Jimmy was an orphan. Ever since he was little he lived on a boat with an old sea captain. They sailed around the world. He had to work from morning to night in order to receive meals. He wore the discarded old clothes of other sailors. Only on holidays or when business was good for the merchant ship did he receive a few coins. This time they did not just sail across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe, but they went further east. After they reloaded with new goods they sailed past the Indian Ocean and went north. Then they went to the ancient and mysterious land of China. As soon as they reached land, they sold all their goods. Because of that the old captain was very happy, so he gave a bag of silver ingots to the sailors to divide up among themselves. When the bag was finally passed to Jimmy, there was only one ingot left at the bottom of the bag.

After getting off the boat, Jimmy bowed his head in sadness and thought while he was walking, "Oh! Why am I so unlucky? I only have one piece of silver. I guess I can only wander around nearby and buy some bread to satisfy my hunger."

Not far from the wharf, he saw a magnificent ship resting on the other side of the harbor. He saw many Chinese workers busily unloading the ship's cargo. There were sugar, tea, fabric, and many other heavy boxes of merchandise. Maybe the boxes were full of china, or maybe the boxes were full of pearls, onyx and green jade. He eagerly asked a worker busily unloading cargo, "Who is this lucky person who has so much precious merchandise?" The worker scratched his head and smiled uncomprehendingly and answered "Wo ting bu dong." (I don't understand.)" Jimmy stared at the boat and said to himself, "Oh! All these belong to Mr. Watinpton!"

As Jimmy walked and walked and he began to notice that the road became wider and smoother. He also noticed the gilded paintings on the magnificent walls of the adorned buildings. He also noticed that the people who were passing by were wearing pretty and soft silk clothes, and were riding on rickshas, and looking so calm and easy-going. He then stopped in front of a large house. He was filled with a sense of awe as he looked at the door. The red apricot blossoms that hung over the wall promised more spectacular splendors within the walls. He enviously thought, "Whoever lives in this house must be very fortunate, I wonder who it is?" He then stopped a pedestrian and asked him. The man smiled regretfully and said, "Wo ting bu dong." and left. He admiringly thought, "Oh! So this belongs to Mr. Watinpton, too! He has so much property, no wonder he can live in such a huge house. Unlike me, I am but a poor vagrant. All I have to look forward to is endless hours of work. I have nothing!"

While Jimmy was walking along and feeling sorry for himself and crying, quietly, a strange group of mourners and a band playing sad funeral music passed by. There were a few people carrying a red coffin, and behind them was a group of mourners. There were wearing white robes and white shoes and some also wore white funeral hats. Jimmy saw this and felt sorry for them. He knew there was going to be a funeral, so he took off his sailor hat and stood to the side. A mourner who walked by lifted his head, and Jimmy saw the sad expression on his sullen face. Jimmy stopped him and asked, "Excuse me, the person being buried must either be your relative or a good friend?" The man reluctantly replied, "Wo ting bu dong." then quickly bowed his head and caught up with the group. It was Wo Ting Bu Dong again! Jimmy could not help but cry and think to himself, "Poor Mr. Watinpton. You have such a magnificent house and so much property, but what do you have left now? Although I am very poor now, when I die I won't be much worse off than you. It looks like we aren't so different after all!" Jimmy followed the group to the cemetery and used the silver ingot which he had clenched tightly in his hand for a long time to buy a bouquet of flowers. He held the flowers in his hand while he quietly listened to the people recite sutra texts which he didn't understand at all. He quietly watched Mr. Watinpton being buried. He then put the flowers in front of the grave and said, "Rest in peace, Mr. Watinpton."While Jimmy was walking along and feeling sorry for himself and crying, quietly, a strange group of mourners and a band playing sad funeral music passed by. There were a few people carrying a red coffin, and behind them was a group of mourners. There were wearing white robes and white shoes and some also wore white funeral hats. Jimmy saw this and felt sorry for them. He knew there was going to be a funeral, so he took off his sailor hat and stood to the side. A mourner who walked by lifted his head, and Jimmy saw the sad expression on his sullen face. Jimmy stopped him and asked, "Excuse me, the person being buried must either be your relative or a good friend?" The man reluctantly replied, "Wo ting bu dong." then quickly bowed his head and caught up with the group. It was Wo Ting Bu Dong again! Jimmy could not help but cry and think to himself, "Poor Mr. Watinpton. You have such a magnificent house and so much property, but what do you have left now? Although I am very poor now, when I die I won't be much worse off than you. It looks like we aren't so different after all!" Jimmy followed the group to the cemetery and used the silver ingot which he had clenched tightly in his hand for a long time to buy a bouquet of flowers. He held the flowers in his hand while he quietly listened to the people recite sutra texts which he didn't understand at all. He quietly watched Mr. Watinpton being buried. He then put the flowers in front of the grave and said, "Rest in peace, Mr. Watinpton."

He went to a marketplace near the harbor and bought some fruit and bread with the money he had left. "Wow! This smells and tastes so good!" He took a deep breath and said contently to himself, "At least I am still healthy and able to eat, drink, work, and travel around the world. When I am tired I can lie on the deck and watch the clouds and birds fly freely in the open sky. I don't have to lie in that musty and dark grave." When the ship blew its horn, "Woo. Woo," Jimmy waved and said, "Good bye beautiful China! Good bye! Poor Mr. Watinpton!" Friends when you read this story, you may have laughed to yourself and at the same time did you think about the Chinese proverb "contentment brings happiness," or did you say, "Wo ting bu dong" (I don't understand)?