Three Character Classic · Hundred Family Surnames · Thousand Character Characters · Disciple Guidanc

Chapter 9 Three Character Classic (8)
Ying[1] is eight years old and can chant[2] poems, Bi[3] is seven years old and can play chess.

【Note】

[1] Ying: Zu Ying, a native of the Northern Wei Dynasty, was able to compose poetry at the age of eight. [2] Chant: Sing. [3] Bi: Li Mi, a native of the Tang Dynasty, was able to write poems about playing chess at the age of seven.

【Translation】There was a person named Zu Ying in the Northern Wei Dynasty who could recite poems at the age of eight.In the Tang Dynasty, there was a man named Li Mi who could compose poems and fuss with the title "playing chess" at the age of seven.

[Interpretation]

Zu Ying, courtesy name Yuanzhen, was born in Fanyang.He likes to read. He was able to recite poems and books when he was eight years old. He even became obsessed with reading. He stayed up all night reading with candles. When he went to school in the morning, he took the wrong textbook.He could memorize the "Shangshu" taught by the teacher word by word, and became a bachelor by virtue of his diligence and studious.Seven-year-old Li Mi was quick-witted. Tang Xuanzong once asked him to compose poems on the topic of "playing chess". If chess lives, if it is still, it will die." Who knows that Li Mi also wrote a poem: "Fang is like doing righteousness, round is like using wisdom. Movement is like talent, and stillness is like complacency." Obviously Li Mi's poems are better.In the subsequent "Anshi Rebellion", Li Mi also made suggestions and contributed to the suppression of the rebellion.

Bi Yingwu [1] is known as Qi [2], and you can learn from it when you are young, and you should follow [3].

【Note】

[1] Yingwu: Smart and savvy. [2] People are called strange: Everyone is called a genius. [3] Effect: imitate and learn.

【Translation】

The cleverness and studiousness of the two of them have been admired and amazed by people. Now that we are at the beginning of our studies, we should emulate them and study hard.

[Interpretation]

Zu Ying and Li Mi have been very smart since they were young, but if they don't work hard, they will stagnate.Possess wisdom, and you must use your wisdom to study hard in order to make progress, and you will achieve something.Because the more you read and think about it, the more it becomes clear how little you know.

Cai Wenji[1] can distinguish qin, Xie Daoyun[2] can chant.

【Note】

[1] Cai Wenji: Cai Yan, the daughter of Cai Yong, a famous writer in the Eastern Han Dynasty, was named Wenji. She loved reading since she was a child, and was proficient in poetry, rhythm, and the sound of the piano. [2] Xie Daoyun: A famous female poet in the Jin Dynasty, with quick wit and quick thinking.

【Translation】

Cai Wenji of the Eastern Han Dynasty could distinguish good and bad qin rhymes, and Xie Daoyun, a talented woman of the Jin Dynasty, could export poems.

[Interpretation]

Cai Wenji had a rough life, but she was knowledgeable and talented, and her family had a large collection of books.Cao Cao also loved books very much. In a chat, Cao Cao expressed his envy for the collection of books in Cai Wenji's home.When Cai Wenji said that the [-] volumes of books originally hidden in her home had been lost due to the war, Cao Cao felt deeply regretful.But when Cai Wenji said that she could still recite [-] of them, Cao Cao was overjoyed again.In this way, Cai Wenji wrote [-] articles silently from memory, which shows Cai Wenji's talent.Cai Wenji is erudite and versatile, good at composing poems and distinguishing rhythms. Her representative works include "Eighteen Beats of Hu Jia" and "Poems of Sadness and Indignation". "Poetry of Sadness and Anger" is also the first autobiographical five-character long narrative poem in the history of Chinese poetry.During the war, she was plundered by the Huns, and Cao Cao sent envoys to take her back.

"In the old days, the swallows in front of Wang Xietang flew into the homes of ordinary people." Xie Daoyun is the woman corresponding to the Xie family in "Wang Xie's House".When she was young, her uncle asked the children in the family to compose poems about the snowflakes in the sky in winter. This is a traditional Chinese education method, which is to compose poems by touching the scene and cultivate children's sensitivity to things.Xie Daoyun chanted: "It's not like the catkins are blown up by the wind." Comparing the snow all over the sky to the catkins flying due to the wind, the dynamic performance of the snow is vividly expressed.

That woman is smart, Er [1] man, be a policeman [2].

【Note】

[1] Er: You. [2] When self-warning: You should be vigilant yourself.

【Translation】

Even if two women like this are so smart, a dignified man must always be vigilant and motivate himself.

[Interpretation]

In the old feudal society, people believed that "a woman who has no talent is a virtue".It is not easy for a girl to read a good book and learn a good art. It is even more commendable for them to be able to distinguish the sound of the piano and write poems.The examples of these two talented women are intended to inspire boys to strive hard as an example.Now that men and women are equal, girls can also go to school, which is social progress.In fact, both men and women need to enrich their knowledge and improve their self-cultivation in order to remain invincible in society.

Tang Liuyan[1], who was seven years old at the age of seven, gave[2] a child prodigy to write orthographic characters[3].

【Note】

[1] Liu Yan: Able to compose poems and essays at the age of seven, he was recognized as a child prodigy at that time. [2] Lift: selection, recommendation. [3] Zhengzi: official name, in charge of collation books.

【Translation】

During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, there was a child named Liu Yan who was elected as a child prodigy at the age of seven and became an official in charge of correcting characters.

[Interpretation]

Liu Yan, courtesy name Shi'an, was gifted and talented since he was a child, and was famous at that time.At the age of eight, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty granted Taishan the title of Prince Zhengxue for offering "Ode", the official responsible for correcting the text.Tang Xuanzong asked him how many characters he could correct. Liu Yan said that all the "Four Books" and "Five Classics" could be corrected, but only one character "friend" could not be corrected.This sentence is a pun: first, the word "friend" for friends is left-handed, which is a bit crooked; second, many people in the court at that time compared friends to traitors, and friends insisted on their own words, so naturally it could not be fair.This is what Liu Yan meant when he said that the word "friend" could not be corrected.

Although he is young, he is already an official[1], and he is also a promising person[2].

【Note】

[1] I have become an official: I have become an official. [2] Promising person: a person who is capable.

【Translation】

Although Liu Yan is young, he has already become an official and took on important responsibilities.If you want to be a successful person, you can succeed as long as you work hard.

[Interpretation]

After Liu Yan grew up, he successively served as governor, prefect, servant of the household department, and secretary of the official department.During his tenure, he accomplished three major events: the reform of water transport, the reform of salt administration, and the reform of the financial system. He did a lot of good things for the people and became a celebrity of his generation.As the saying goes, "Those who make big plans don't regret tipping, everything must be a permanent concern", which shows that he is extremely discerning in dealing with things, and those who make big things can't count on small things in front of them, but have long-term considerations.

Dogs guard the night, chickens [1] morning, Gou [2] do not learn, and He [3] is a human being.

【Note】

[1] Division: Management. [2] Gou: If. [3] He: How, how.

【Translation】

A dog can guard the house and watch the night for people, and a rooster can crow for people. If people can't study hard, they can only live in a daze, so what qualifications do they have to be called human beings?
[Interpretation]

Nature endows everything with instinct and characteristics, such as dogs can watch the house and chickens can announce the dawn.So what should we humans do as the head of all things?Human beings are spiritual and capable of thinking. The mission entrusted by nature to human beings is of course to learn and master various knowledge, and then understand and manage nature.

Silkworms weave silk, bees brew [1] honey, people don't learn, they are not as good as things.

【Note】

[1] Brewing: brewing.

【Translation】

Spring silkworms weave silk, and bees make honey for human consumption.And if people don't know how to learn and can't realize their own value with their own knowledge and skills, they are really inferior to these animals.

[Interpretation]

Silkworms work hard to weave silk to make clothes, and bees work hard to brew honey for people to eat.All kinds of animals and plants have a job that nature has given them to do.If people don't study hard, don't use the acquired knowledge and skills to create value and realize their own value, they are really inferior to small animals.

Learn when you are young, walk when you are strong [1], go to the king at the top [2], and Zemin at the bottom [3].

【Note】

[1] Zhuang: adulthood. [2] Line: act, refers to practice. [3] Zhijun: To assist the monarch and serve the country. [4] Zemin: Ze, Enze.Zemin refers to officials as one side, benefiting the common people.

【Translation】

When we are young, we study diligently to enrich ourselves, and then we can apply what we have learned when we grow up. At the top, we can serve the country, and at the bottom, we can benefit the people.

[Interpretation]

The purpose of learning knowledge is to apply it. Only when it is used can the value of knowledge be reflected, otherwise it is just a bookshelf for storing knowledge in the stomach.How to apply what you have learned and serve the people with the knowledge you have learned?The first problem is the combination of theory and practice.Use the knowledge you have learned to answer practical problems encountered in real life, understand and apply it in practice.

Promote fame [1], show parents [2], lighten the front and enrich the back [3].

【Note】

[1] To become famous: To become famous in the world. [2] Show parents: Make parents proud. [3] Yu Yuhou: Refers to the descendants of Enze.

【Translation】

It can not only be famous, bring glory to parents and ancestors, but also benefit others and future generations.

[Interpretation]

A person who silently contributes to the motherland, to the people, and to others in his own work position will naturally get more rewards and honors.Whether it is Lei Feng, the auto soldier, or Li Suli, the conductor, they have all made extraordinary contributions in their ordinary positions.

Ren left [1] son, Jin Manxi [2], I teach the son, only [3] once [4].

【Note】

[1] Left behind: left behind. [2]籝 (yíng): bamboo box, bamboo basket. [3] only: only. [4] Jing: refers to the classics such as the Four Books and the Five Classics, here refers to the "San Zi Jing".

【Translation】

What others leave to future generations may be a box full of gold and silver treasures, but what I educate my children and grandchildren is only this "San Zi Jing".

[Interpretation]

As the old Chinese saying goes, "wealth does not pass through three generations".No matter how rich the parents are, what is the use of their children being well-clothed and well-fed every day, killing their fighting spirit and not thinking about making progress?When the money is always used up, they will have nothing to do and will not do anything, but will harm them.Reading is different. Books contain the principles of self-cultivation, family harmony, state governance, and world peace. This is an inexhaustible and inexhaustible wealth.

Diligence is meritorious, play [1] is useless, and caution [2] is good [3], it is advisable to work hard.

【Note】

[1] Play: play. [2] Caution: Be on guard. [3] Zai: Interjection.

【Translation】

Anyone who is diligent and enterprising must gain something. Playing is not good except wasting good time. Take this as a warning and encourage yourself.

[Interpretation]

This section lists a lot of stories and repeats a lot of truths. It just tells people that anyone who is diligent and motivated will reap success.And fun, entertainment, and enjoyment are useless except to kill time.Wasting youth, wasting time, and regretting in the future will not help.

(End of this chapter)