Mr. Wu’s “autonomousness”.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Yuan Shikai formed the new army. At that time, after graduating from Army University, Mr. Wu worked as a small section chief in the General Staff Headquarters.

Yuan Shikai wanted to be emperor. All the government offices in Beijing, from the chief to the subordinates, catered to Yuan Shikai and wrote letters to persuade Yuan Shikai to ascend the throne. Officials from all yamen, large and small, signed them.

Only Mr. Wu said: I won’t sign.

I must think that what I signed is correct before I can sign.

People say that if everyone signs, but you don’t sign, you are afraid of danger, right?

it's not good?

Mr. Wu still did not change his decision, and no disaster happened to him later because of this incident.

Reading the story Mr. Liang told about Mr. Wu Yongbo, I also sincerely felt respect for this figure in my heart.

"Being autonomous and free" and "being able to take it up and let it go" are manifestations of being able to fully control oneself and completely becoming one's own master.

Many of us cannot control ourselves, for example: We cannot control our mouth: what we eat and what we do not eat. We cannot control our tongue: what we say and what we do not say. We cannot control our eyes: we cannot control what we see and do not see.

Thinking: What to think and what not to think... And Mr. Wu can command his behavior as freely as switching a switch. Even in extremely dangerous situations, he remains calm and unaffected.

When faced with major issues of right and wrong, he can be loyal to his principles and ideas. Even if he is alone, he will stick to his position without any ambiguity, be aboveboard and fearless.

Mr. Liang said that this knowledge is not a knowledge in books that can be discussed in a sitting manner. This is true knowledge that is truly implemented in behavior, which is amazing.

After listening to these stories, I was thinking: Being in control of myself, being able to take it up and letting it go, having the courage to stick to the truth and be true to myself. What do these represent?

I figured it out: these represent freedom.

Whether it is a war era filled with smoke and turmoil, or a peaceful era filled with singing, dancing and prosperity, people go through hardships in order to survive.

Living, in any era, is not an easy thing.

Why do people live so hard?

I think there is only freedom, only the desire for freedom.