The Family Precepts of Chu Zi - Extended Wisdom of the Virtuous

Author: (Ming) Zhu Yongchun, (Ming) Anonymous
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-05-01
Features: Rise at dawn and sweep the courtyard to keep the home tidy. Rest at dusk and lock the doors, personally inspecting everything. Treat every bowl of rice and every meal as if it came from hard work; cherish every thread and every strand of silk, always remembering the difficulty of procuring materials. Prepare for rain before it rains and dig a well before you are thirsty. Live frugally and entertain guests without excess. Use simple yet clean utensils; earthenware is better than gold and jade. Eat sparingly but well; garden vegetables surpass delicacies. Do not build luxurious houses or seek fertile land. The three aunts and six maids are the source of lust and theft; maids and concubines are not blessings for the household. Do not hire pretty servants or allow wives and concubines to dress ostentatiously. Though ancestors may be distant, sacrifices must be sincere; though descendants may be foolish, must be read. Live modestly and educate children with righteousness. Do not covet unexpected wealth or drink excessively. In trade with carriers, do not take advantage. Show compassion to poor relatives and neighbors. A house built on stinginess cannot last long; a family that violates ethics will perish. Brothers and nephews should share wealth and support the less fortunate; elders and the inner and outer family should maintain strict discipline in words and deeds. Listen to a wife's words and betray family ties—how can that be a man? Value wealth over parents—how can that be a good son? Choose a good husband for your daughter without demanding a heavy dowry; seek a virtuous wife without caring about a large inheritance. Those who show servility in the face of wealth are shameless; those who act arrogantly in poverty are the most contemptible. Avoid disputes at home; disputes always end badly. Avoid excessive talk in life; too much talk leads to mistakes. Do not use power to bully the weak and widowed; do not indulge in gluttony and recklessly kill animals and birds. P3-4