The teacher said

Han Yu

Ancient scholars must have teachers. Teacher, so preach and teach to solve doubts. People are not born knowing, who can have no doubt? If you are confused and don't follow the teacher, you will be confused and you will never understand. Before I was born, I studied Tao before I was born, so I learned from Tao. After I was born, I studied Taoism first, so I studied Taoism. I am a teacher, and I don't know that years were born in me. Therefore, there is no nobility, no inferiority, no length, no shortage, and the existence of Tao and the existence of teachers.

Ha ha! It's been a long time since the teacher passed on the Tao! It's hard to be confused! The ancient sages are far away, and they are still in the teacher's question; Today's people are far from saints, and they are ashamed to learn from their teachers. So saints are good for saints, and fools are good for fools. What makes saints holy and fools stupid? Love his son, choose a teacher and teach him; If you are in your body, you will feel ashamed and confused. The boy's teacher, the sentence of teaching and learning books, is not the person I am talking about telling his story and solving his confusion. I don't know, I don't understand, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Witch doctors and musicians are skilled workers, and they are not ashamed to learn from each other. The families of the scholar-officials called their teacher disciple Yun, and they got together and talked and laughed. When asked, he said, "He is almost the same as that year, and in the same way. Humble and shameful, officials are close. " Oh! The teacher's way is unknown. Witch doctors are highly skilled musicians, and gentlemen disdain them. Today, his wisdom is out of reach, strange and embarrassing!

Saint impermanence teacher. Confucius studied under Tan Zi, Changhong, Shi Xiang and Lao Dan. Scorpions' disciples are not as clever as Confucius. Confucius said: If there are three people, there must be a teacher. So disciples don't have to be inferior to teachers, and teachers don't have to be superior to disciples. They have a good understanding of Taoism and specialize in their skills. That's all.

Seventeen-year-old Li is good at ancient prose and knows all six arts. He has unlimited time to learn from Yu Yu. Yu Jiaqi can follow the ancient road and write Shi Shuo to make it last forever.

The teacher said the translation is as follows:

People who studied in ancient times must have teachers. Teachers can impart truth, teach research and answer difficult questions. People are not born to understand reason, who can have no doubts? Doubt, not following the teacher, those who become problems, are ultimately incomprehensible. Born in front of me, he understood the truth earlier than me, so I (should) follow (him) and regard him as a teacher; Born after me, (if) he knows the truth before me, I (should) follow (him) and regard him as a teacher; I should follow him and regard him as a teacher. (If) he knows the truth before me, then no matter the position or age, the place where the truth exists is the place where the teacher exists.

Alas! The fashion of learning from teachers (ancient times) has passed for a long time! There is no doubt about wanting someone! Ancient saints, far more than ordinary people, followed teachers and asked for advice; Now ordinary people are far below saints, but they are ashamed to learn from teachers. Therefore, saints are wiser and fools are more stupid. The reason why saints can become saints and fools can become fools is probably because of this. If people love their children, they will choose teachers to teach them. For himself, it is shameful to follow the teacher. This is really stupid. Those children's teachers teach them to read and learn to punctuate sentences. It is not what I say that can teach those truths and answer those difficult questions. Those who solve those problems, some (see sentences) learn from teachers, some (suspect) don't learn from teachers, but they should learn from small aspects and give up (not learn) from big aspects. I don't see that kind of person is wise. Witch doctors, musicians and craftsmen are not ashamed to learn from each other. Scholar-officials, whom they call "teachers" and "disciples", get together and laugh at others. Ask them (why are they laughing) and say, "He is about his age and has similar moral knowledge. He feels ashamed (because) his position is low (because he is a teacher) and (because) his position is high (because he is a teacher), which is simply flattering. " Alas! It is obvious (from these words) that the fashion of learning from teachers cannot be restored. Witch doctors, musicians and craftsmen are all people that gentlemen despise, and now they are not as knowledgeable as (these people). What a surprise!

A saint has no fixed teacher. Confucius studied under Zanzi, Changhong, Shi Xiang and Lao Dan. These people are not as talented as Confucius. Confucius said: If several people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher. "So, students are not necessarily inferior to teachers, and teachers are not necessarily more talented than students. They have heard about it early and heard about it late, and their knowledge and skills have their own specialties. That's all.

Pan, the Li family's child, is seventeen years old and likes classical Chinese. He has generally studied the six classics and is not bound by customs, so he learns from me. I commend him for following the way of the ancients (learning from teachers) and writing this "Teacher's Theory" as a gift to him.

source

Shi Shuo was written by Han Yu to his student Li Pan in the 18th year of Tang Zhenyuan (AD 802).

Sentence annotation

1. Scholars: people who study.

2. Teachers, so they are taught by majors. A teacher is a person who teaches truth, teaches truth to students and explains difficult problems. Therefore, for ... Tao refers to the Confucian Tao. Accept, pass the "grant" and teach. Industry generally refers to ancient classics, history, the study of philosophers, and ancient writing. Confusion, puzzle

3. People are not born knowing: People are not born knowing the truth. Meaning refers to knowledge and truth. "The Analects of Confucius Jishi": "Those who are born with knowledge are also on the top; Those who learn and know, second; Learn from difficulties, secondly; If you are sleepy and don't learn, the next one is the people. " Yes, I understand.

What is puzzling is his doubts.

5. Born before me: Born before me. Hu: It is equivalent to "Yu", which is the same as "Hu" in "I'll go first" below.

6. Smell: Listening means knowing and understanding.

7. Learn from him: follow (him) and worship him as a teacher. Take ... as a teacher. Learn from the teacher, learn from the teacher.

8. My teacher Ye Tao: I (learn from him). Teacher, used as a verb

9. Fu Yong knows that he was born to me: where can I consider whether he is older than me or younger than me? Yong, send word, don't. Know, understand, know. It, for example, is independent.

10. Yes, therefore, therefore.

Creation background

According to Fang Chengxuan's Chronology of Mr. Changli's Poems, this article was written in the 18th year of Zhenyuan in Tang Dezong (802). This year, Han Yu was 35 years old and worked as a doctor in four schools in imperial academy. His position is not high, but he has gained fame in the literary world, and the "ancient prose movement" he advocated has also begun. The word "teacher" in Han Yu's "Ancient Scholars Must Have Teachers" and "A Biography of Learning from the Law for a Long Time" has its unique meaning. It doesn't refer to school teachers at all levels of government, nor does it refer to the first teacher who "teaches and learns sentences", but refers to people who have achieved something in school in society and can "spread the law and solve doubts". Han Yu is famous for being such a self-righteous person and a good teacher. The Book of the New Tang Dynasty says that he is a "scholar after his success, and his name is often the same". After Yue's teaching, they were all called "Korean disciples".

Make an appreciative comment

Shi Shuo is a famous argumentative essay of Han Yu, with prominent viewpoints and strong practical pertinence. In this argumentative essay, the author affirmed the nature and function of being a teacher, discussed the important significance and correct principles of being a teacher, and criticized the common bad habit of not paying attention to the teacher's way at that time. This article is written for Li Pan. In fact, it is to crack down on those literati who are attached to famous families, refuse to learn from others or even laugh at others. It plays a unique role in criticizing the current disadvantages. The author shows that anyone can be his own teacher and should not refuse to learn modestly because of status or age difference. At the end of the article, Confucius testified with his own words and deeds, explaining that seeking advice and attaching importance to Taoism is a practice since ancient times, and people should not abandon the ancient road at that time. The article embodies extraordinary courage and fighting spirit, and also shows the author's spirit of expressing opinions independently regardless of the secular world, and promotes the social atmosphere of being willing to learn from teachers and being good at learning.

This article is written against the bad atmosphere of "being ashamed to learn from teachers" under the influence of family concept. In ancient China, school education was very developed, and there were official schools from the central government to the local government. In the Tang dynasty, the gate valve system since Wei and Jin dynasties still followed. Noble children all entered Hong Wen Pavilion, Chongwen Pavilion and Guo Zi School. No matter what you study, you can be an official. Therefore, in the literati class at that time, there was a general psychology of respecting "family law" and neglecting teachers. It can be seen that it is commendable for Han Yu to write Teacher's Theory and publicize his views with great fanfare.

Brief introduction of the author

Han Yu Han Yu (768-824), a writer, philosopher and thinker in the Tang Dynasty, was born in Heyang, Henan Province (now mengzhou city, Jiaozuo, Henan Province), Han nationality, and his ancestral home was Changli (now Yixian, Liaoning Province). He was known as "Han Changli", also known as "Han Guanbu" and "Han Wengong". Han Yu, a 25-year-old scholar, used to be an imperial adviser, assistant minister of punishments, secretariat of Chaoshan (now Chao 'an, Guangdong), doctor, assistant minister of official departments, etc. He and Liu Zongyuan were both advocates of the ancient prose movement in the Tang Dynasty, who advocated learning the prose language of the pre-Qin and Han dynasties, breaking parallel prose and expanding the expressive function of classical Chinese. In Song Dynasty, Su Shi called him "the decline of eight generations of literature", and in Ming Dynasty, he was listed as the first of the eight masters in Tang and Song Dynasties. Liu Zongyuan and Liu Zongyuan are also called "Liu Han", which is known as "a great writer" and "a hundred generations of literators". His works are all included in Mr. Changli's collection of works.