Three-Character Classic Interpretation Version -- Excellent Reading Material for Primary School Students under the New Curriculum Standards

Author: Cui Zhonglei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Xue Bao Attends to Stepmother
Once upon a time, there was a man named Xue Bao. When he was very young, his mother passed away. His stepmother treated him very poorly. He often went hungry and cold and was frequently beaten. However, he still showed great respect to the old woman, often helping her with chores, and eventually earned her trust. After his parents passed away, his stepmother's children demanded to divide the family property, but he gave them everything of value. Others laughed at him for being foolish, but he said, "This is how I show filial piety to my parents!"
One and ten, ten and a hundred.
A hundred and a thousand, a thousand and ten thousand.
The Three Talents are heaven, earth, and humanity.
The Three Lights are the sun, moon, and stars.
Notes
① "And" serves as a connecting word in a sentence.
② The Three Talents refer to heavenly talent, earthly talent, and human talent.
③ The Three Lights refer to sunlight, moonlight, and starlight.
Interpretation
The ancient Chinese created the character "one" to represent the division between heaven, earth, yin, and yang, marking the beginning of numbers. The character "ten" signifies the end of numbers, with one horizontal and one vertical stroke encompassing the four directions—east, south, west, and north. From one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand, and from a thousand to ten thousand, these fundamental numbers must not be unknown.
In the universe, there are three fundamental entities: heaven, earth, and humanity. In the heavens, there are three sources of light: the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Fascinating Facts About Counting
Before numbers existed, people used knots in ropes to count things. When the sun set and the flock of sheep returned one by one to the sheepfold, the old ancestor would tie a knot in the rope for each sheep that entered. Then, by comparing the knots, they would check if any sheep were missing—one knot equaling one missing sheep.
Later, knotting ropes became insufficient, so people invented using numbers for counting. Legend has it that the character "one" was invented by the ancient Fuxi, while the other numbers were created by Cangjie.
The Three Cardinal Principles are:
Rulers and subjects should uphold righteousness.
Fathers and sons should be affectionate.
Husbands and wives should be harmonious.
Notes
① "Principles" refers to the core guidelines or tenets.
② "Righteousness" means doing what is appropriate.
③ "Affectionate" implies closeness and harmony.
④ "Harmonious" means being gentle and free of conflict.
Interpretation
In human society, there are three cardinal principles: rulers and subjects should uphold righteousness; fathers and sons should be affectionate; and husbands and wives should be harmonious. According to ancient beliefs, if everyone followed the "Three Cardinal Principles," the world would be peaceful and stable.
Kublai Khan’s Understanding of Righteousness
The thirteenth emperor of the Yuan Dynasty was Kublai Khan. When he was young, his older brother, who was then the Great Khan of the Mongols, did not trust him and sent people to investigate him. Kublai Khan understood the importance of the relationship between rulers and subjects and voluntarily sent his wife and children to the Great Khan. This act demonstrated his loyalty and sincerity. Seeing his devotion, the Great Khan felt reassured. From then on, the brothers had no more misunderstandings and maintained a very good relationship.