Talk about "Being a monk for a day and ringing the clock for a day"

"Being a monk for a day is a clockwork for a day", this sentence has been circulated among the people of my country as a derogatory term. It is used to satirize those who live day by day, make do with life, perfunctory, and muddle along.

In fact, it also has a complimentary point of view: every day in this position, you should do the day's work well, fulfill your due obligations, and complete the responsibilities you should bear.

The earliest source is in Chapter 16 of Wu Chengen's "Journey to the West": After Sanzang bowed, the monk stopped playing the drum, and the traveler just continued to ring the bell without stopping. The monk said: "I have finished my prayers. "What's wrong?" The traveler said with a smile: "You know, I am a monk who rings the clock for a day."

When we travel, many people go to the temple and ring the bell. Only later did I discover that bell-ringing actually requires a high level of technical content. It requires not only strength, but also a good grasp of the intensity, and a solid and non-impetuous heart.

In ancient times, there were no clocks, so we relied on the "twilight drum and morning bell" to remind us of the time. Ringing the morning bell represents the beginning of the day, while the evening drum represents the end of the day. It is very technically difficult to ring the bell accurately. Moreover, for Buddhists, bell-ringing is sacred, and the rhythm must be paid attention to. Buddhist sutras must be recited silently before ringing the bell. The bell must be mellow, and must spread far and last for a long time.

It is actually not easy to be a monk for a day and clock for a day.