Essence of Famous Chinese Tutors - Greatness is Cultivated

Author: Sun Liqiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: It is particularly worth mentioning that Mencius' mother placed great emphasis on moral education. She taught Mencius to be upright and honest. When she accidentally spoke an untruth and felt extremely remorseful, she believed it would deceive the child and make him learn to lie. Therefore, she bought pork and cooked it for Mencius to correct her mistake. The spirit of setting an example by oneself and being strict with oneself is truly moving. It was precisely because Mencius' mother valued his education in how to conduct himself that she nurtured a Confucian scholar of outstanding moral character and learning.
When Mencius was young, his family lived near a cemetery. The area around the cemetery was always lively, with people coming and going, knocking and beating as they prepared for funerals. The young Mencius found it novel and curious, and he often played among the graves, imitating people digging graves, sweeping tombs, burning paper money, and murmuring words. Mencius' mother wanted him to become a learned person and believed that the games he played at the cemetery were very detrimental to his growth. Therefore, she decided to move.
The family moved to an area near a market town. Mencius' mother thought that the bustling market would broaden his horizons. However, the market was full of merchants coming and going, and the young Mencius, unable to resist the influence of the busy environment, began to imitate merchants and play business games. Mencius' mother sighed, "This is not the place for my son to live!" So, she decided to move again.
This time, they moved to a place near a school (meaning an academy). The sound of children reading and teachers teaching them how to perform sacrificial rites and etiquette of bowing and yielding attracted the young Mencius. He began to imitate what these scholars were doing. Seeing this, Mencius' mother said with satisfaction, "This is a good place for us to live." From then on, the Mencius family settled there.
To ensure that Mencius could grow up in a peaceful and healthy environment to study and develop, Mencius' mother moved three times. This spirit is truly moving and admirable. Today, the significance of learning the story of "Mencius' Mother's Three Moves" is that we should create a healthy environment for our children's growth. Some fathers are addicted to mahjong all day, letting their children grow up in a world of mahjong. This does more harm than good to their children's development. Compared to Mencius' mother, how should these fathers feel?
After Mencius started school, he made rapid progress. In a few years, he felt he had achieved a lot and happily told his mother he wanted to stop studying. Mencius' mother was weaving at the time and was furious upon hearing this. She immediately picked up her scissors and cut the cloth she was weaving in half. Startled, Mencius asked his mother why she cut the good cloth. Mencius' mother said, "If you want to stop studying, it's like cutting this cloth I'm weaving right now. Learning is about gaining knowledge, which helps people understand how to distinguish right from wrong and become useful people. How can you stop halfway? It's just like weaving cloth—I have to weave it inch by inch to make a piece of clothing. If I cut the cloth while it's still being woven, I won't be able to make a piece of clothing."
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