Enlarged Wisdom Classic · Zhu Zi Family Instructions

Author: Yu Yueheng, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-09-01
Features: In traditional Confucian educational texts for children, there is a category dedicated to ethical and moral education for children, mostly in the form of compiling maxims and proverbs. Some of the content comes from classic texts, while others are drawn from popular proverbs in society. Among them, the widely circulated and highly influential A New Collection of Wisdom (Zengguang Xianwen) is one example. The content of this book reflects feudal ethical concepts and life philosophy while preserving many time-honored maxims and proverbs. Many of these sayings are still widely spoken and highly influential today. These sayings are clear, easy to read and remember, and once memorized, they are never forgotten in a lifetime. Their impact and role on young people and even adults are by no means to be underestimated. The Rules for Students (Dizigui) is also a type of traditional Confucian educational text. The original title of this book is Instructions for the Unenlightened, compiled by Li Yuxiu during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. The entire book is divided into five parts, with most of the content drawn from Confucian classics. The titles of each part are taken from a passage in the Analects of Confucius, "The Book of Learning": "When a son enters his parents' house, he should be filial; when he goes outside, he should be respectful to his elders. He should be careful and trustworthy, love all people broadly and be close to the benevolent. If he has surplus strength after fulfilling his duties, he should study literature." It basically summarizes the fundamental requirements of the feudal era for children's ethical and moral education, behavior, and learning. Therefore, it became widely disseminated after its publication, and some local governments even listed it as a required reading for private schools. The Family Precepts of Zhu Xi (also known as The Family Maxims of Zhu Xi or The Family Precepts of Zhu Bo-lu) was written by Zhu Yongchun, styled Zhiyi, who styled himself Bo-lu, a native of Kunshan, Jiangsu, during the late Ming Dynasty. This book combines A New Collection of Wisdom, The Rules for Students, and The Family Precepts of Zhu Xi into one volume, with annotations and translations, and is published with the intention of providing materials for readers, especially educators, on how to conduct moral education for young people. Secondly, it aims to provide a more accessible version for enthusiasts of Confucian educational texts.