University. The Doctrine of the Mean. The Rhymes of Liting Feng

Author: Beijing Four Seas Children's Classic Reading Education Center
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: Classic means books with value, books that can be read again and again. These books are full of profound meanings and should be instilled in the hearts of the next generation as early as possible, so that they can gradually mature in their life journey. Classic texts are precious, and it doesn’t matter whether they are difficult or easy, long or short—just read them chapter by chapter, word by word, and memorize them. How simple! Children are very enthusiastic about memorization and enjoy it, and it’s not at all difficult. If we don’t give them the opportunity to memorize useful classics, they will still end up memorizing TV commercials and popular songs. The 21st century will be the century of the Chinese people. It is hoped that by then, China will not only be prosperous but also a true land of etiquette and righteousness, where everyone has noble cultural refinement. To achieve this goal, the simplest and most effective method is to start now andly make the next generation familiar with and able to memorize culturally valuable works.
The Great Learning teaches how to cultivate masters, and Tsinghua University President Mei Yiqi said, “A university is a place with grand buildings, but it is a place with great masters.” He believed that The Great Learning reveals the ultimate purpose and greatest spirit of learning. The Great Learning is one of the chapters in the Book of Rites, written by Zengzi, a great disciple of Confucius. As a Chinese person, not reading The Doctrine of the Mean is tantamount to being a non-Chinese; as a Chinese person, misunderstanding The Doctrine of the Mean is a shame. The Doctrine of the Mean embodies the spirit of the Chinese people, and those who are rooted in it have ample inner strength. To memorize The Doctrine of the Mean nurtures inner balance, acts according to the middle way, and achieves harmony! In the early Qing Dynasty, the literary master Li Yu wrote Luo Gong’s Rhymes and Antitheses, which teaches people how to compose antithetical couplets, and it’s worth reciting.