Three Character Classic · Disciples Code · Thousand Character Classic · Collection of Famous Scholars

Author: Chen Li / Liu Yinglian (editors)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: "The Three-Character Classic" is one of the most representative comprehensive readers for ancient Chinese primary education. It has been popular for a long time, with a wide range of influence. It is said to have been compiled by Wang Yinglin, a great scholar of the late Song Dynasty. "The Three-Character Classic" has a rigorous structure, concise language, and strong summarization. In less than a thousand words, it contains a wealth of knowledge and moral norms. The text is written in three-character sentences or multiples thereof, short and rhyming, making it easy to read and memorize. "The Rules for Students" is a highly popular textbook in China during the Qing Dynasty, compiled by Li Yuanyan. It is a textbook that provides moral education in the form of learning rules and regulations, serving as a popular explanation of the saying from the "Analects" of Confucius: "Be filial at home and respectful abroad; be cautious and trustworthy; love all and be close to the virtuous; if there is surplus strength, then study literature." It is written in three-character rhyming lines, making it catchy and easy to remember. Zhou Baozhang, a Qing Dynasty scholar, wrote in "Children's Memorization Collection": "The Rules for Students by Li have become widely used, and this book (referring to 'The Three-Character Classic') has fallen into disuse." This shows the significant influence of "The Rules for Students" during the Qing Dynasty. "The Thousand-Character Classic" was compiled by Zhou Xingsi during the Southern Dynasties of the Liang Dynasty. It is a four-character long poem with a coherent meaning from beginning to end and harmonious rhymes. It systematically introduces rich knowledge on heaven, nature, self-cultivation, social conduct, geography, agriculture, rituals, diet, and daily routines. The selected characters are commonly used in ancient texts, with a simple sentence structure, fluent and natural language, making it easy to read and memorize. "The Collection of Famous Scholars" is a popular reading material that has been circulated among the people since the Southern Song Dynasty. There is no exact author, but based on the content, it is highly likely that Confucian scholars after the Southern Song Dynasty compiled it from the sayings and maxims of famous and virtuous individuals from past generations, as well as long-standing folk proverbs and aphorisms. It could not have been the work of a single person but rather the collective creation of multiple people or generations. The content is mostly derived from society and the folk, reflecting the life experiences and psychological aspirations of the time. It contains many concepts and norms related to self-cultivation, family governance, and interpersonal relationships, which still hold relevance today.