Family Instructions of Chu Zi

Author: Zhang Hongxing / Xu Kejia, Editors
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The Family Precepts of Zhu Zi is one of the "Classic Reading Pocket Books." The Family Precepts of Zhu Zi is also known as The Family Precepts of Zhu Zi and The Family Precepts of Zhu Boliu. The author, Zhu Boliu (1617-1688), was a native of Kunshan, Jiangsu, during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. He dedicated himself to studying from a young age, passed the county-level examination to become a xiucai (a scholar), and aspired to a career in government. After the Qing dynasty conquered the Ming, Zhu Boliu abandoned his pursuit of officialdom and became a teacher in his hometown, focusing on Neo-Confucianism by Zhu Xi and Cheng Yi, gaining considerable fame at the time. The Family Precepts of Zhu Zi aims to advise people to practice diligence and frugality in managing their households and to live modestly and contentedly. Since its publication, it has been widely disseminated and revered by scholars and officials across generations as the "classic of family governance." During the Qing to Republican periods, it was once a mandatory reading for children. Zhu Boliu wrote extensively, including Four Pieces of Admonition, which also aimed to teach the ways of conduct and life. The Chinese nation is renowned for its emphasis on family education, and numerous "family precepts" exist, some of which still offer valuable lessons today. This book includes Four Pieces of Admonition, Yan Zhipu's (531-590) masterpiece The Family Precepts of Yan, and the Family Precepts of Shaoshan Mao, from the family of the modern statesman Mao Zedong (1893-1976), for reference.