The continuation of life

The Continuation of Life

In front of us,

There are countless deaths,

Behind us,

There are also countless births.

Time repeats itself this way,

Life cycles this way.

Though it's the same cycle,

The essence has already changed greatly.

The earliest people ate

Wild fruits they picked,

Later people ate

Crops they planted and ground themselves,

Even later,

Like what we eat now,

Not only are they planted and ground by others, but also cooked by others.

The earliest people wore

Animal skins they directly stripped,

Later people wore

Hemp clothes they wove and sewed themselves,

Even later,

Like what we wear now,

The thread is spun by others, the cloth woven by others, and the clothes sewn by others.

The earliest people did every day

Agriculture,

Producing grain and hemp, ensuring full bellies and warm clothing,

Later, most people

Did handicrafts or industry,

Making daily necessities, enriching life in a thousand ways,

Even later people,

Like what we do now,

Engage in services, commerce, information industries,

With countless, varied pursuits, satisfying not only hunger and thirst for clothing but also various desires and needs after being well-fed.

The earliest people lived in

Caves,

Later people lived in

Thatched cottages,

Even later people lived in

Tile-roofed houses,

Now people live in

Buildings stacked countless stories high.

The earliest people traveled

By running, ditches and mountains could stop their steps,

Later people

Rode horses, rivers could halt their progress,

Even later people

Used cars and trains, without roads they couldn't go,

Nowadays,

We can fly freely in the sky like birds.

If it weren't for those who fell one after another,

Could we have flown?

Could we live in houses that reach the clouds?

Could we listen to music, watch TV?

And all of this,

Is something ancient emperors couldn't enjoy,

Yet modern commoners can indulge in at will.

Thank those who have fallen,

Without them,

There would be no us today.

Those who fell are our ancestors,

Our grandfathers, great-grandfathers,

Not only does our blood flow with theirs,

But deep within our bones lie their genes.

Moreover, all our actions

Are the continuation of their actions.

This

Is culture.