Famous Works on Family Management: Essence Series of Chinese National Treasures

Author: Zhang Baoxi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The Family Precepts of Zhu Zi, also known as The Family Rules of Zhu Zi, is a renowned family precept from the Qing Dynasty. Since the Qing era, no other family precept has been as widely circulated as this one, reaching a level of household fame. The author, Zhu Bolu, styled Yongchun and styled Zhiyi, took the name Bolu. A native of Ming, he became a student of the imperial examinations but was unable to pass after the Qing conquest and instead taught students in his hometown. Throughout his life, he wrote works such as Commentary on the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean, Collected Works of Regret, and Admonitions. Among these, the most famous is undoubtedly this family precept. This precept consists of 516 characters, mostly consisting of concise maxims, with fluent and memorable language and profound yet simple. The thoughts it embodies are largely Confucian, particularly the concepts of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism, but it is not rigid. On the contrary, it is full of vivid life and is closely related to daily life, providing practical guidance for people's behavior. For example, "Do not rely on power to bully the lonely and the poor, nor indulge in gluttony and wantonly kill living beings." Treat others with peace and kindness, and also be kind to animals. This idea is not outdated but rather deeply resonates with people's lives. This precept contains many, which may seem ordinary at first glance but upon closer reflection can awaken one to sudden realization. For instance: "To be moved by beauty and give rise to lustful thoughts, the retribution falls upon one's wife and daughters; to harbor grievances and use hidden daggers, the curse extends to one's descendants." "To show envious looks at wealth and status, the worst thing one can do is stop; to act arrogantly in poverty, the worst thing one can do is not." It admonishes people to abandon evil and embrace goodness, to be a person of high moral character, to be strict with oneself and not demand too much of others, to focus on cultivating personal virtues, to be warm and caring toward everyone, to have a clear and upright heart, to be free from jealousy and resentment, and to show understanding and compassion for others, even for animals. It is especially important not to, like many people today, abuse and kill animals, to treat one's own kind with cruelty, to desperately pursue external sensory pleasures, to lack integrity and shamelessness, to take advantage of others, and to be ruthless to an extreme. All of these are completely contrary to what this precept emphasizes.