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中國後來有許多學者考察這句話的意思。一般直覺的理解「五斗米」一定是指他的俸祿，也就是今天所說的薪水或報酬，可是經他們的考察，東晉時代的俸祿不止是五斗米；五斗米連一個人吃都不很夠，又怎能解決「家貧」、「親老」的困難呢？其實「五斗米」究竟是多少，我們可以不去管它，就像我們所說的，我不能為了一碗飯就做這樣的事情，其實你絕不止是吃一碗飯的。
總之，「五斗米」是言其少，陶淵明的意思是說，我不能為了這麼一點俸祿就違心地卑躬屈膝向那貪官污吏去折腰，所以他就辭職不做了。這是陶淵明一生中的第五次，也是最後一次的仕途經歷。
通過上面的介紹我們可以看到陶淵明的仕宦經歷是出於兩方面的原因。他最初一次出來是因「親老、家貧」，他要奉養他的母親；他最後一次出來是因為他「幼稚盈室」、「瓶無儲粟」，他要撫養他的子女，而中間他要出來的幾次，可能是因為他看到當時天下大亂，他也想如果要能夠平定這些叛亂，能夠使國家有安定的日子，能夠使人民有安居樂業的生活，也未始不是一件好的事情。
我上次講過陶淵明的一首詩，他說「少時壯且厲，扶劍獨行遊。誰言行遊近，張掖至幽州。」他提到曾出遊過中國北方的張掖及幽州，而當時中國北方正是「五胡亂華」；大片國土完全被外族占領了，陶淵明根本就沒有可能去到那裡。可為什麼他非要特別提出北方的這些地名呢？我想在陶淵明的理想之中，他不僅有要出來做一些事情，使偏安江南的東晉政治與人民生活有所改善的願望，同時他還有一個理想，那就是希望有朝一日能夠把北方的大片國土也收回，統一起來。所以那首詩中的「張掖」、「幽州」完全是他當時理想的象徵。可他沒能夠完成這個理想。這首詩確實是很好的一首詩，以後我們再仔細地講。
下面我還要再說說〈歸去來兮辭〉，因為這篇文章與他這組〈飲酒〉詩關係很密切。〈歸去來兮辭〉中所表示的決志隱居，不再出仕的真正原因，以及思想價值的心路歷程，我們都會在下面將要講到的〈飲酒〉詩中看到的。
〈歸去來兮辭〉是一篇很重要的作品，陶淵明在其中表示了他再也不出來做官的決心，從此以後，他果然就再也沒有出來。他不是說家裡很窮嗎？他不是說因為窮困才出來做官的嗎？可是他後來又說了：「饑凍雖切，違己交病。」饑是挨餓，是很切膚的痛苦；寒冷也是切膚的痛苦，這都是肉體上的痛苦，但盡管這些肉體上的「饑凍」的痛苦是很難以忍受的，可是如果你讓我違背了自己的理想，讓我只為了吃得飽，穿得暖，使肉體上免除痛苦就去做一些在我品格上，道德上，理想中都不願意做的事，那我就會「交病」。「交」是交加，更加的意思。我身上就會像生了許多種病一樣的難過，也就是說，這是比「饑凍」一類的肉體痛苦更加難以忍受的心靈的痛苦。陶淵明曾經給他兒子留下一封信叫「與子儼等書」。他的大兒子叫「儼」；「書」就是信。他說，我很對不起你們，由於我不能勉強自己去做違背自己理想和良心的事而牽連了你們，「使汝等幼而饑寒」，讓你們從那麼小就隨著我在饑餓和寒冷中過日子。由此可知，陶淵明他是很不容易才做出這個辭官歸隱的決定的。而且，他除了饑餓與寒冷的痛苦之外，他同時也要付上勞動的代價。今天的結束時間又快到了，我們先結束在這裡。
待續
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Later on, many scholars investigated the meaning of Tao's words. Many immediately assumed that "five pecks of rice" referred to his official emolument (salary), which was paid in grain. However, later research indicated that the official emolument in the Eastern Jin Dynasty should have been more than five pecks of rice. Five pecks of rice could hardly sustain one person, much less resolve the problem of family poverty and support an elderly parent. In fact, we need not concern ourselves with how much five pecks of rice amounted to, just as people often use the expression, "I wouldn't do that for the sake of a bowl of rice" when they actually eat more than a bowl of rice.
In general, five pecks of rice represent low wages. Tao Yuanming was saying, "I'm not willing to bow to that corrupt official for the sake of a meager salary." Thus, he resigned. That was the fifth and last time that Tao Yuanming worked for the government.
From the introduction given above, we see that Tao Yuanming had two motives for becoming an official. At first, he sought an official position in order to support his elderly mother and his poor family. The last time he worked for the government was because he had a house full of children and nothing to feed them. The several times in between, he may have taken a government post because he saw the national turmoil and hoped to quell the revolts and bring peace to the country and the lives of the people.
Last time I mentioned a verse of Tao Yuanming's which said, "When I was young, I was strong and brave. I carried my sword and traveled alone. Who says that I have only been to nearby places? I have traveled from Zhangyi to Youzhou." He says that he had visited Zhangyi and Youzhou, places in northern China. However, at that time, the greater part of northern China was occupied by barbarian tribes, and it is quite impossible that Tao Yuanming could have gone there. So, why does he insist on mentioning these two places in the north? I surmise that in working for the government, Tao Yuanming not only hoped to improve the lives of citizens under the rule of the Eastern Jin dynasty, which was situated in the remote area of Jiangnan, but he also aspired to one day reclaim the vast northern territories of China. In that poem, Zhangyi and Youzhou are symbols of that aspiration, which he was never able to realize. This is a fine poem, which we will discuss in more detail later on.
Next I would like to discuss his poem "Return," which is closely related to the series of poems entitled "On Drinking." The real reason for his resolve to go into seclusion and not enter the political arena again, as well as the train of thought that led to this decision, will be seen again when we discuss the poems "On Drinking."
"Return" is an extremely important work. In it, Tao Yuanming expresses his determined resolve to never again work for the government. And indeed, he never did after that. Didn't he mention that poverty had driven him to work for the government before? Yet later he wrote, "Although the hunger and cold are agony, it is worse to go against one's own conscience." Although hunger and cold make the body suffer keenly and are very hard to bear, it is even worse for me to go against my ideals. If I am forced to do something which goes against my integrity, morals, and ideals, I will be even more seriously ill. It will be as if I had a whole gamut of illnesses. My mental anguish will be even harder to endure than the physical suffering caused by hunger and cold. Tao Yuanming once wrote a letter to his eldest son entitled "A Letter to My Sons Yan, Etc." Yan was his eldest son. He said something to the effect that, "I must apologize to all of you. Because I cannot force myself to do something which goes against my ideals and my conscience, I have made all of you suffer hunger and cold along with me since your childhood." This reveals how difficult it must have been for Tao Yuanming to make the decision to resign and go into seclusion. The decision meant that in addition to enduring hunger and cold, Tao also had to toil for his own living. Our time is nearly up, so we will stop here for now.
To be continued
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