The second virtuous mother, Tao's mother, was the mother of Tao Kan, a famous official of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and Tao Kan was the great-great-grandfather of Tao Yuanming. Zhan, born in the Three Kingdoms period (243 AD) in Xingan Nanshi Village (now Jintang Town), passed away in the first year of Emperor Yuan of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (318 AD) at the age of 75, and was buried in what is now Jiujiang County, Jiangxi. Tao Kan, who lost his father at a young age and had no support due to poverty, was raised by Zhan alone through her weaving.
Educating the Child to Cherish Time
Zhan received some enlightenment education as a child and was a woman with a bit of culture. She was well aware of the importance of reading, so she saved money and supported her son's education with her meager income from spinning and weaving. However, Tao Kan was naturally playful and did not study diligently, which worried his mother Zhan.
One rainy day, Tao Kan couldn't go to school because there were no straw hats or umbrellas at home, so he squatted by his mother's loom and played. Tao Kan was very curious about the shuttle that went back and forth. Seeing this, Zhan suddenly had an idea, stopped the loom, pulled little Tao Kan to her side, and gently asked him what the teacher had taught. Tao Kan said the teacher had taught him "Xianwen," and Zhan asked him to recite it. Tao Kan naively recited it, and when he recited "Time flies like an arrow, the sun and the moon are like a shuttle," Zhan asked him to stop and explain. Tao Kan thought for a long time and couldn't say anything. Zhan took advantage of the situation and pointed to the shuttle in her hand to enlighten him, making Tao Kan understand the principle of using time to study hard. From then on, he studied hard and finally lived up to his mother's expectations and became a talent.
Sending the Son Three Types of Soil
Tao Kan was recommended by others to be an official in another place. Before leaving, Zhan called her son to her side and earnestly taught Tao Kan, hoping that he would be a clean and honest person. Zhan took out a prepared package and handed it to Tao Kan to take with him. When he arrived at the destination, Tao Kan opened the package and saw a piece of soil, a clay bowl, and a piece of white cloth (commonly known as "river cloth") wrapped inside. Tao Kan was first stunned, and after a while, he slowly understood his mother's intention. The soil block meant that no matter where he was, when he saw it, he should think of his hometown and bring glory to his hometown. His mother's "three types of soil" deeply moved Tao Kan's heart, and later in his official career, he did not disappoint his mother's expectations, being upright and clean, and was praised by generations.
Sealing the Jar and Returning the Dried Fish
When Tao Kan was a county official in Xunyang, he was in charge of the fishery. Thinking that his old mother was still living a poor life in the countryside, he felt very uneasy. Once, when a subordinate was on a business trip and had to pass by his mother's residence, Tao Kan asked him to bring a jar of dried fish to his mother, so that she could taste the specialty of Xunyang and show filial piety.
Tao Kan's subordinate saw his mother and explained the purpose. His mother was very happy. However, after reading her son's letter and finding out that the jar of dried fish was public property, she became heavy-hearted. She took the pen and ink, wrote a "seal" character, pasted it on the mouth of the jar, and told the person that public property could not be accepted, and asked Tao Kan's subordinate to take it back and give it to Tao Kan. She also wrote in the letter: "You are an official, and you give me official things, which not only cannot benefit me but also increase my worries." Tao's mother's action of returning the dried fish educated and influenced Tao Kan's life.
Cutting Hair to Entertain Guests
Zhan was raising little Tao Kan and living a very hard life. One day, Tao Kan's good friend Fan Kui and several others passed by Xingan and saw that the road was blocked by ice and snow, and it was getting late, so they came to Tao Kan's house to stay overnight. But what could be used to entertain the guests? Kan was at a loss, and Fan Kui also seemed embarrassed. Zhan quickly welcomed the guests warmly, asking Kan to chat and reminisce with the guests. Then, she turned around to arrange food and accommodation.
There was no money in the house to buy rice, and while the guests were chatting, she unhesitatingly cut off her green silk, wove it into a wig, and sold it to the neighbors in exchange for rice, oil, wine, and vegetables, as well as firewood and horse feed, which were also difficult to find in the icy and snowy weather. Zhan pried off a few old floorboards to burn as firewood and took out the straw mats on the bed, cut them up, and fed the horses. Fan Kui and others were deeply moved.
