I Ching (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 contact with 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 lament.
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 unbroken cultural "flame" to future generations. This initiative has spanned several years and has gained immense momentum, involving over a million children and 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. It places them on the shoulders of cultural giants from the very beginning of their lives, giving them a high starting point for their journey. Although children may not initially understand the content of the books, the saying "read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will reveal itself" holds true. Through repeated reading and as they grow older, children will gradually grasp the essence of the classics, influenced by them subconsciously, leading to the proverbial "habits formed in youth become natural," achieving the educational goal of self-directed learning, creativity, and achievement under the guidance of experienced teachers.
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 children's classic educator, Teacher Chunling, with students Li Xulong and Liu Lingzhao. The book's text has been reviewed by the classical literature expert, Mr. Zhao Yi, and designed in traditional style by the art critic, Mr. Zhu Yingchun.
The features of this set are: the audio CD offers standard pronunciation, moderate speed, and elegant background music; the book features large fonts, pinyin, annotations, and explanations of homophones, complemented by traditional-style illustrations. The expert-led readings ensure standard pronunciation, the moderate speed is convenient for children to follow, the large fonts save their eyesight, the pinyin and homophone explanations aid in reading, and the annotations help with comprehension. Meanwhile, the traditional binding, background music, and illustrations immerse children in a rich cultural atmosphere as they read.
During the production of this material, we have received strong support and care from many dedicated individuals across the country who are committed to preserving 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 the "I Ching," 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 ancient guqin music—truly a joy in life.