有一年,范仲淹被朝廷派到襄城任知州。当时的襄城,百姓只能依靠种田为生,生活很穷困。范仲淹想要改变百姓的生活状况,想来想去,觉得带领百姓从事养蚕纺织是一条务实的致富路。但养蚕得先种桑树,于是,范公就以政府的名义发布政令,号召百姓们种桑树。可是,政令发出了很久,也没看到百姓种桑树。范公十分奇怪,就通过暗访进行调查。原来,当地的百姓世代以种田为业,思想上保守、僵化,只想老守田园,不想求变,所以,尽管政府再三鼓励大家种桑树,仍旧没有人愿意去种。 One year, Fan Zhongyan was sent by the court Xiangcheng any state. Xiangcheng at that time, people can only rely on farming for a living, life is very poor. Fan Zhongyan want to change the living conditions of the people, want to go think that lead the people in sericulture is a pragmatic way to get rich. However, sericulture was the first mulberry tree, so Fan Gong on the name of the government issued a decree, called the people planted mulberry trees. However, the government ordinance was issued for a long time, did not see people planted mulberry trees. Fan Gong is very strange, to investigate through unannounced visits. Originally, the local people used to grow their fields for generations. They were ideologically conservative and rigid. They just wanted to keep their pastures and did not want change. Therefore, no one is willing to plant mulberries despite the government’s repeated encouragement to grow mulberry trees.