It is rumored that Confucius had 3,000 disciples and Yan Hui was one of his favorites. Confucius often educated other students using Yan Hui as an example.
Confucius once told his disciples, "Yan Hui survives on a little rice and water and lives in a poor and humble alley. Most couldn't bear to be that poor, but Yan Hui manges to keep his good humor and his faith in a moral life. Yan Hui, you truly are virtuous! "Confucius spoke very highly of Yan Hui's virtue describing him as "being contented in poverty and devoted to matters spiritual".
"道" originally meant the ethical principles followed by Confucianists. Later it extended to mean the ideals, beliefs and norms of all people. "安贫乐道"means being content to live a humble but virtuous life.
例句:
1、张老师一辈子安贫乐道,教出了许许多多优秀的学生。 Mr. Zhang was content to be poor all his life for he taught a lot of outstanding students.
2、如果安贫乐道的人多了,社会就会更加和谐。 Society would be more harmonious if more people were content to live in poverty and devoted to matters spiritual.