Self-cultivation and pure speech

Author: Zhao Manni
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-09-01
Features: The term "words of the elders" refers to two aspects. First, the authors of these aphoristic works are often those who have experienced the vicissitudes of life, including renowned officials and scholars who navigated the political arena, as well as reclusive high-minded individuals who lived apart from the world. There are also erudite scholars with profound knowledge and high moral integrity, as well as unlucky old who faced hardship and misfortune. Second, from today's perspective, these aphorisms and maxims are all summaries and elevations of historical experience, representing the valuable cultural heritage and earnest teachings left by the "elder of history." This book is one of the "words of the elders" series, collecting classic works on self-cultivation such as Lin Bu's Record of Heart-Soothing (from the Northern Song Dynasty), Tu Long's Pure Words from the Bodhi Pavilion (from the Ming Dynasty), and Zhang Chao's Shadow of Dreams (from the Qing Dynasty). In terms of format, it adopts a style of adding prefaces to each work, annotating the original text paragraph by paragraph, and providing modern translations. The annotations strive for accuracy, and the modern translations aim to be clear and vivid. The golden words in these works are like aged fine wines, becoming more precious over time. It is believed that they can offer valuable references and inspiration for people today in terms of self-cultivation, personal conduct, and social interactions.