Exhortation to Learning

Yan ZhituiBashu Publishing House · ChinaJun 2024

4.4

Word count: 6.6K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Mianxue is the title of the eighth chapter of Yanshi Jiaxun (The Family Instructions of Master Yan); part of it has been included in middle-school Chinese textbooks. Its author, Yan Zhitui, courtesy name Jie, was a literary figure of the Northern Qi. His Yanshi Jiaxun consists of twenty chapters and is a systematic and complete textbook of family education; later generations called it the "code of family instruction." The book summarizes his life experience in cultivating oneself, handling affairs, and pursuing learning. Yanshi Jiaxun is the first family instruction work in Chinese history with rich content and a grand system, and it is also a scholarly work. It expounds methods of self-cultivation and family governance, covers many fields, stresses that the educational system should take Confucianism as its core, pays special attention to early childhood education, and offers original views on Confucianism, literature, Buddhism, history, philology, folklore, society, ethics, and more. The writing is practical, the language fluent, and it has a distinctive plain style; its influence on later generations has been profound. The book sets out his views: attention should be paid to early education and to diligence in later years, and one must not give up on learning out of self-abandonment.

Editor's review

"Mianxue" (Encouraging Learning) is one of the most widely circulated chapters of The Family Instructions of Master Yan, discussing why to learn, when to learn, and how to learn. In the tone of family instruction, Yan Zhitui explains early education, diligence in later years, and the idea that one must not give up on learning out of self-abandonment—practical and earnest, without empty preaching, mostly explaining the necessity of study from the standpoint of cultivating oneself and conducting oneself in society. The language is plain and fluent; it has a Confucian foundation while touching on literature, history, folklore, and broad subject matter, so readers can feel an elder's solemn exhortation to the younger generation. Part of it was once included in middle-school Chinese textbooks, showing that its language is not overly difficult and suits ordinary readers as an introduction. Reading it today, one can both understand the basic concerns of traditional Chinese family education and reflect on one's own learning attitude: whether one gives up because of age, or seeks only memorization without putting it into practice. Suitable as a short text for family reading or self-discipline.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Parents and family elders concerned with family education and family tradition
Beginning readers who want to understand the core views of The Family Instructions of Master Yan
Young people who need self-discipline and a fresh look at their learning attitude
Readers interested in traditional family instruction and Confucian educational thought

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for a complete annotated translation of the whole Family Instructions of Master Yan
Practical readers seeking modern learning methods and efficiency tools
Researchers preferring rigorous scholarly argument and textual criticism

Reading tips

Read the whole chapter first and underline Yan Zhitui's sentences on early education and diligence in later years.
As you read each paragraph, compare it with your own or your family's study habits and note one thing that could be improved.
Compare it with the excerpt in middle-school textbooks to see how the meaning changes before and after abridgment.
Parents can pick one or two sentences to discuss with their children; there is no need to finish it all at once—the point is dialogue.

About the publisher

Bashu Publishing House China · Founded in 1983

Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.

版权信息
勉学第八

FAQ

What is "Mianxue" mainly about?

"Mianxue" is the eighth chapter of The Family Instructions of Master Yan. It centers on learning, stressing the importance of early education and the need for diligence in adulthood, and that one must not give up on learning out of self-abandonment. It links reading with cultivating oneself and conducting oneself, and is a representative chapter on scholarship in traditional family instruction.

Can I read it without a classical Chinese foundation?

Yes. The language of this chapter is relatively plain, and part of it was once included in middle-school Chinese textbooks, so ordinary readers can understand the gist with annotations. It is advisable to read the annotations first to clarify words and phrases, then read the whole chapter to grasp the views; there is no need to delve word by word at the start.

What kind of book is The Family Instructions of Master Yan?

It is a family instruction work in twenty chapters by Yan Zhitui of the Northern Qi, regarded by later generations as a systematic and complete textbook of family education. Its content covers self-cultivation and family governance, Confucianism, literature, history, folklore, and many other aspects; it stresses taking Confucianism as the core and pays attention to early education, and its influence has been profound.

What is the contemporary relevance of reading "Mianxue" today?

It reminds readers that learning knows no early or late: one should not neglect it because one is young, nor give it up because one is old. For parents, it offers a chance to reflect on early guidance; for individuals, it can be used to examine whether learning remains mere talk rather than being put into self-cultivation and conduct.

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About the author

Yan Zhitui Author · Chinese

Yan Zhitui (531–591), courtesy name Jie, was a native of Linyi in Langya who was born in Jiankang and became a renowned man of letters and educator during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. He served five dynasties in turn—Liang, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou and Sui—and witnessed the fall of three of them, a life of hardship that gave him broad experience. In his later years he wrote the seven-volume, twenty-chapter Admonitions for the Yan Clan, the first dedicated work of family instruction in China. Addressing such themes as teaching children, encouraging learning, admiring worthies and phonology, it sets out in plain and earnest prose how to conduct oneself and manage a household, while also recording northern and southern customs and scholarly strengths and weaknesses; its influence on later family-instruction literature was profound. His other works include The Record of Wronged Souls and The Fu on Observing My Life. Spanning biography, philosophy and folk literature, his writings are important sources for understanding the thought and family culture of medieval scholars.