A life of hardship, frustration and penury is a furnace and anvil upon which outstanding men are shaped.
Such trials benefit both body and mind. Without them both body and mind tend to deteriorate.
横逆困穷是锻炼豪杰的一副炉锤，能受其锻炼则身心交益，不受其锻炼则身心交损。
Notes
Adversity, in essence, is a sifting mechanism — it determines no fate, yet through one’s response, separates true strength from frailty.
Adversity’s value hinges on whether one actively embraces its tempering — the same hardship nourishes some, yet poisons others.
This wisdom from Cai Gen Tan (Tending the roots of wisdom) reveals: Adversity is not life’s curse, but growth’s catalyst. Its worth lies in how it is wielded — neutral in itself, it may forge or fracture; the pivot is human choice.
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