Chapter 45 To My Brothers: Lectures on the Method of Reading Confucian Classics and History

【original】 Dear Brothers: On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, I received a family letter from my fourth brother, sixth brother, ninth brother, and ninth brother on December 5th. The letter from my fourth brother was three pages in plain language.It is often said that the letters of the moon and the moon are just empty words to blame the younger generation, but there is no real good news. The words that are heard in the hall make the younger generation suspect that the younger generation is vulgar and mediocre. Feel sweaty.I chatted with my ninth brother last year and said: "As a son of man, if you make your parents see me better and say that all brothers are inferior to me, this is unfilial. Is it not ladder①, why? If parents have a sense of virtue and foolishness in their hearts, and if the clan party② has a sense of virtue and foolishness in their mouths, then they must have the intention of flattering them in their daily life and secretly use tricks to gain a good reputation for themselves. To make brothers get a bad reputation, there will be rifts in the future, and it is born from this. Uncle Liu and Sanye Liu, brothers all want to be good people, and they are regarded as enemies when they die. It’s because of Liu Zaiye’s bad reputation.” This is exactly the reason why the fourth brother blamed me, so I’m sweating because I’ve read it; I hope the five brothers can understand this reason and understand each other’s reasoning. Liang, the brother gets the bad name worry, the brother gets the good name happy.It is the elder brother's fault if the elder brother fails to complete the Tao and allows the younger brother to obtain the present name.If everyone has such intentions, there will be no doubts for hundreds of millions of years.

As for the customs in Hengyang, only learning in winter is important. Since May, all the teachers and students follow the story.Classmates are all mediocre and unambitious, and they are best at laughing at people. They have different ways of laughing, but in short they are not far from frivolous.If the fourth brother goes to Hengyang, he will laugh at each other as the younger brother of Hanlin, which is vulgar and hateful.Asking people in a village without friends is really the number one hate thing. Not only is it useless, but it is also very harmful. Customs affect people, and the so-called relationship with abalone also changes with it.The elder brother often talked with the ninth younger brother, saying that Hengyang should not read books, and Lianyan should not read books.

Now the fourth younger brother intends to travel under Jue'an's master, so he must obey his elder brother's instructions, but take the benefit of the enlightened master and not suffer the loss of his friends. After receiving this letter, he immediately led Hou Er to Master Jue'an to receive employment.Qi Shuxiu would like to have ten pennies of money this year, and my brother will pay it back in August, so as not to affect the family.The most worrying thing for the brother, the classmates, those who have no ambition to play games, after the Duan Festival, let go and do nothing, fearing that the younger brother and the thick two will act like your ears, so refrain!Anyone who has been a teacher for a long time can benefit from it. The fourth brother and Ji brother, this year are teachers from Jue'an. If the place is safe, they can still swim next year. .

The Letter of the Sixth Brother is an excellent ancient prose, with a row of hundreds ⑥ like Changli, and an obstinate ⑦ like Banshan. When discussing ancient prose, there must always be a stubborn and unruly spirit, and the more obstinate, the deeper the meaning. Take Changli and Banshan alone.When discussing poetry, we also take those who are arrogant and not group⑨, and when discussing characters, we always have this intention and don't talk about it lightly.He Zizhen was so close that they had very similar opinions. They occasionally talked a few words, and they looked at each other and smiled.I don't know that the sixth brother was born with such a skillful pen. In the past, I saw that my brother's writing was not very strange. Now I read this letter, and then I know that my brother is really not talented. I am very happy!There is no limit to joy!Where my brother has the ambition but cannot do it, my brother can do it.

In the letter, it is said that brother gave lectures to the gentlemen, fearing that they would gradually become cronies, and what they saw was very true.However, I can rest assured, my brother is most afraid of flaunting, and always has the idea of ​​still following (11), and there is no such thing as a so-called self-explanatory person.The letter said that the fourth brother was impetuous and not humble, and also hit the fourth brother's illness. The fourth brother should be regarded as a good friend and a medicine stone. It's a shame!I can't wait to fly home with two wings, comfort my brother, and talk for a few days.However, Xiangshi's younger brothers have already entered the school, so the rumors must be that the college is arrogant and lazy, and everyone's mouth is worth money (12), how to distinguish it?The so-called good fortune is a blessing in disguise?Sooner or later, the name of the department is determined in advance. Although it is a pity, there is no need to worry about it with a false name.

I wrote a letter saying that "Book of Rites" is a book and a half, vast and boundless, and I have nothing to gain. I have discarded it now, and I dare not read it again. I am now reading "Zhu Zi Compendium", which is more than ten pages a day. Speaking of this, I am full of regret!I hate that I didn't work hard in my early years. Although I want to teach my younger brother, I am like a blind person who wants to lead the way. There are countless things that cannot be changed, and the poor scriptures must be dedicated to one, not to be greedy.Reading the scriptures is based on research and search for meaning, and the end is based on textual research. When you read a word of resistance, if you don’t understand a sentence, don’t read the next sentence. If you don’t understand it today, you can read it tomorrow.The way to read history is to put yourself in the place. Every time you look at a place, you can socialize and laugh with the people at that time.Not everyone can remember it.But remembering a person is like picking up that person, and you don't have to remember everything.But remembering one thing is like being close to it. The classics are based on poor reasoning, and the history is based on researching things.Not to mention nothing to learn.

From the Western Han Dynasty to the present, there are about three ways for literacy Confucianism: the study of righteousness and reason, the study of textual research, and the study of words and chapters (13). The biggest thing is that righteousness and rationality are necessary for practice, and economics have their roots.The study of Ci and chapters is also for the people to develop their meaning.In the study of textual research, I have nothing to learn. People from these three paths are all engaged in classics and history, and each has their own way. I think that if you want to read classics and history, but when you study the meaning, you will have one mind and not divergence.

Therefore, the classics are dedicated to the classics, and the history is dedicated to theories. These are the ways of keeping the promise, and it is indeed impossible to change. If you read the classics and history, there are hundreds of schools of thought, and you may want to read it, but you should read the special collection of one person, and you should not read it from east to west. For example, if you read "Changli Collection", what you see with your eyes and what you hear with your ears is nothing more than Changli thought that there were no other books in the world except "Changli Ji".I haven't finished reading this episode, so I will definitely not change to other episodes, and I also specialize in words and formulas.The sixth brother should keep in mind, reading the classics, reading the history, reading the special collections, and teaching the study of principles and principles. Those who are ambitious must never change it.However, this is only for those with great ambitions. If you are a student of the name of the subject, you have to read the four books and essays, read the test law Fu, and have a lot of clues.The fourth younger brother, the ninth younger brother Hou, and the second younger brother are less gifted, so they must learn to be famous.

But keep a word of resistance.Those who seem impatient to read "Book of Rites" from Guanlai Xinyan, encourage them! When my brother was young, his talent was not very low. Later (14) days, he was with mediocre people, and he knew nothing about it.And before Yi arrived in Beijing, he began to aspire to learn poetry and ancient prose, and the method of writing calligraphy, but he also had no good friends.In recent years, I have guided one or two good friends, and I know that there are so-called scholars of classics, economists, and so-called practitioners. I know that Fan Han (16) can be learned and learned, Ma Qian and Han Yu can also be learned and learned, and Cheng Zhu can also be learned and learned. To also.Gu Ran thought of washing away the filth of the day before, thinking of a reborn person, of being the son of his parents, of being the guide of all younger brothers.It's nothing like weak body energy, continuous tinnitus, and feeling tired after a little effort.Thinking about it every day, the sky restricts me from thinking in the past, it is because the sky does not want to become my knowledge, so in recent days, my mind has been quite scattered.

The letter also said that the fourth brother and the third brother were teachers from Youjue'an, and the sixth and ninth brothers still came to Beijing, or Yunyun in the south of the city of learning.The older brother wants the older brother to live with him in the middle of the capital, and his affection is like that of a lone goose begging Cao Ye.Since the ninth brother Xin Chou wanted to return in the autumn, the elder brother tried everything to keep him, and the ninth younger brother should say it. When he decided to return to the south in the last autumn, the elder brother had no choice but to let him do what he wanted.If the ninth younger brother comes back this year, within one year, he will come and go suddenly, not relying on the disapproval of all the adults in the hall, just watching and laughing at my brother's rash actions.And when the two younger brothers came together, they had to pay 80 gold for the travel fare. It was really difficult to deal with it at this time.

If I can get a job this year, it would be great for my two younger brothers to come with Zhu Xiaoshan this winter.If the sixth brother disagrees, then write another letter to discuss it. The ninth younger brother writes in detail, but it is a pity that the words are too short, and the elder brother is often too long, so it is better to cut the long and make up for the short!If there is an important matter in Yaojie, one of the younger brothers will go with him and help him for a few days.Muyun answered my long letter, why didn't I reply at all?Don't you think I'm blunt?The matter of supporting the spirit is not credible at all.The ninth brother must always be determined to study, and he doesn't have to think about such things.Brother Ji must listen to Zhu Mian's words for everything.This trip is very urgent and I have no time to copy the diary, so I will tell you later. (16th day of the first lunar month in the 23rd year of Daoguang) 【Note】 ①Ti: It is the moral category of Confucianism about brotherhood. ② clan party: family, township party. ③Qiu 雠: 雠, the word for the same hatred, here refers to seeing each other as enemies. ④ fiber mustard: subtle. ⑤ Hanlin: The Hanlin Academy was set up in the Qing Dynasty, and the first Jinshi filled it, and its officials were called Hanlin. ⑥ Paibai: Straightening the sword ⑦Awful: Qunian creates gaps. ⑧ Banshan: Song Dynasty politician Wang Anshi; Great Historian: Han Dynasty historian Sima Qian. ⑨Arrogant but not group: high-level but not vulgar. 10 Cliques: Small groups colluding with each other. (11) Darkly Shangyan: Yan, the single clothes covered outside, also refers to Zen clothes, here refers to the muddled advocacy of Zen. (12) Shuojin: Melting gold, here refers to different opinions, and the idea is the same. (13) The study of righteousness and reason, that is, Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming Dynasties; it is the study of Confucian classics and meanings, and the study of names and principles: textual research: textual research and annotation of the exact source and meaning of ancient meanings in ancient books.Ci Zhang: This is the study of Ci Fu. (14) Later, since then. (15) The orifice is blocked: if you don’t have an orifice, you will be deceived. (16) Fan Han: Song Dynasty politicians and writers such as Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi. 【Translation】 Dear Brothers: On the 15th day of the first lunar month, I received a letter from my fourth brother, sixth brother, and ninth brother on the 5th day of December.Said to write letters every month, blaming the younger brother in vain with empty words, but there was no real good news, so that the adults in the hall heard what the elder brother said, suspected the vulgarity and mediocrity of the younger brothers, and made the younger brothers feel ashamed.These few words; for my brother, I can't feel sweating.I chatted with my ninth brother last year and said: "As a son of man, if you let your parents see me as better and other brothers are not as good as me, that is unfilial. No ladder.·Why? Because the parents have the idea of ​​pleasing, and secretly use tricks to gain a good reputation for themselves and make other brothers get a bad reputation. After that, the rift between them will arise from here. Uncle Liu, San Liu Lord, all my brothers wanted to be good people, but in the end they became enemies, because Third Master Liu gained a good reputation in his parents’ party and Uncle Liu gained a bad reputation.” It is precisely this reason why my fourth brother blamed me today, I was so ashamed after reading it.I hope that the five of us brothers can all understand this truth and forgive each other.The elder brother is worried about his younger brother's bad reputation, and the younger brother is happy about his elder brother's reputation.It is the older brother's fault if the elder brother fails to fulfill his moral responsibilities and make the younger brother gain a good reputation. There is not even a trace of suspicion. Among the customs in Hengyang, only winter learning is important.Since May, teachers and disciples have followed the story and gone back.The classmates are all mediocre, vulgar and unambitious people, and they like to ridicule people the most. They make fun of people in different ways, in short, they cannot do without the word easy and thin.If the fourth brother goes to Hengyang, they will definitely laugh at you as Hanlin's younger brother, how vulgar and hateful you are.If you don't have friends in your hometown, it is really the first thing you hate. It is not only useless, but also harmful.The custom infects people, that is to say, if you enter the abalone room, you will not smell the smell for a long time, and gradually assimilate.The elder brother and the ninth brother often mentioned that you can't study in Hengyang and Lianbin, because there are too many friends who are useless and harmful. Now the meaning of the fourth brother must be learned from Teacher Juean, and he must listen to his elder brother's instructions, but learn from the benefits of the master to benefit himself, and do not be damaged by those friends who are not beneficial or harmful.After receiving this letter, I immediately took Houer to Master Jue'an to learn.This year, I would like to present the tuition fee in ten pennies.The elder brother will definitely pay it back in August, so that the family will not be affected.It's not that I don't want to give it a little more generously, but I really can't do it.What worries my brother most is.Classmates who have no ambition and blindly play.After the Dragon Boat Festival, if you let go and do nothing, you are afraid that your younger brother and Houer will follow suit, so be stingy!Anyone who learns from a teacher must go through a long period of time before he can benefit. The fourth brother and the second brother, this year, learn from Jue'an teacher. If the place is safe, they will continue next year.If you change places every year, you will have no perseverance, change your mind when you see something different, and it will be difficult to make progress. The letter from the sixth brother is a wonderful ancient prose, strong like Changli, deep like Banshan.When I discuss ancient prose, there must always be a stubborn and unruly temperament, and the more obstinate, the deeper the meaning. Therefore, apart from Tai Shigong, I only choose Changli and Banshan. On poetry, I also agree with being arrogant and out of the crowd, and on calligraphy as well.Often think so, but not easy to talk about.Recently, I got a friend named He Zizhen, and the two of them agree very much. Occasionally, they would smile at each other after a few words.I don't know that the sixth brother was born with such a wonderful pen. I used to see your articles often without any surprises. After reading this letter today, I realized that my brother is an unruly talent. I am very happy!Whatever the elder brother has ambitions but is unable to do what he wants, younger brother, you can do it. The letter said that my elder brother gave lectures to gentlemen, and I am afraid that he will gradually become a cronies over time, what he sees is very true, but younger brother can rest assured, elder brother is most afraid of flaunting, he often quietly humbles himself and does not show it, and he will never be suspected of being a so-called family.The letter said that the fourth brother was impetuous and not modest, and also hit the fourth brother's fault, and the fourth brother should be treated as a good medicine.The letter also said that my brother's complaints were not the enthusiasm of a villain.It is the cherished time of people with lofty ideals.After reading this, I can't help feeling lost!I can't wait to fly home with two wings, comfort my brother, and talk for a few days before I can be happy.However, even if the younger brothers are enrolled in the school, those rumors will say that the college is favoritism, and everyone is talking about money. How can we justify it?The so-called good fortune is a blessing in disguise?The name of the family sooner or later is really destined in the previous life.Although the idea of ​​cherishing the time is very urgent, there is no need to worry about that false name. The letter said that I had read a book and a half of "The Book of Rites", which was so vast that I had nothing to gain. It has been discarded and I dare not read it again. Now I am reading "Compendium of Zhu Zi", more than ten pages a day.Speaking of this, the elder brother regrets that he didn't work hard in the early years. Although he wants to teach his younger brother, he is like a blind man leading the way. Questioning proved that there must be several common and difficult aspects of the truth of reading.If you are poor, you must concentrate on it, and you can't be too extensive.Reading the scriptures is based on research to find meaning, and research on various things is the end.There is a knack of patience in reading the scriptures. If you don’t understand a sentence, don’t read the next sentence. If you don’t understand it today, you will read it tomorrow. If you don’t understand it this year, you will read it next year. This is called patience.The best way to read history is to put yourself in the situation.Every time I look at it, it seems that I am the person at that time, and the entertainment and banquet are among them.It is not necessary for everyone to remember, just remember one person, as if you are approaching this person; it is not necessary to remember everything, just remember one event, as if you are in person.The classics are mainly to pursue the truth; the history is mainly to examine the facts.Without these two aspects, there is nothing to learn. Because from the Western Han Dynasty to the present, there are about three ways for literate scholars: one is the study of meaning and reason; the other is the study of textual criticism;They often hold on to one science and attack the other two.My brother's private opinion; I think the study of justice is the greatest.Once the meaning is understood, it will be more important to focus on the main points in practice. The economic minister has the foundation, and the study of words and chapters can also play out the meaning.In the study of textual criticism, I don't think there is any way to study these three ways. They are all engaged in classics and history, and each has its own way.I think that if you want to read classics and history, you should study righteousness, which is more focused and not scattered.Therefore, one must stick to the classics, be familiar with the history, and read the classics and history. These are the principles of keeping promises, and they cannot be changed. If it comes to other than classics and history, there are hundreds of schools of thought, and there are many schools of thought.Or you want to read it, but you should read one person's special collection, and you should not rummage here and there.If you read "Changli Collection", what you see with your eyes and hear with your ears is nothing but Changli, thinking that there are no other books in the world except "Changli Collection".If you haven't finished reading this episode, never change another episode, which is also a special trick.The sixth brother should remember that reading classics, reading history, reading majors, teaching principles and learning, this is something that aspiring people must never change.The saint rises, and he must obey my words.However, it is only for those with great ambitions.If it comes to the study of subject names, you have to read the Four Books, read the test law Fu, and have a lot of clues.The fourth younger brother, the ninth younger brother Hou, and the second younger brother are less gifted and have to learn about subject names.Since the sixth brother has great ambitions, it is okay not to draw a name, but he must abide by the formula of resistance.It seems that I can't bear to read "Book of Rites" by letter, so please encourage me! My elder brother was talented when he was young, but after getting along with mediocre and vulgar people every day, he had no experience at all, and his key points were blocked for a long time.After arriving in the capital in the year of Yiwei, he began to aspire to study poetry, ancient prose and calligraphy, but he had no good friends. In recent years, after finding one or two good friends, I realized that there are so-called scholars of Confucian classics and economics, and there are so-called practical practitioners. Only then did I know that Fan and Han can learn it, Sima Qian and Han Yucang can learn it, and Cheng and Zhu can also learn it.Aside from emotion, I tried to wash away the filth of the past, to think of myself as a newcomer, as a dutiful son of my parents, and as a guide for my younger brothers.It's like being too weak, tinnitus, and feeling tired after a little effort.I think about it every day, since God restricts me from thinking hard, it is because God does not want me to achieve my knowledge.So the will has been very lax and loose recently. The letter also said that the fourth brother and Ji brother were educated by Teacher Jue'an, the sixth brother and the ninth brother still came to Beijing, or studied in the south of the city, and so on. The elder brother wanted his younger brothers to live in the capital together.Since the ninth brother Xin Chouqiu wanted to go home, the elder brother tried every means to keep him. The ninth brother can prove this.Until last autumn, I decided that Brother Nanfang really had no choice but to let him do what he wanted.If the ninth brother comes again this year, within a year, he will come and go suddenly, not only the adults in the hall will not agree, but even the bystanders will laugh at my brother's rash actions.Besides, the two younger brothers came together, and the travel expenses would cost 80 gold, which is really difficult to deal with now. The sixth younger brother said that he can solve it by himself, but he has never experienced hardships.If I can get an errand this year, the second brother will come with Zhu Xiaoshan this winter, if the sixth brother disagrees, then write a letter to discuss it. Ninth brother's letter was written in detail about the family affairs, but it was a pity that the words were too short.Brother's letters are often too long, so it's better to cut the long and make up for the short in the future.If Yaojie has a big problem, one of his younger brothers will accompany him and help him for a few days. Muyun answered my long letter, why didn't he reply?Do you think my words are too straightforward?The Fushi thing is totally unbelievable.The ninth brother must always aspire to study and don't think about these things.Brother Ji, you have to listen to your elder brothers in everything. This time the messenger left in a hurry, so he had no time to copy the diary, and I will report the rest later. (16th day of the first lunar month in the 23rd year of Daoguang)