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第二節 孝念純篤
王善人鳳儀在族叔家放牛，由於同村的關係，每逢年節時就順道回家。不論母親給任何的食物，王善人都不肯吃，反而對母親說：「我吃得大飽了！」若是在母親面前狼吞虎嚥，大嚼大食，母親一定會認為東家給的飯菜不好，一定沒吃飽過，如此反而讓母親憂傷難過。所以在往後幾年，王善人都不肯在家裡吃任何東西。
由於家裡很貧窮，母親做鞋子相對地就很困難，所以王善人也不與哥哥弟弟們爭著要新鞋穿，天天就光著腳到山上放牛。有一天，東家叫他給族親送禮，剛開始他本來想返回家去取鞋子，但又唯恐母親很為難，所以就決定光著腳去了。第二天回家告訴母親，結果被母親責罵說：「你這樣不穿鞋子就到親戚家去，不是叫人家笑話我嗎？」王善人靜默，知道做錯了。
在朝陽縣有個風俗習慣，幼年時要常常穿兜兜（北方叫腰子）。王善人在八歲時，有一大母親為他做了一個兜兜，他還來不及穿，就被二個弟弟看見了，就非要不可，吵吵鬧鬧。王善人看見這種情景，就對母親說：「我本來就不歡喜穿兜兜，就給弟弟好了。」心裡發誓：「我一輩子不穿兜兜」，立志終身不用這東西。
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SECTION 2. He was sincerely filial
Since Good Man Wang was herding cattle for his uncle in his own village, he could return home for visits during the New Year and other holidays. Whenever he was home he would refuse to partake of the meal which his mother had prepared for him saying, "I have had my fill already." If instead he had gulped down the food like a glutton, his mother would think that her son had not received sufficient food from his employer and she would be greatly distressed. Hence, for years Good Man Wang would not eat when he was home.
Because his family lived on meagre means, it was difficult for his mother to provide her children with shoes. Good Man Wang never squabbled with his brothers over the new shoes. Instead, he climbed the mountain each day barefooted. Once his superior sent him on an errand to deliver some gifts to a relative. Initially, he thought of returning home to get his shoes, but he was afraid of putting his mother on the spot. Eventually, he decided to go without shoes. However, his mother reprimanded him over this when he related it to her the following day. His mother remarked, "By going to our relative's house bare-footed, aren't you just inviting ridicule from others?"
Good Man Wang remained silent and realized that he had made a blunder. In Chau Yang County, it was customary for children to wear a pouch (something like a bib that covers the whole torso). When Good Man Wang was eight years old, his mother made a pouch for him, but before he could put it on, his younger brothers were already bickering over it. Good Man Wang saw through the situation and told his mother, "I never liked to wear a pouch. Why don't you give it to my younger brothers?" He then silently made the vow that he would never wear or use a pouch.
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