Rime Echoes · Master Lai's Rhyme

Author: Zhu Shiren / Zhu Yuanhua
Annotations:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: From ancient times to the present, Shengli Qimeng (Rhythm Enlightenment) and Lixiong Duanyun (Master Li's Rhyme) have been the best primers for training children in poetry composition and mastering phonetic patterns. Due to their "resonant tones, magnificent wording, and unparalleled charm," they have gained widespread popularity across the nation and have been cherished by countless readers.
Shengli Qimeng was written by Che Wanyou, styled Hetian, a native of Shaoyang, Hunan, and a jinshi (imperial scholar) under the Kangxi Emperor, who rose to the position of an assistant censor in the Ministry of War. It is said that he "spoke out against corruption for over two decades, refused bribes, and was feared by those in power," demonstrating great integrity.
Lixiong Duanyun was authored by Li Yu, styled Lihong or Zefan, known as Master Li, a native of the Kangxi era. He was an expert in poetry and drama and was renowned as a playwright. He wrote ten works, including Xianqing Ouchi (On Idle Thoughts), Bimiyu (The Twin Fish), and Fengqing Wuyi (The Kite), collectively known as Lixiong Yijian (Master Li's Complete Works), which are now compiled into Li Yu Complete Works.
These two books are not only simple in language, harmonious in tone, and rhythmic in sound but are also organized by rhyme, covering a wide range of topics such as astronomy, geography, flora, fauna, people, and objects, with both realistic and imaginative responses. Additionally, they incorporate numerous myths, legends, common allusions, and colloquial expressions. After children thoroughly study them, they can grasp the principles of tonal parallelism, learn to compose couplets and poetry, achieving the ideal effect of "reading three hundred Tang poems and even if you don’t compose, you’ll know how to."
Professor Wang Caigui of Tamkang University, the global initiator of "Children Reading Classics," believes that while there is much to learn in life, it can be broadly categorized into scientific knowledge (e.g., mathematics, physics, chemistry) and non-scientific knowledge (e.g., art, music, literature). Scientific knowledge should be taught using scientific methods—"master the first step before teaching the second"—while non-scientific knowledge should be imparted through "exposure and gradual improvement." For every child, academic performance is not the most important thing; what matters is cultivating their interest in learning and their ability to think and solve problems.
The old saying goes, "At three, one’s destiny is set." Child psychology research shows that the period from 0 to 13 is the best time for memory development. During this time, their ability to absorb is like a sponge. If you give them classics, they will absorb them deeply into their hearts. As they grow older, the essence of these classics will gradually ferment within them, and from then on, "walking alongside the classics and associating with the sages" will become a lifelong companion! Classics are works that awaken human nature, opening the door to wisdom! They can penetrate the deepest parts of a person’s soul, cultivating an elegant temperament and a kind-hearted character!
Classical Chinese, the language of literature, is the language used in most classics, refined over millennia into a beautiful, concise, and precise form of expression. In the long history of Chinese civilization, the classics that have endured to this day are the Five Classics, the Four Books, the Confucian Canon, and the Literary Anthologies, which contain countless idioms, moral principles, humanities, and cultural norms. Under the influence of these classics, children will naturally exude an air of refinement, become knowledgeable, open-minded, and more capable of learning.
To facilitate children’s recitation, teachers and parents can explain the content as needed. This book, based on the annotations of Ruan’s Thirteen Classics and referencing various versions, has undergone careful research, interpretation, and phonetic annotation. It features a novel and elegant layout design that is suitable for both children’s reading and adults’ reference: large fonts that are easy on the eyes, clear pinyin for easy recitation, highlighted dual-color phonetics, annotations to clarify doubts, illustrations to enhance interest, and audio recordings to make learning enjoyable.
We recommend that teachers and parents guide children in reciting the classics in the order of "Xin Yue Classics." We will gradually release three series of Xin Yue Classics.
First Series: Recitation Texts
To be completed before the age of 13 (before elementary school graduation). Students should read them thoroughly and ideally memorize them:
1. The Analects
2. The Tao Te Ching, The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean
3. The Book of Songs
4. Mencius
5. The Book of Changes
6. Three Hundred Tang Poems
7. The Book of Documents
8. Zhuangzi
9. The Songs of Chu
10. Sources of Ancient Poetry
Second Series: Early Learning Recitation Texts
To be completed before elementary school graduation, serving as supplementary reading:
1. Three-Character Classic, Hundred Family Surnames, One Thousand Characters
2. A Thousand Poems
3. The Classic of Filial Piety, Rules for Students, Enriching Wisdom for the World
4. Rhythm Enlightenment, Master Li’s Rhyme
5. Essentials for the Young
6. Five-Character Mirror
7. Shadow of the Dragon’s Whip
Third Series: Reading Texts
To be completed during junior high school, with the focus on reading:
1. The Book of Rites
2. Xunzi
3. The Book of Rites of Zhou
4. The Book of Rites
5. The Book of Rites of Zhou
6. Zuo Zhuan
7. Records of the Grand Historian
8. Strategies of the Warring States
9. The Spring and Autumn Annals of Lü Buwei
10. The Art of War, The 36 Stratagems, The Six Classics
11. Essentials of Classical Chinese
12. Three Hundred Tang Poems
13. Three Hundred Yuan Quatrain
Let us give our children the education they deserve when they are geniuses, and quickly join the ranks of those who read and recite classics!