Three Character Classic: Hundred Family Surnames, Thousand Character Classic

Author: Anonymous
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Publication Date: 2001-05-01
Features: k01033 Excerpt 1: A grass radical on top and a holding radical at the bottom. Gourd, earth, hide, wood, stone, metal, silk, and bamboo are the eight tones. [Note] "Gourd" refers to a calabash, used for the sheng (a reed pipe wind instrument); made of purple bamboo, it has seventeen pipes arranged in a gourd. "Earth" refers to pottery, used for the xun and chi (wind instruments); the xun is made of clay, egg-sized, with a pointed top and flat bottom like a hammer, six holes; the chi is 14 inches long, 3 inches in circumference, with seven holes, one hole protruding upwards, totaling eight holes, blown horizontally. "Hide" refers to, used for the ying drum: 3 feet tall, 2 feet 1 inch wide, struck three times per musical phrase with a beater. "Wood" refers to wooden instruments, such as the zhu and di (ritual drums): the zhu is made of tung wood, shaped like a square barrel, with a round hole on top and mountains painted on three sides, water on one side; it is played by striking the bottom first, then the sides, for a total of three sounds to start the music; the di resembles a crouching tiger, with 27 tines on its back, made of bamboo 4 inches long, split into ten stems, called 1, its back is struck to correct the rhythm. "Stone" refers to jade or stone, used for chimes. "Metal" refers to copper gongs, drums, suona, bugles, zheng, bells, and cymbals. "Silk" refers to pipa, qin, and se. "Bamboo" refers to dizi, guan, xiao, yu, and flute. [Explanation] These eight tones of music were created by Huangdi's minister Rong. According to the Five Emperors and Three Kings, each had their own music used in temples to honor ancestors, in heavens to worship deities, in courts to display ceremonial rites, and at banquets to entertain guests. It is said that when rituals and music are complete, governance succeeds. The use of music is roughly like this. Grandparents, parents, oneself, children, and grandchildren; from children to great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents, there are nine generations of kinship. [Explanation] One's own generation above is called "father," the father of one's father is "grandfather," the grandfather of one's father is "great-grandfather," and the great-grandfather of one's father is "high-grandfather"; one's own generation below is "son," the son of one's son is "grandson," the grandson of one's son is "great-grandson," and the great-grandson of one's son is "great-great-grandson." From high-grandfather to great-great-grandfather, there are nine generations. The nine generations collectively constitute the "nine clans"; "clan" means many. Among them, there are many offspring, with varying degrees of closeness and distance. "Lun" means order. Seniority and age determine the hierarchy without chaos. All of these relatives, brothers, and paternal/maternal uncles are rooted in the same source of natural bonds, and should be cherished and respected without fail. Fatherly love, wife's obedience, elder brother's friendship, younger brother's respect, seniority and juniority, friendship and camaraderie, and the king's reverence and the minister's loyalty: these are the ten virtues shared by all. [Explanation] Father, mother, elder brother, younger brother, and friend are the five cardinal relationships. From the perspective of human relationships, the nine clans are further divided into ten virtues: fatherly kindness, filial piety, husband's leadership, wife's submission, elder brother's friendship, younger brother's respect, senior's kindness, junior's order, friend's camaraderie, and friend's trustworthiness. The king's reverence and the minister's loyalty are also among the ten virtues, shared by all. When teaching beginners, one must explain the meaning, clarify the structure of sentences and phrases. [Explanation] "Meng" means like grass in its infancy, ignorant and unclear. When teaching young learners, one must explain the principles, examine facts, and thoroughly study classical texts to enlighten their ignorance. One must also clarify the structure of sentences and phrases: a full sentence is a "sentence," and half a sentence is a "phrase." If a sentence is too long, it may be briefly punctuated for young learners to recite. A learner must have a starting point, and after completing elementary studies, progress to the Four Books. [Explanation] Ancient scholars had a sequential approach to learning. They first studied Xiào Xué (Elementary Learning), practicing etiquette, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics, and understanding the principles of serving parents and respecting elders. Then they studied the Lún Yǔ (Analects), a record of Confucius's teachings and discussions with his disciples on learning, governance, rituals, and music, divided into twenty chapters with 253 chapters in total, totaling 15,917 characters, all recorded by Confucius's disciples. There was also the Qí Lún (Master's Discourses), divided into twenty-two chapters, with most chapters similar to those in the Lún Yǔ. However, the Qí Lún is no longer in existence today, and only the Lún Yǔ is used for examinations. Mèng Zǐ (Mencius) has seven chapters, discussing morality and righteousness. [Explanation] Mencius, surnamed Mèng, named Kē, styled Zǐ Yú, followed his mother's teachings and studied under Zisi, becoming a great scholar. He traveled to Qi and Liang, but the rulers of the feudal states could not fully implement his ideas, so he retired to Zou and taught his disciples on morality and righteousness, writing the Mèng Zǐ in seven chapters, totaling 35,377 characters. The sixteen disciples of Mencius are: Lèzhèng Zǐ, Wàn Zhāng, Gōngsūn Chǒu, Gōngdū Zǐ, Chéngqiū Méng, Chén Zhēn, Wūlú Zǐ, Gāo Zǐ, Chéndài, Péng Gèng, Chōng Yú, Téng Gèng, Táoyìng, Xú Pì, Mèng Jìzǐ, and Mèng Zhòngzǐ. Zhōng Yōng was written by Zisi, "Zhōng" means no excess or deficiency, and "Yōng" means ordinary. Zisi, styled Kǒng Rén, was the grandson of Confucius and the son of Kǒilǐ. He studied under Zengzi and wrote the Zhōng Yōng, which he passed to Mencius. [Explanation] The study of the Confucian school regards the Zhōng Yōng as the path, the most impartial, balanced, true, and upright, without excess or deficiency. This path of the Zhōng Yōng can only be achieved by sages. "The human mind is perilous, the way of the heart is subtle; only by refining and unifying can one faithfully hold to the center": these are the sixteen characters of the heart's transmission. Yao passed it to Shun, Shun passed it to Yu, Yu passed it to the Duke of Wen, the Duke of Wen passed it to the Duke of Zhou, the Duke of Zhou passed it to Confucius, Confucius passed it to Zengzi, Zengzi passed it to Zisi, and Zisi passed it to Mencius. After Mencius's death, it was no longer transmitted. The Zhōng Yōng has thirty-three chapters, with twenty chapters repeating the phrase "those in lower positions," totaling 3,568 characters. Dà Xué was written by Zengzi, from self-cultivation to governing the state. [Explanation] "Dà Xué" refers to the learning of great men. Zengzi, surnamed Zeng, named Cān, styled Zǐ Yú, was the son of Zeng Di (also known as Zeng Xi). Zengzi studied under Confucius and taught in Xihé and Wucheng. He wrote the Dà Xué, summarizing Confucius's teachings, divided into ten chapters, three guiding principles, and eight steps, totaling 1,753 characters. Zhu Xi added a chapter based on the ideas of Chengzi, adding 134 characters. When the Xiào Jīng is understood and the Four Books are mastered, one can then read the Six Books. [Explanation] The Xiào Jīng has eighteen chapters, written by Confucius to explain filial piety. [Explanation] In ancient times, scholars first studied the Xiào Jīng, then the Four Books. After understanding the Xiào Jīng and mastering the Four Books, one could then study the Six Books. However, this book only includes the Lún and Mèng. The Dà Xué and Zhōng Yōng were extracted by Zhu Xi from the Lǐ Jì and annotated, included in the Four Books as a single volume, hence the name "Four Books." In total, there are 433 chapters, 57,746 characters. Shī Shū Yì Lǐ Chūn Qiū, known as the Six Classics, should be studied and understood. [Explanation] This refers to the Six Classics: the Shī (Poetry), Shū (Book of Documents), Yì (Book of Changes), Zhōu Lǐ (Rites of Zhou), Dài Lǐ (Rites of Dai), and Chūn Qiū (Spring and Autumn Annals). Scholars should study and research them. The Zhōu Lǐ was once included among the Six Classics, but is now considered part of the Five Classics. The Five Classics are called: the Shī is the "Poetic Classics," totaling 39,220 characters; the Shū is the "Recorded Classics," totaling 25,700 characters, also known as the "Wall Classics"; the Yì is the "Xī Classics," totaling 24,707 characters; the Lǐ Jì is the "Dài Classics," totaling 99,020 characters; the Chūn Qiū is the "Lín Classics," totaling 18,000 characters. There are the Lián Shān, the Guī Zàng, and the Zhōu Yì, the three Yì classics. [Explanation] The Lián Shān, Guī Zàng, and Zhōu Yì are the names of three books. They were created based on the Sān Fén during the Xia Dynasty and are called the Yì: the Lián Shān begins with Gèn (mountain), symbolizing mountains. The Dà Xiàng (great images) has eight: ruler, minister, people, things, yin, yang, weapons, and symbols. The Guī Zàng begins with Kūn (earth), symbolizing earth. The Dà Xiàng has eight: storage, life, movement, stillness, growth, nurturing, correctness, and killing. The Zhōu Yì begins with Qián (heaven), symbolizing heaven. The Dà Xiàng has eight: heaven, earth, sun, moon, mountains, rivers, clouds, and qi. These three books are the Sān Yì. The Sān Fén are the books of the Three Emperors. The Wǔ Diǎn are the books of the Five Emperors. Fuxi drew the hexagrams before the invention of writing, and Cangjie invented characters after the invention of writing.