On Chinese-language Internet forums, people often mock the Japanese by saying they “don’t get enough to eat.” A small bowl of rice, a piece of fish, and a few side dishes are ridiculed as meager meals, as though modest portions necessarily reflect a poor standard of living. In reality, when discussing the Japanese people’s longevity, moderation in eating is frequently cited as one contributing factor.
In Japan, a common saying is hara hachibu, which literally means “eat until you are eighty percent full.” Once the stomach feels satisfied, even if the food remains delicious, it is time to put down the chopsticks. People often continue eating not because they are hungry, but because they want to keep enjoying the taste; the principle of eating to eighty percent fullness encourages restraint at precisely that moment.
Studies of elderly long-lived populations in Okinawa have found that their traditional diets were lower in calories while still providing abundant nutrients. Researchers believe that this moderate calorie restriction may contribute to healthy aging. Of course, Japanese longevity is also attributed to various other factors, including lifestyle and healthcare, but dietary moderation remains one of the most discussed.
In fact, traditional Chinese dietary customs also contain many teachings that encourage moderation and discourage overeating. Elders taught children not only to eat in moderation but also to cherish food, reminding them not to waste even a single grain of rice. Restraining one’s appetite and valuing food and clothing were regarded as proper rules of daily life. Behind these practical lessons lay a deeper teaching: one should not only enjoy one’s blessings, but also learn to cherish them.
Wasting resources recklessly diminishes one’s accumulated blessings and life potential
In the past, when elders saw children wasting food, they often scolded them, saying: “Don’t diminish your blessings.” A few grains of rice left in a bowl may not be worth much money, yet they should still be treasured. Clothes that can still be worn and household items that can still be used should be cared for the same way. Even in prosperous families, people were expected to follow these principles. Having money only means one can afford things at present; it does not mean one’s blessings can withstand limitless waste.
Traditional teachings on cherishing blessings include the warning: “When blessings are exhausted, life comes to its end.” The ability to live, have food and clothing, and enjoy good health depends on one’s store of blessings. People believed each person possesses a certain measure of blessings in life. If one thinks only of enjoyment and consumes them recklessly, those blessings will eventually run out, and life itself will end. Thus, preserving blessings was also regarded as preserving life.
When things are going well, people rarely think about such matters. Meals appear on the table every day, clothes can be bought whenever desired, and it becomes easy to assume that tomorrow will be the same as today. Gradually, enjoyment becomes a habit, and wastefulness becomes effortless.
People order banquets with more dishes than they can eat, simply for appearances, and discard the leftovers. Clothes are worn only a few times before new ones are purchased, and the old ones are thrown away. Items are bought, scarcely used, and soon replaced by newer desires. People often dismiss this behavior with a simple statement: “I can afford it.” Yet traditional teachings say this is precisely where one’s blessings diminish. Every bit of food, clothing, and material goods that is wasted is believed to consume part of one’s accumulated fortune and blessings.
Mindful living and proper habits begin with daily care for small items
When Master Hongyi spoke about cherishing blessings, he often recalled a couplet displayed in his childhood home. One line read: “Cherish food and cherish clothing, not for the sake of saving money, but for the sake of preserving blessings.” His elder brother often taught him to recite these words, and he remembered them so well that, throughout his life, he remained careful about how he ate and dressed. His mother also reminded him to wear his clothes carefully and keep them clean. The elders feared that carelessly wasting food or clothing would diminish his blessings and shorten his lifespan, so they repeatedly impressed these lessons upon him.
When he was seven years old and practicing calligraphy, he once scribbled casually across an entire sheet of paper. Seeing this, his mother sternly told him that when his father was alive, he would not even throw away a scrap of paper an inch long without good reason. This lesson stayed with him for the rest of his life. Even after becoming a monk, he continued to value food and clothing. When old garments became worn or torn, he mended them and continued using them.
A grain of rice, a sheet of paper, a piece of clothing: these were the starting points from which his elders taught him to cherish blessings. A child may not yet understand the link between blessings and longevity, but by learning to value what is immediately at hand, they form good habits through everyday acts of eating, dressing, and using possessions.
True necessity should guide consumption rather than impulsive financial ability
Today, people often judge whether something is worth keeping by its price. People can discard cheap items without a second thought. New things are easy to acquire, while older ones are quickly thrown away. Many items remain perfectly useful but are discarded simply because their owners have grown tired of them.
If one remembers the principle of cherishing blessings, another consideration naturally arises: If something is still in good condition, why waste it? If it is no longer useful to oneself, could it be given to someone who needs it? Before making a purchase, one may also pause to consider whether it is truly necessary, rather than buying impulsively and discarding it shortly afterward.
Frugality nurtures character and protects families against future instability
In his essay “Admonition on Frugality for My Son Kang,” Sima Guang recorded an incident involving Zhang Wenjie. Although Zhang Wenjie occupied the highest office of grand chancellor, his daily life remained as frugal as it had been when he served as a secretary in Heyang during his younger years. People around him urged him to live more comfortably now that his salary was substantial. Some even criticized him, claiming that he was merely putting on a show of simplicity and should conform more closely to common social habits.
Zhang Wenjie sighed and replied that with his current income, he could easily afford luxurious food and clothing for his entire family. What worried him was the old saying: “It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to return from extravagance to frugality.” Would his salary remain forever? Would he himself live forever? If his family became accustomed to luxury, how would they adapt if circumstances changed? Rather than risk that outcome, he preferred to preserve the family’s traditional way of life. Whether he remained in office or retired, alive or gone, the family could still sustain itself.
Sima Guang then added: “Frugality reduces desire.” With few desires, it is easier to stay on the right path. As desires grow, people become increasingly tempted by wealth and status and may commit shameful acts in pursuit of enjoyment. Frugality nurtures virtue, whereas extravagance may ruin both family and character. This was why Sima Guang shared Zhang Wenjie’s story with his son.
Though Zhang Wenjie had risen to the position of grand chancellor, he never forgot that both wealth and life are temporary. Present prosperity cannot guarantee future security for one’s descendants. If a family becomes accustomed to luxury, even great wealth may eventually be exhausted. His commitment to frugality was meant to pass down a family tradition that could sustain future generations through both prosperity and hardship.
Sustaining virtue ensures future well-being and avoids squandering fortune
Throughout life, people enjoy the blessings accumulated through past deeds, while their present actions determine the blessings they will inherit in the future. If one thinks only of enjoyment, those blessings gradually diminish. By valuing possessions and using resources sparingly, one reduces unnecessary loss. By cultivating and accumulating virtue, one prepares future blessings. Conversely, harming others to satisfy one’s desires not only depletes blessings but also creates harmful karma.
From eating until only eighty percent full to cherishing a single grain of rice or a single piece of clothing, the ancients embedded their teachings in everyday life. Remembering one’s blessings during times of abundance and upholding virtue during times of success helps avoid squandering the fortune allotted to one’s life. If one still enjoys sufficient food and clothing today and is blessed with the company of family, one should cherish these gifts and not assume that present security will last forever.
Translated by Cecilia and reviewed by Amanda
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