Yan Zhitui (AD 531-about 595) was born in Linyi (now Linyi City, Shandong Province), a writer in the Northern Qi Dynasty, who lived in Jiankang (now Nanjing City), and was born in a bureaucratic family of the cremation, handed down from Zhou Guan to Zuo Chunqiu. He inherited his family business early, and he listened to the knowledge of Laozi and Zhuangzi when he was 65,438+02 years old. Because "empty talk is not his cup of tea", he has also studied "Li" and "Biography", and his life is "good drinking, not sloppy. "He is well-read, and his words are full of emotion, which won the appreciation of King Xiang-dong Liang. /kloc-at the age of 0/9, he was appointed as a constant servant of the country. After that, I went to Beiqi, and after 20 years, I was tired of being an official and assistant minister of the Yellow Gate. In 577 AD, the Northern Qi Dynasty was destroyed by the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and he was recruited as an imperial staff sergeant. In 58 1 year, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was destroyed by the Sui Dynasty. Emperor Wendi of Sui Dynasty was called a bachelor and died soon. According to his self-report, "Give life to three, and prepare for suffering." Sigh "the third is the extinct person." Handed down works include Family Instructions of Yan Family, Resentment, etc. Yan Family Instructions, a total of 20 articles, is a systematic and complete family education textbook compiled by Yan Zhitui in order to educate future generations with Confucianism and maintain the tradition and status of the family. This is a summary of his life's experience of being a scholar-bureaucrat, managing a family, doing things and studying, which has an important influence on the development history of feudal family education. Later generations called this book "the norm of family education".

(A) the role and purpose of education

Yan Zhitui preached the theory of three natures, and he divided human nature into three categories, namely, the wise, the foolish and the mean. He said: "it is useless to be wise without teaching, and it is useless to be foolish without teaching. The man of the mean does not know without teaching." He believes that people who have received intellectual education do not need education, because intellectuality is a natural talent, and they do not learn to know themselves or learn to teach themselves. Secondly, it is useless to teach fools, even if they are taught, because "stupidity" cannot be changed. Yan Zhitui emphasized that a man of the mean must be educated, because without education, he would have no knowledge and would fall into a state of ignorance. The function of education lies in educating gentle people, making them perfect their virtue and increase their knowledge.

Regarding the purpose of education, Yan Zhitui pointed out: "Ancient scholars were also human beings, and they did things to benefit the world; Today's scholars are themselves, and they cultivate themselves for progress. " The "Tao" of Tao is naturally the Confucian way, that is, the content of political ideal and moral cultivation advocated by Confucianism; The thought of "cultivate one's morality and cultivate one's nature for progress" originated from Confucius' thought of "cultivate one's morality and cultivate one's nature for peace". Only by being good at "doing things for yourself" (having good moral cultivation) can we benefit the world more effectively (governing the country and leveling the world). Starting from this educational purpose, Yan Zhitui criticized the decadent education of the scholar-officials at that time, which was seriously divorced from reality, and cultivated people who were mediocre, incompetent, shallow in knowledge and lacking in practical ability. He believes that the traditional Confucian education must be reformed, and it is not an empty talker who is difficult to cope with world affairs, nor a useless doctor, but a ruling talent in all aspects that has practical effects on the country. Including: court ministers, ministers of literature and history, military ministers, curtain ministers, mission ministers and creation ministers. From politicians to all kinds of professionals, we should train them. These talents should specialize in one job, have the ability to "cope with the tasks in the world", and are practical and useful talents for the country. Yan Zhitui's viewpoint broke through the traditional Confucian educational goal of cultivating more abstract gentlemen and saints, and took cultivating all kinds of practical talents as an important educational goal.

(B) About the content of education

In order to cultivate practical talents, Yan Zhitui advocates the educational content of "practical learning". He believes that the trained talents must be "both virtuous and artistic". The so-called "virtue" is to restore the traditional Confucian moral education and strengthen the education of filial piety and benevolence. The so-called "art" refers to the restoration of Confucian classic education and the "book of a hundred schools of thought", as well as all kinds of knowledge and skills needed for social practice.

Of course, the education of "art" is mainly based on the Five Classics. He believes that learning the Five Classics is mainly about learning the truth that exists in the world. "The book of the sage teaches people to be sincere and filial, to be cautious, and to make a name for themselves." However, reading should not be limited to the Five Classics, but should also be widely read and read "the words of a hundred schools of thought". In addition, he also attaches importance to learning "miscellaneous arts". He believes that in the extraordinary period of social unrest, learning "acrobatics" can make people "self-funded" in the case of war and "no shelter" and preserve their personal survival and the political and economic status of the gentry. Yan Zhitui advocated a wide range of "miscellaneous arts", mainly including articles, calligraphy, playing the piano, games, painting, arithmetic, divination, medicine, shooting, throwing pots and so on. These skills have practical significance in life, and also have the value of personal health care and entertainment. But these "acrobatics" can be both bright and professional.

It is worth noting that Yan Zhitui emphasized that the children of scholar-officials should "know the sufferings of crops" and learn some knowledge about agricultural production, which is different from Confucius' attitude of despising agricultural production.

(C) About learning attitude and methods

1. Modest and pragmatic: Yan Zhitui advocates a modestly pragmatic learning attitude and opposes the arrogant style of study.

2. Learn from others: Yan Zhitui pointed out: "Don't be arrogant if you don't read all the books in the world."

He believes that only by expanding the scope of knowledge acquisition as much as possible and comparing and discriminating the knowledge learned can we get closer to the objective truth. He advocates not only extensive reading, but also contact with world affairs to cultivate his independent thinking ability. The so-called "learning to be excellent is an official."

3. Diligence, cherish time: Yan Zhitui stressed that study should be diligent. He cited many touching examples in history to show that even a slow-witted person can achieve proficiency and mastery as long as he works hard. At the same time, he believes that people should study all their lives and cherish time. Young people should "learn early" and teenagers should not "miss the opportunity". If they "missed their prime of life, they should still be studying that night and should not give up." He said that learning "like the light of the rising sun" in his early years has a bright future; And "an old scholar", although like "candlelight at night", is much better than "closing your eyes and not seeing".

4. Learn from each other's strong points: Yan Zhitui appreciates the saying that "if you ask questions, you will be rich" in Shangshu and "if you study alone without friends, you will be ignorant" in Xue Ji, and advocates learning from each other and inspiring each other. He thinks that only by asking questions, seeking suggestions and exchanging ideas can we improve our knowledge quickly and avoid mistakes.

(4) About family education

1. advocates teaching as soon as possible

Yan Zhitui believes that family education should be carried out as early as possible, and prenatal education should be carried out before the child is born. After a child is born, he should "guide Xi" with people who know filial piety, benevolence and courtesy. A little longer, when he "knows people's colors and emotions", he should add meaning to "teaching", guide him to do what he should do, and don't let him do what he shouldn't do. With this kind of education, after 9 years old, you can "become less natural and get used to it."

Yan Zhitui believes that early education is important for at least two reasons: First, children's early learning is effective and beneficial. He said: "Life is young and spirit is patented. When you grow up, you must think about running away. You must teach early and don't miss the opportunity. " According to the different psychological characteristics of childhood and adulthood, he showed less external interference, concentrated attention, strong memory and long memory. Adults, on the other hand, have complex thoughts, are not easy to concentrate, and their memory gradually declines. Second, when people are young, their psychology is relatively simple, and various concepts and behavior habits have not yet formed, which is very malleable. Yan Zhitui believes that in this period, children's good education and environmental impact, or bad education and environmental impact, will be deeply imprinted in children's minds, and it is difficult to change when they grow up.

2. Advocate strict education

Yan Zhitui believes that family education should start strictly, combining strictness with kindness, and should not be indulged and indulged blindly because children are young. Parents should be serious and dignified in front of their children and have certain prestige. He said: "If parents are dignified and kind, their children will be timid and filial." He believes that parents who are good at educating their children can combine love with education, and the effect will be very good. On the contrary, if the relationship between the two is not handled properly, "love without teaching" will make children willful and indulgent, which will surely make a big mistake.

3. Pay attention to environmental habits and dyeing

Yan Zhitui inherited the educational thought of Confucius, Mencius and other Confucian scholars about "choosing friends carefully", and attached great importance to putting children in a better social environment. He believes that family education should pay attention to choosing neighbors and friends, because children's psychology is in the development stage and has not yet been finalized. However, children are very curious and imitative, always observing and imitating other people's every move. Invisibly, the behavior of people around gave children "smoke stains" and "fading". Therefore, the influence of neighbors on children may sometimes even be greater than that of parents. This is the truth of "being cautious in making friends". Confucius said, "It is not easy to choose a friend without a friend. Sages are hard to find, but people who are better than me are very valuable. " You should admire and admire him, make friends with him and learn from him.

4. Pay attention to family language education

He believes that language learning should be an important part of children's education. In family education, it is an important responsibility of parents to let children learn the correct language. One thing, one thing, don't check, don't dare to call casually. When learning a language, we should pay attention to norms, not dialects, but common languages.

5. Pay attention to moral education

Yan Zhitui inherited the tradition of Confucius and Mencius that filial piety, benevolence and righteousness are the main contents, and attached great importance to moral education for children. He believes that the education of children of scholar-officials should be "both moral and artistic", based on moral education. He pointed out that knowledge education is the foundation of moral education and serves it. Because of the close relationship between morality and art, it is possible and necessary to carry out moral education by reading books that record the moral examples of predecessors.

Yan Zhitui's moral education for children is based on ethical education such as filial piety, with the main task of establishing the belief in benevolence and righteousness and the ultimate goal of practicing benevolence and righteousness. He taught his children that they should sacrifice their lives in order to practice the principles of benevolence, righteousness and morality. He thinks determination is particularly important. Only by establishing lofty aspirations and ideals can the children of scholar-officials stand up to any hardships, persevere and achieve great things. He said: "ambitious people can sharpen their skills and become vegetarians." He educated his children with the ambition of practicing Yao and Shun's political thought, inheriting the family business from generation to generation, paying attention to integrity cultivation and not taking attachment to dignitaries as his life goal.

According to his accumulated experience and the reality at that time, Yan Zhitui also paid special attention to the education of being a man. His emphasis on being a man was "thick" (the antonym of "thin") at first. He believes that "scholars have been trapped in thinness since ancient times", and many scholars in history have been defeated by thinness. He believes that in order to learn this painful lesson, we must cultivate these "heavy" moral qualities of loyalty to the monarch, filial piety, humility and comity. Secondly, he advocates that "the contented are few". If the affection of "I don't know its poverty" is left unchecked, even great men like Qin Shihuang and Han Wudi who are "rich in the world and expensive as emperors" will bring about their own defeat, not to mention ordinary people. Third, "nothing to say" and "nothing to do". Yan Zhitui appreciates "no words and many defeats; The inscription "Little things, more troubles", that is, "Heaven", so that's it. Therefore, "on political gains and losses" and "offering books and words" are all multilingual. Similarly, you shouldn't do more work. If this is not your job, you don't have to think about it or do it. As for upholding justice, there is injustice. "Rangers are not what gentlemen should do. "Visible Yan Zhitui teach life, is a summary of his four dynasties experience. In the feudal autocratic society with political corruption and changeable state affairs, it is a philosophy of life to protect ourselves and avoid "fatal disaster" in troubled times. But in today's view, this way of life is not enough for training, it reflects the negative thoughts and emotions of closed doors and egoism, and it is also far from the positive attitude of pre-Qin Confucianism to join the WTO. [Edit this paragraph] Yan Family Instructions "Yan Family Instructions" is a masterpiece handed down by Yan Zhitui, a writer of the Northern Qi Dynasty in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Combined with my own life experience and philosophical thoughts, I wrote a book "Yan Family Instructions" to warn future generations. Yan Family Instructions is the first family instruction with rich content and grand system in the history of China, and it is also an academic work. It became a masterpiece of family education in feudal society of China, and was praised as "the norm of family education". This book has 20 articles. Yan Zhitui (after 53 1 ~ 59 1). Yan was originally from Linyi (now north of Linyi, Shandong). Cross the river with the Eastern Jin Dynasty and live in Jiankang. During the Hou Jing Rebellion, Xiao Yi, Emperor of Liang Yuan, stood on his own feet in Jiangling, and served as an assistant minister. In the third year of his holiness (554), the Western Wei Dynasty broke Jiangling, was pushed westward and was captured. In order to return to the south of the Yangtze River, he took advantage of the rising of the Yellow River to smuggle from Hongnong (now southwest of Sanmenxia, Henan). After experiencing the danger of being a pillar, he fled to Beiqi first. However, in the Southern Dynasties, Chen Dailiang's wish to return to the south failed, that is, he stayed in the Northern Qi Dynasty, and the official was the assistant minister of Huangmen. Qi died in 577 and entered the week. After the Sui Dynasty, he became an official in the Sui Dynasty. Family Instructions was written after the destruction of Chen in the Sui Dynasty (589).

Yan Zhitui was born in the gentry, deeply influenced by Confucian etiquette, and believed in Buddhism. However, he is knowledgeable, eloquent, studious and quick-witted, so he has been favored under the Hu-Han regime in the north and south. In his life of more than 60 years, the "three people who perished in the country" traveled all over Jiangnan, Hebei and Guanzhong, and died in the reign of Emperor Yangdi after the reunification of the North and the South, so his rich experience was incomparable to those aristocratic children who were confined to a corner in the Southern or Northern Dynasties. Although the book reveals some pedantic views, it also contains many careful observations and incisive comments on the society, politics and culture of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Many situations recorded in the book have high historical value. For example, the similarities and differences between the gentry's fashions in the North and the South, and the methods of literary scholarship and even language miscellaneous techniques are compared in order to obtain their gains and losses. Talk about the fragility of the children of the Liang Dynasty, the methods of treating corporal and educating children, and the weak areas of overseas Chinese surnames in the south of the Yangtze River. Are closely related to the historical events of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Two books, Documentary Evidence and Quotation, reflect Yan Zhitui's academic achievements. There are Wang Qili's Collection of Family Instructions of Yan Family and Zhou Fagao's Notes on Family Instructions of Yan Family. This book has an English translation of Siyu Deng.