Wake up（229）

 

Chapter 42 Education

229

 

Accompanied by Pan Guangfu, son of former comrade-in-arms Pan Renshu, Chai Jianhua, a 96-year-old Chinese doctor, arrived in Hong Kong and stayed at Han Er's family.

Han Erniang said to Chai Jianhua: My father died in the Cultural Revolution Hefei crackdown on 5.16. His husband was also included in the May 16 counter-revolutionary restoration group and was beaten to death during the Cultural Revolution.

Han Erniang has been living alone since then, not caring about world affairs.

Han Erniang said that she was a rural female teacher at the time. In the early days of reform and opening up, she was found by her young best friend Mai Shu, who was teaching at a university in Hong Kong at that time. Through various relationships, Mai Shu helped her move to Hong Kong and arranged for her to work as an administrator in the university library.

Mai Shu's husband is Pan Renshu. Pan Renshu is an old comrade-in-arms of Chai Jianhua, and also joined the national army when the Kuomintang was arresting young men. When working in the mainland, he served as the principal of a middle school, and was later labeled as an anti-communist rightist and a KMT spy.

Pan Renshu had a friend named Wei Zhongzhi, who was a famous Chinese scholar in Hong Kong. Wei Zhongzhi was more than 20 years younger than Pan Renshu and was once a student of Pan Renshu. Wei Zhongzhi's father also joined the national army, was injured in an anti-Japanese battle, and was taken care of by Pan Renshu. Wei Zhongzhi's father left a will, asking Wei Zhongzhi to find Pan Renshu and take good care of him.

Wei Zhongzhi found Pan Renshu through his personal connections, and through friends in relevant CPPCC departments in China, brought Pan Renshu's family to Hong Kong, and funded him to open a Chinese medicine clinic in Hong Kong.

Under the introduction of Wei Zhongzhi, Pan Renshu got to know Mai Shu. Mai Shu's father, Mai Changhong, was a veteran cadre of the Red Army who was hit during the Cultural Revolution. After being rehabilitated, he went to Hong Kong to do business during the reform period, and thus met many CCP United Front cadres.

After Pan Renshu and Mai Shu got married, they had a daughter named Xiangzhu. Xiangzhu was studying at a medical school in Taiwan at that time. Unable to be around to take care of parents.

At that time, it was her best friend Han Erniang who took care of Mai Shu. Han Erniang took good care of her and Pan Renshu.

Only then did Chai Jianhua know that Han Erniang was not Pan Renshu's nanny. She is the best friend of Pan Renshu's wife, Mai Shu.

Pan Renshu had been persuading Han Erniang to find his old comrade Chai Jianhua after his death, hoping that she could take care of him.

Erniang Han had correspondence with Chai Jianhua. Erniang Han had visited Chai Jianhua in the mainland and confirmed her marriage relationship, but she was unwilling to go to the mainland. The main reason is that Han Erniang has to take care of her girlfriend Mai Shu and his wife.

After Chai Jianhua arrived in Hong Kong, Pan Renshu passed away. So Han Erniang accompanied Chai Jianhua to Pan Renshu's cemetery.

Han Erniang accompanied Chai Jianhua to visit Wei Zhongzhi, a well-known scholar of Chinese studies in Hong Kong, who was over seventy years old. Compared with Chai Jianhua, who was over ninety years old, Wei Zhongzhi's health was obviously much worse.

Wei Zhongzhi smiled and said to Chai Jianhua, you are more than 20 years older than me, and you are in such good health. You are indeed an old Chinese doctor with a real name.

Wei Zhongzhi is inconvenient and sits in a wheelchair. On his lap is a book he is reading.

Wei Zhongzhi picked up the book and said to Chai Jianhua, this is "Xue Ji", I don't know how many times I have read it. For dozens of years, I have always been fond of "Xue Ji".

Wei Zhongzhi said: The full text of "Xue Ji" has 1,229 characters. It is short and concise, but the content is quite rich, incisive, and profound. It is a summary and summary of educational thoughts and educational practices in China's pre-Qin period. "Xue Ji" takes "University" as its political foundation and "Doctrine of the Mean" as its philosophical foundation. Its content involves aspects such as educational function, educational purpose, educational system, educational content, teaching principles, teaching methods, teacher-student relationship, and teacher issues.

"Study Notes" has made a relatively systematic and incisive summary and theoretical elaboration on issues related to educational theory and practice, such as the relationship between education and politics, school system, school management, principles and methods of education and teaching, and contains rich educational thoughts.

"Xueji" is an article in "Book of Rites", which was written around the fourth century BC to the third century BC. According to textual research, its author may be Le Zhengke, a student of Mencius. "Xue Ji" was written in the late Warring States period and belonged to Lezhengzi School of Confucianism. It inherited the views of Simeng School and started from the goodness of nature. The specific writing time may be in the late Warring States period. Le Zhengke was a proud student of Mencius and was deeply influenced by Mencius' thought. Le Zhengben was an academic officer, and his family has a long history of education. However, there are different opinions in the academic circles. Some people think that "Xue Ji" may be the work of Xunzi's Confucian school. In fact, it is difficult to find out who the author of "Xue Ji" is. The key is that "Xue Ji" is an educational treatise in ancient China, an article in the "Book of Rites", a monograph on ancient Chinese laws and regulations, and the earliest document in world history that specifically discusses education and teaching issues. The article clarifies the purpose and function of education, the system, principles and methods of education and teaching, the status and function of teachers, the relationship between teachers and students in the process of education, and the relationship between classmates. period of educational experience. Its prose is concise, vivid in metaphor, fluent in style and has a certain artistry.

Wei Zhongzhi handed "Xue Ji" to Chai Jianhua.

Chai Jianhua began to read "Xue Ji".

The original text of "Xue Ji":

Concerning the constitution and seeking kindness is enough to attract people, but not enough to move the masses; it is enough to move the masses with virtue, but not enough to transform the people. If a gentleman wants to turn the people into customs, he must learn from it!

If jade is not cut, it will not be a tool; if people do not learn, they will not know. It is the ancient king who founded the country and the people, teaching first. "Dui Ming" said: "The end of reading is the beginning of learning." What does this mean?

...

Because it is written in classical Chinese, Chai Jianhua obviously couldn't understand what was written in "Xue Ji" except for the sentence "Jade can't be cut, it can't be made into a tool".

Therefore, Wei Zhongzhi began to interpret the translation of "Xue Ji" in vernacular Chinese:

A person who can think legally and seek self-support is enough to have a small reputation but not enough to move the people; who can be close to the worthy and consider the distant ministers, this kind of person can move the people but cannot change the hearts of the people. Therefore, if a gentleman wants to influence the hearts of the people and change customs, he must start with education!

Jade cannot be made into a tool without carving, and people cannot understand the way without learning. For this reason, the ancient benevolent emperors and sage kings established a state and governed the people, and they must put education in the first place. "Shangshu • Dui Ming Pian" said: "You must study the law codes of the former kings from beginning to end." This is what it means.

Although there are beautiful dishes, if you don't eat them, you won't be able to understand their taste; although there are brilliant principles, if you don't learn them, you won't understand their benefits. Therefore, only by studying hard can you understand your own shortcomings, and only by teaching others can you understand the difficulties. When you know your own shortcomings, you can return to yourself and study harder; if you understand the difficulties, you can encourage yourself and strengthen your studies. So, educating others and learning yourself are mutually reinforcing. "Dui Ming" said: "Teaching is half of learning." That's what it means.

In ancient education, the family had a school, each party had its own school, and every order was orderly. The capital of the emperor and the capitals of the princes also learned. Children enter school every year and will be assessed in the coming year. In the first year, read analytic sentences and analyze scriptures and meanings; in the third year, focus on studies and make good friends; in the fifth year, read extensive studies, respect teachers and love friends; in the seventh year, read lectures and doctrines, understand how to choose friends and choose others : This is called "Xiaocheng". In the ninth year, it is required to reach the level of righteous directors, mastery without doubt, independent, and not against the teacher's teaching: this is called "Dacheng". That way, it is enough to educate the people and change customs; those who are close to them will be convinced, and those who are distant will be grateful: this is called "the way of the university". "Records" once said: "The young son of the ant learned to build a nest with mud from an early age, and finally became a small mound of dirt." That's what it means.

At the beginning of college admission, teach the basic etiquette of courting the emperor and offering sacrifices to the sages and teachers, so as to cultivate a heart of humility and respect; recite the first three chapters of "The Book of Songs Xiaoya", so that students can appreciate the mutual comfort of the monarch and his ministers; Drumming is used as a sign, and books are issued in boxes to cultivate students' good habits of respect and uniformity; whips and other tools are set up to establish the majesty of education and make students serious; It is convenient for students to have enough time to enjoy their emotions; the teacher always observes the students and does not tell the truth, so that the students can think with their heart; the teacher gives a lecture, and if there is any doubt, the elders should ask questions, while the younger ones just listen and go. Don't ask, this is to reflect that learning must be done step by step and not jumping. These seven items are the basic steps of university teaching. There is a saying in "Records": "In any teaching, those who learn to be an official must first teach the things of being an official; those who learn to be a scholar must first teach how to be a scholar." This is what it means.

The most ideal education is to follow the proper scriptures in school and follow them without doubt after leaving school. It's like you can't play the qin and zither without practicing on the strings, you can't compose poetry without learning the method of bixing, you can't understand and practice various etiquette without learning chores; proud of. Therefore, when it comes to studies, a gentleman always devotes himself to the cultivation of emotions, the cultivation of skills, the rigor of his residence, and the dignity of his friendship. Having done these things, one will be able to concentrate on learning and respect teachers, and to love friends and abide by morality. Therefore, even if one leaves his teachers and friends, he will not deviate from the teacher's teachings. "Dui Ming" said: "Concentrate, gradually and timely comprehend, then his studies will be successful." That's what it means.

Nowadays, some teachers only look at the handbook and recite long poems, and ask questions repeatedly, explaining densely and repeatedly. This kind of study does not care whether the students understand or not, the teacher asks the students not to be sincere, and the education students cannot make the best of their material. That kind of education is already contrary to reason, and its requirements will inevitably lead to disobedience. If it is true, it will inevitably make academics obscure and students resent their teachers, suffer from academic difficulties and fail to realize the benefits of learning. In this way, even after graduation, its forgetting and abandoning must be very fast. Is this the reason why education is not manifested or developed?

The best education method is to prohibit before it happens, which is called prevention; to teach when it is necessary to teach, which is called timely; to teach without going beyond the hierarchical order, which is called sequential; to observe each other and learn from others, which is called observation. These four aspects are the reasons why education flourishes.

If things have already happened, and then they are forbidden, they will inevitably resist and cannot bear it; It is bound to be ignorant and ignorant, and it is difficult to advance in studies; forming cliques and protecting each other's shortcomings will inevitably violate the teacher's teaching; These six aspects are the reasons for the decline of education.

A gentleman understands both the reason why education flourishes and the reason why education declines, and then he can be a teacher. The education of a gentleman is to guide without forcing, to encourage without bruising, to inspire without exhausting. If you guide but don't pull, there will be harmony between teachers and students; if you encourage but don't frustrate, students will feel easy to accept; if you inspire but don't finish talking, you can promote students' thinking. Teachers and students are in harmony, students have confidence and promote thinking, which can be said to be a perfect education.

Students often make four kinds of mistakes, which teachers must be aware of. People seek to learn and understand the way, some people are out of greed, some people out of ignorance, some people out of negligence, and some people out of complacency. In these four situations, each person's mood is different. Only when the teacher understands the student's mind can he remedy his shortcomings. Education is to cultivate and carry forward the strengths of students, and to remedy and avoid the shortcomings of students.

A person who is good at singing can make people learn to sing uncontrollably; a person who is good at teaching can also make people voluntarily learn his aspirations. The teacher's words should be concise but expressive in meaning, subtle but profound in meaning, and clear in meaning with few examples. In this way, people can inherit their aspirations.

Only when a gentleman understands the difficulty and ease, beauty and ugliness of the highest state, can he be widely known; he can be a teacher if he can be a teacher; he can be an official if he can be a teacher; king. Therefore, learning to be a teacher is learning to be a king. For this reason, the choice of teachers must be cautious. The ancient "Records" said: "The four generations of kings of Zhou, Xia, Shang, Shang, Zhou, and Zhou, so the ultimate governance is to pay attention to the way of teachers." Isn't that what you mean?

The most fundamental truth of education is to respect the teacher. Because only by respecting the teacher can we be sure of the way taught by the teacher; only by believing in the way taught by the teacher can the common people attach importance to education. In order to show respect for the teacher, there are two kinds of people who the king does not regard his ministers as his subordinates: one is that he is not regarded as a minister when he is the sacrificial substitute; the other is that the minister is a teacher, Do not regard him as a subject. The etiquette of the university is: Even if the emperor is giving lectures, the teacher does not occupy the position of the minister in the north, but the master in the west, and the emperor occupies the guest position. This is to show respect for the teacher.

For those who are good at learning, the teacher is easy and the effect is doubled, and they owe it to the teacher; for those who are not good at learning, the teacher works hard but the effect is halved, and they resent the teacher. People who are good at asking questions are always like attacking bamboo and wood, first treating the easy places, and then attacking the joints. After a long period of hard work, we can solve problems happily with each other. People who are not good at asking questions are the opposite. Those who are good at answering other people's questions are like striking a bell. If you hit it harder, the sound will be louder, and if you hit it lightly, the sound will be quieter. You can solve problems without haste. Those who are not good at answering are the opposite. These are the basic principles of moral cultivation.

Those who can only memorize miscellaneous sayings but fail to innovate cannot be teachers. This kind of person must wait for the students to ask questions and speak according to the questions, even if they say it, they still cannot let the students understand and comprehend. For such teachers, dismissal should be done.

The children of potters often play games with animal skins; the children of bow makers often make toys with willow branches bent into bow shapes. Train the small horse-drawn cart, in the opposite order to the big-drawn cart, let the pony run behind the cart. A gentleman who observes these phenomena of life can aspire to teach.

Since ancient times, both teaching and learning must use the methods of classification, comparison and comprehensive analysis. For example, the sound of drums does not belong to one of the five tones of Gongshang, but the five tones cannot be harmonious without the sound of drums; the colors of water are not divided into red, yellow, blue, and black, but without water, the five colors cannot be displayed; But without learning, it is difficult to correct the five senses; the teacher does not belong to any kind of clothing in terms of human relations, but if there is no teacher to teach, it is difficult to show the closeness of human relations with mourning clothes.

The gentleman said: "The most basic virtue does not distinguish between high and low positions, the highest theory is not restricted by shape, and the greatest credit is not restricted by words. The world and the seasons cannot be uniform. Deep understanding of these principles can make people work hard. Ben, I am interested in learning." In the past, when the Three Kings and Five Emperors offered sacrifices to famous mountains and great rivers, they always sacrificed to the river first and then to the sea, because the river is the source of the sea, and the sea is the destination of the river. This is called a business book.

Wei Zhongzhi said that at this moment, Han Erniang took "Xue Ji" from Chai Jianhua and put "Xue Ji" on the table.

Han Erniang said to Chai Jianhua with a smile: "Professor Wei became excited as soon as he talked about "Study Notes", don't be surprised."

Han Erniang smiled and said to Wei Zhongzhi: "Professor Wei, Mr. Chai and I are here to visit you specially today, you just need to pay attention to rest." She added: "What you need to pay attention to now is to take care of your health, not to study knowledge. In a few days, Mr. Chai and I will come to visit you again. He will bring some medical equipment and give you a detailed diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine. He is a famous old Chinese doctor. He should give you a class on health preservation for the elderly. Look, Chai The old man is 96 years old this year, he has no disasters or illnesses, even when the new crown epidemic was rampant for three years, he has not had any positive symptoms."

Both Wei Zhongzhi and Chai Jianhua laughed.