Mencius (Upper and Lower)

Author: Yu Feiyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: There is a kind of book in the world that has been passed down through generations, its value becoming more enduring with time. People call it "classic." Classics are the crystallization of wisdom from ancient sages and scholars, shining with endless intellectual brilliance to guide people forward in the vast river of history. Every nation has its own classics recognized by intellectuals throughout its history. Our ancestors of the Chinese nation left behind the Confucian classics, historical records, philosophical treatises, and poetry collections that have endured for millennia. However, looking at today, it is not difficult to notice that children growing up along the Yellow River and Yangtze River are eating McDonald's and KFC, wearing Nike and Adidas brands, watching Japanese cartoons, and celebrating foreign holidays. They have little exposure to and understanding of traditional Chinese culture. When some Western scholars call for learning Eastern wisdom from Confucianism, our youth are almost completely unable to read the literature of their ancestors. This is truly a source of frustration and sighs.
In recent years, some insightful individuals have launched the "Children's Classic Reading Campaign," aiming to help today's children understand the excellent traditional Chinese culture and national spirit, thereby fostering a sense of national pride and patriotism. At the same time, they seek to teach children with the virtues of the sages, passing on the unending cultural "flame" to future generations. This initiative has spanned several years, gained immense momentum, and involved over a million children, reaching Chinese communities worldwide.
Children's Classic Reading allows children to engage with classical Chinese literature from a young age, as if learning from wise mentors. From the very beginning of their lives, they stand on the shoulders of cultural giants, starting their journey from a high point. Although children may not initially understand the content of the books, the saying goes, "Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will reveal itself." Through repeated reading and as they grow older, children will gradually grasp the essence of the classics, influenced by them subconsciously. Eventually, they will develop the habit of learning and creating independently, achieving self-mastery.
Years of practice have confirmed that children participating in the campaign have shown significant improvements in their academic performance across all subjects, with their behavior naturally becoming more disciplined. This has reduced the burden on parents and teachers, laying a solid foundation for their future success.
To make it easier for young children to read classics, following the success of the "Guoxue Xiaoyuan" series (Collector's Edition), which won the "National Best-Selling Book" and "National Youth Favorite Excellent Book" awards, we are now launching a special audio CD edition of this series. This volume includes classics such as "Three-Character Classic," "Rules for Students," "Classic of Filial Piety," "Thousand-Character Classic," "Analects," "Great Learning," and "Doctrine of the Mean."
The audio CD features readings led by the renowned classical education expert Teacher Chunling, with students Li Xulong and Liu Lingzhao. The original text of the books has been reviewed by the classical literature expert Mr. Zhao Yi, and the design has been crafted by the artful Mr. Zhu Yingchun. The highlights of this series are: the audio CD offers standard pronunciation, moderate speed, and elegant background music; the books feature large fonts, pinyin, annotations, explanations of homophones, and traditional-style illustrations.
Expert-led readings ensure standard pronunciation; moderate speed makes it easy for children to follow along; large fonts save their eyesight; pinyin and homophone annotations facilitate reading; annotations aid comprehension; while the traditional binding, background music, and illustrations immerse children in a rich cultural atmosphere.
During the production of this series, we have received strong support and care from many dedicated individuals across the country who cherish the inheritance of traditional Chinese culture. We express our heartfelt gratitude to them!
One classic is worth ten thousand books. This book is part of the "Guoxue Xiaoyuan" series, featuring selected chapters from "Mencius," with large fonts and pinyin, accompanied by traditional-style illustrations and annotations, making it suitable for children to read classics. A CD is included, guiding them through the classics with the beauty of guqin music—truly a joy in life.