The four sorrows and four joys refer to the four great joys and the four great tragedies of life, from "Poems of the Prodigy·Four Joys". The four great joys in life include sweet rain after a long drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the night of flowers and candles in the wedding room, and the time when someone is named on the gold medal list.
The four great tragedies in life refer to the loss of parents in youth, the loss of spouse in middle age, the loss of an only son in old age, and the loss of a young son without a good mentor.
Extended information:
Rong Zhai's essays in four volumes, eight poems about success and frustration
There are four lines in an old poem that praise the world's success: "A long drought has brought us success." Gan Yu, seeing an old friend in a foreign country. On the wedding night, when the gold medal was listed. "The good man continued with four lines of frustration: "The widow is crying with her son, and the general is captured by the enemy." These two poems are very popular. , the situation is extremely gratifying and sad.
Yongzhuang sketch volume twenty-two and four words for happiness
It is said that there are four poems for happiness. A long drought brings sweet rain. Meeting an old friend in a foreign land. The night of flowers and candles in the bridal chamber. When the gold list is listed. Longqing Wuchenke. There are those who are selected as instructors. My master, King Shanyin, said jokingly to Master Nan. There are only five words to express four joys. Not happy enough. When adding two. say. After ten years of drought, there is good rain. Meeting an old friend thousands of miles away. A night of flowers and candles in the monk's bridal chamber. A certain man laughed and said. Don't say it. Don't say it. It’s time to be on the instructor’s gold list. Anyone who hears it will be stunned. Renchen Branch. Minweng Qingyang is in the spring. Ranked as an instructor. Grant the first and first place. Huang Pingqian from Yu Tongguan said in a joke. The four joys and seven words are still unfinished. Three more words should be added to the end. Everyone asked. say. The first sentence is to bring beads. The second is Jiu Keer. The third is to choose a prince-in-law. The fourth is the number one scholar. When Weng heard about it, he also understood Yi.
Baidu Encyclopedia: Four Sorrows and Four Joys