When Han Yu was a doctor in four schools in the 18th year of Tang Zhenyuan (AD 802), The Book of Teachers expounded the important role of teachers, the necessity of learning from teachers and the principles of selecting teachers. It is also a public reply and a solemn refutation to those detractors who attacked the wrong idea that the scholar-officials at that time were ashamed to follow the teacher and advocated the wind of following the teacher.

The teacher said

Author: 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.

Hey (Ji)! 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. That's why saints are holy and fools are stupid! Love his son, choose a teacher and teach him; If you are in your body, you will feel ashamed and confused. He is a boy's teacher, who teaches and learns to read sentences (dà u), and he is not the person I said to spread his teachings to solve 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! Obviously, the teacher's path has gone. 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.

translate

People who studied in ancient times must have teachers. A teacher is a person who teaches truth, studies and solves difficult problems. People are not born to understand reason, who can have no doubts? If you have doubts but don't learn from the teacher, his doubts will never be solved. People born before me knew the truth earlier than I did, so I followed him and worshipped him as a teacher. If the person born after me understands the truth before me, I will learn from him and regard him as a teacher. I'm learning the truth. Who cares if he is older or younger than me? Therefore, regardless of status or age, the place where truth exists is the place where teachers exist.

Alas! The fashion of learning from teachers has not spread for a long time, and it is hard for people not to doubt it! Ancient saints who far exceeded the average person even followed the teacher and asked for advice from the teacher; Nowadays, ordinary people are far from saints, but they are ashamed to learn from their teachers. Therefore, saints are wiser and fools are more stupid. This is probably why saints become saints and fools become fools!

People love their children and choose teachers to educate them; They are ashamed to learn from their teachers. It's really stupid! Children's teachers, who teach them to read and learn the sentences in books, are not what I call teachers who teach people truth and dispel doubts. If they don't understand sentences, their doubts can't be solved. Some learn from the teacher, and some don't ask for advice (meaning that those who don't understand sentences should learn from the teacher, and those who can't solve problems should not). They learn from small aspects and give up on big ones. I don't see their wisdom. Doctors, musicians and craftsmen of all kinds are not ashamed to learn from each other. If someone calls others teachers and students, these people will get together and laugh at him. Ask the scoffer (the reason for laughing at him) and they will say, "That person is about the same age as someone, and his cultivation and studies are similar." How can you call him a teacher? It is shameful to bring a teacher with a low position, and it is flattering to call a teacher with a high position. "ah! The fashion of learning from teachers can't be restored, so we can know. Doctors, musicians, craftsmen, scholars and the like all disdain to associate with them, but now scholars are not as smart as them. Is that weird?

A saint has no fixed teacher. Confucius used to learn from Zanzi, Changhong, Shi Xiang and Lao Dan. People like Tan Zi are (of course) inferior to Confucius in moral ability. Confucius said, "When several people walk together, there must be a teacher." So students are not necessarily inferior to teachers, and teachers are not necessarily better than apprentices. After hearing the truth, they have their own main direction in learning and skills, just like this.

Seventeen-year-old Li Pan likes classical Chinese. He has generally studied the scriptures and biographies of the Six Classics. He is free from worldly restrictions and learns from me. I praised him for following the ancient fashion of learning from teachers, and specially wrote this book "Teacher's Theory" as a gift for him.

Expanding: Teachers Talk about Creative Background

According to the textual research of Fang Cheng's Chronology of Mr. Changli's Poems, this article was written in the eighteenth year of Zhenyuan in Tang Dezong (802). This year, Han Yu was 35 years old and was appointed as a doctor of imperial academy No.4 University. 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 being taught, they are all called "Korean disciples".

In the Tang dynasty, there was a general psychology of learning from teachers, that is, "the humble are ashamed, and those in high positions are ridiculed." The social background of Han Yu's "teacher's theory" can be seen from a passage in Liu Zongyuan's "Answering Wei Zhongli's teacher's story": "I don't know there are teachers in this world, but I don't need to laugh at them, so I think I'm crazy. Han Yu, a person, regardless of customs, laughed and scolded, and learned after receiving the phone call. He wrote On Teachers and became a teacher because of his resistance. The world is full of strange fruit and scolds it, pointing to the eyes and pulling it, adding it to the words. The more you have a crazy name. Living in Chang 'an, I'm not familiar with cooking and I'm at a loss about the East. If there is, I will count. Han Yu opposed this erroneous concept of "scholar-bureaucrat family" and put forward that "Tao" is a teacher and "Tao" is a teacher, which is of progressive significance.

Introduction of works

Shi Shuo was written by Han Yu to his student Li Pan in the 18th year of Tang Zhenyuan (AD 802). On Teachers is a short essay on the important role of teachers, the necessity of learning from teachers and the principles of choosing teachers. This paper criticizes the wrong idea that "scholar-officials" were ashamed to learn from teachers at that time, and advocates learning from teachers. At the same time, it is also a public reply and solemn refutation to those detractors. 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' words and deeds testify that it has existed since ancient times to seek teachers' respect for Taoism, and people should not abandon the ancient road.

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. So, I used it. 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? Ji's ":those who are born with knowledge, go up;" Those who learn and know, second; Learn from difficulties, secondly; If you are trapped and don't study, the people will be next. "Know, understand.

4. Its confusion: his existence. Doubt.

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. Teacher, conative usage, ideological 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.

1 1. None: No matter, no matter.

12. Where the Tao is, so is the teacher: it means that where the Tao is, the teacher is there.

13. The tradition of learning from teachers. That is to say, "ancient scholars must have teachers."

14. Out of the crowd.

15. Still: Still.

16. Everyone: ordinary people, ordinary people.

17. Next: It is better to be famous.

18. Shame on learning from teachers: Shame on learning from teachers. be ashamed of

19. Therefore, saints are good for saints and fools are good for fools: therefore, saints are wiser and fools are more ignorant. Benefit more and more.

20. In his body: for himself. Body, self, self.

2 1. Confused: (really) confused!

22. Boys' teachers: those (enlightenment) teachers who teach children.

23. teach (dü u) to learn sentences: teach him books and (help him) learn sentences. , refers to a boy. Learning is learning. Refers to the book. Sentence reading, also called sentence teasing, refers to the pause and pause of ancient words. The meaning of the word is all sentences, and the place with incomplete meaning is reading (teasing). There are no punctuation marks in ancient books, and teachers should teach children to read sentences (funny) when reading.

24. I don't know what to read: I don't know how to break sentences. It is the same as the "confusing" structure below. Yes, the tippin sign.

25. Either the teacher is ignorant or absent-minded: some (such as "I don't know the sentence") follow the teacher, and some (such as "I don't understand") don't follow the teacher. No, say no.

26. Legacy of primary school: I learned the small one (meaning "I don't know the sentence") but lost the big one (meaning "I don't understand"). Leave, discard, give up.

27. Witch doctor: In ancient times, there was no distinction between witch doctors, referring to people whose occupation was to see a doctor and pray for God.

28. Baigong: All kinds of handicrafts.

29. physiognomy: worship others as teachers.

30. Family: class.

3 1. Teacher said disciple Yunzhe: Speaking of mentoring.

32. Similar age: similar age.

33. It is shameful to be humble, and it is almost flattering to be in a high position: it is shameful to take a low teacher as a teacher, and it is almost flattering to take a high teacher as a teacher. Feet, but that's enough. Sheng, tall. Flatter, flatter

34. Reply: Resume.

35. Gentleman: that is, the "literati family" mentioned above.

36. contempt: disdain for the same column, that is, contempt. Still "contempt."

37. yes: I didn't expect it, I didn't expect it.

38. Very strange: Is it strange? Its, don't, rhetorical question. Modal words, expressing exclamation.

39. Fairy teacher: A saint has no fixed teacher. Often, fixed.

40. Tan (Tan) Zi: the monarch of Tan State (now Tancheng County, Shandong Province) in the Spring and Autumn Period. It is said that Confucius once asked him for an official position.

4 1. Chang Hong: A doctor in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. It is said that Confucius once asked him questions about ancient music.

42. Shi Xiang: During the Spring and Autumn Period, the musician of Lu was named Xiang. According to legend, Confucius once learned piano from him.

43. Lao Dan (dān): Laozi, whose name is Li Minger, was born in the State of Chu in the Spring and Autumn Period, a thinker and founder of Taoism. According to legend, Confucius once studied the Rites of Zhou from him. Wok is Lao Zi's word.

Disciple: This kind.

45. In a threesome, there must be a teacher: in a threesome, there must be a teacher. The Analects of Confucius? The original words: "Confucius said:' A threesome must learn from me. Choose the good to follow and change the bad. " "

46. No need: not necessarily.

47. There are specializations in the technical field: each field has its own specialized business research. Attack, learn and research.

48. Li (Pan): Li's child's name is Pan. Li Pan, a disciple of Han Yu, was a scholar in the 19th year of Zhenyuan in Tang Dezong (803).

49. The Biography of Six Arts is well known: a general study of the Biography of Six Arts. Six arts refer to the six classics, namely, poetry, calligraphy, ceremony, music, Yi, Spring and Autumn Six Classics. "Music" has been lost, which is an old saying. Classic, Han Dynasty and its previous articles. Biography in ancient times was called a biography of a work that explained scripture. Pass, universal.

50. Unlimited time: refers to not being bound by the bad atmosphere of being ashamed of being a teacher at that time. When, when vulgar, refers to the bad atmosphere that the scholar-officials were ashamed to follow the teacher at that time. Yu, yes.

5 1. Yu Jiaqi can follow the ancient road: praise him for following the fashion and learning from the ancients. Jia: praise, praise.

52. Delay: Give away, give away.

Vernacular translation

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 behind me, (if) he knows the truth before me, I (should) follow (him) as a teacher. I am learning from him. Who cares if he was born earlier or later than me? Therefore, regardless of status and age, the place where truth exists is the place where teachers exist.

Alas, the (ancient) fashion learning from teachers has not been circulating for a long time, and it is difficult to make people doubt it! 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. People love their children, so they choose teachers to teach them. It is shameful for him to follow the teacher. What a fool! 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. On the one hand, I am unfamiliar with reading sentences, on the other hand, I can't solve my doubts. Some (reading sentences) learn from the teacher, while others (wondering) don't. I want to learn from small aspects, but give up 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, "When several people walk together, one of them can be my teacher." Therefore, 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.

Expansion: appreciation of works

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.

In fact, Shi Shuo can be regarded as a solemn declaration of Han Yu advocating "ancient prose". Since the Six Dynasties, parallel prose has prevailed, and writing articles does not pay attention to ideological content, but emphasizes antithesis and flowery rhetoric. Although some works with high artistic achievements have been produced, they have led to the proliferation of floating winds in literary creation. This fashion has been popular until the middle Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, Han Yu was not the first person to advocate "ancient prose", but he was a master. Whether it is literary theory or creative practice, he has strongly promoted the rise and development of the "ancient prose movement", advocated "writing to carry Tao" and trained a large number of young people who are interested in ancient prose creation.

structural analysis

Paragraph 1

Starting with Gu Yan's story, this paper directly and clearly puts forward the central point of the article: "A scholar must have a teacher", and discusses the importance of teachers and the criteria for selecting teachers with the role of teachers. At the beginning of the first sentence, the word "ancient" was added in front of "the ancient man must have a teacher", which not only showed that the ancients attached importance to teaching, but also satirized the present with reference to reality. The tone of the word "there must be" is very positive. Then, it is pointed out that the teacher's function is to "preach, teach and dispel doubts" and state the central argument from the front. Then I put forward my own excellent opinion on the teacher's responsibility: "A teacher is a teacher, and I can solve my doubts by preaching." Immediately after the word "dispel doubts", the author points out the harm of not following the teacher by saying "confusing without following the teacher is confusing and always confusing", thus explaining the importance of following the teacher and stating the central argument from the opposite side. As for how to choose a teacher, he also put forward his own unique opinion: "If there is no expensive, there is no base, if there is no long, there is no short, and there is a Tao and a teacher." Finally, closely following the word "preaching", it is clarified that the existence of Tao is the only criterion for selecting teachers. This view is contrary to the custom, excluding the nobility from the standard, pointing directly at the family concept of the literati class, and has the democratic spirit and dialectical thought of learning to be an official, which laid a solid foundation for the following.

Paragraph 2

The second paragraph starts with emotion, criticizes the wrong attitude of not attaching importance to teaching and the bad atmosphere of being ashamed of following the teacher, which shows the practical significance of the article. Firstly, the author laments that the teacher's way is not passed on, and points out the harm of not passing on the teacher's way. This layer inherits the standard of learning from teachers, and leads to the following criticism of the bad atmosphere of being ashamed of learning from teachers. Then it is divided into three layers by comparison method. On the first level, comparing the "ancient sages" with the "modern people" who are ashamed to follow the teacher, it is pointed out that whether to respect the teacher or not is the key to distinguish the sage from the fool; On the second level, I think I "choose teachers and teach them", but I am unwilling or even ashamed to compare with them, and point out the fallacy of "there are many people today" and "primary schools leave a legacy"; On the third level, through the comparison between "witch doctors and musicians with different skills" and "scholar-bureaucrat families", the strange phenomenon of the inverse ratio between respect and intelligence was revealed, and the social atmosphere of belittling teachers' morality at that time was criticized.

Paragraph 3