Chinese Traditional Story: Man Dies For Wealth, Birds Die For Food

You may have often heard the proverb, "Man dies for wealth, birds die for food." So where did this proverb come from? Legend has it that in a village south of Chang'an city during the late Tang Dynasty, lived two idle young men named Da Mao and Er Gou. They spent their days plotting petty theft, causing panic throughout the village, and the villagers disliked them greatly. In this village lived a highly respected old man. One day, he said to the two young men, "You're so young, doing such bad things will shorten your lifespan."