San Zi Jing (三字經)

人之初性本善性相近習相遠

When people are first born, their nature is good; their natures are close to one another, but habits carry them far apart.

苟不教性乃遷教之道貴以專

If they are not taught, their nature will turn bad; the way of teaching lies in being single-minded and devoted.

昔孟母擇鄰處子不學斷機杼

Long ago Mencius's mother chose her neighbors with care; when her son would not study, she cut the threads on her loom.

竇燕山有義方教五子名俱揚

Dou Yanshan had a good method for teaching his sons, and he raised five sons, every one of them famous far and wide.

養不教父之過教不嚴師之惰

To feed a child without teaching him is the father's fault; to teach without strictness is the teacher's laziness.

子不學非所宜幼不學老何為

For a child to refuse to learn is not right; if he does not study when young, what can he accomplish when old?

玉不琢不成器人不學不知義

Jade that is not carved and polished cannot become a vessel; a person who does not study will not understand righteousness.

為人子方少時親師友習禮儀

When children are young, they should stay close to teachers and friends and learn the rules of courtesy and proper conduct.

香九齡能溫席孝於親所當執

Huang Xiang at nine could warm his father's bedding; serving one's parents with filial devotion is a duty one must keep.

融四歲能讓梨弟於長宜先知

Kong Rong at four knew to give up the larger pears; respecting one's elder brother is something to understand early.

首孝弟次見聞知某數識某文

First speak of filial piety and brotherly respect, then of what one sees and hears; learn to count and learn to recognize written characters.

一而十十而百百而千千而萬

From one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand, from a thousand to ten thousand.

三才者天地人三光者日月星

The Three Powers are heaven, earth and humankind; the Three Lights are the sun, the moon and the stars.

三綱者君臣義父子親夫婦順

The Three Bonds are these: between ruler and minister, righteousness; between father and son, affection; between husband and wife, harmony.

曰春夏曰秋冬此四時運不窮

Spring and summer, autumn and winter, these are the four seasons, turning without rest.

曰南北曰西東此四方應乎中

South and north, west and east, these are the four directions, all corresponding to the center.

曰水火木金土此五行本乎數

Water, fire, wood, metal and earth, these are the Five Phases, rooted in the numbers of nature.

曰仁義禮智信此五常不容紊

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness, these are the Five Constants, which must not be thrown into disorder.

稻粱菽麥黍稷此六穀人所食

Rice, sorghum, beans, wheat, broomcorn millet and panicled millet, these six grains are what people eat.

馬牛羊雞犬豕此六畜人所飼

Horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, dogs and pigs, these six domestic animals are what people raise.

曰喜怒曰哀懼愛惡欲七情具

Joy and anger, sorrow and fear, together with love, hatred and desire, make up the seven emotions in full.

匏土革木石金與絲竹乃八音

Gourd, earth, hide, wood, stone and metal, with silk and bamboo added, make up the eight kinds of musical sound.

高曾祖父而身身而子子而孫

From great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather and father down to oneself, from oneself to one's son, and from son to grandson.

自子孫至玄曾乃九族人之倫

Counting on from sons and grandsons to great-grandsons and great-great-grandsons makes the Nine Generations of kin; this is the order of human relationships.

父子恩夫婦從兄則友弟則恭

Between father and son there is kindness, between husband and wife there is harmony, the elder brother is affectionate and the younger brother respectful.

長幼序友與朋君則敬臣則忠

Between old and young there is order, between friends there is loyalty, the ruler treats ministers with respect and the ministers serve with devotion.

此十義人所同凡訓蒙須講究

These ten duties are shared by all people. In teaching young children, one must pay attention to method.

詳訓詁名句讀為學者必有初

Explain the meaning of the characters in detail and make clear where the sentences break; those who pursue learning always have a place to begin.

小學終至四書論語者二十篇

When the Elementary Learning has been read through, go on to the Four Books. The Analects has twenty chapters,

群弟子記善言孟子者七篇止

in which the disciples recorded the good words of Confucius. The Mencius has only seven chapters,

講道德說仁義作中庸子思筆

which speak of virtue and of benevolence and righteousness. The Doctrine of the Mean came from the hand of Zisi.

中不偏庸不易作大學乃曾子

"Mean" (zhong) means not leaning to either side, and "constant" (yong) means not changing. The Great Learning was written by Zengzi,

自修齊至平治孝經通四書熟

and speaks from cultivating oneself and ordering one's family to governing the state and bringing peace to the world. When the Classic of Filial Piety is understood and the Four Books are familiar,

如六經始可讀詩書易禮春秋

one may go on to read the Six Classics: the Poetry, the Documents, the Changes, the Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals.

號六經當講求有連山有歸藏

These are called the Six Classics, and they deserve study. The Changes has the Lianshan and the Guicang,

有周易三易詳有典謨有訓誥

and also the Zhou Changes, so that the three Changes are complete. The Documents has the Canons, the Counsels, the Instructions and the Announcements,

有誓命書之奧我周公作周禮

and also the Oaths and the Commands; this is where the depth of the Book of Documents lies. The Duke of Zhou composed the Rites of Zhou,

著六官存治體大小戴注禮記

which set down the six offices and preserve the structure of government. The two Dais, the Elder and the Younger, handed down the Record of Rites,

述聖言禮樂備曰國風曰雅頌

which relates the words of the sages, so that ritual and music are made complete. The Poetry has the Airs of the States, the Elegantiae and the Hymns,

號四詩當諷詠詩既亡春秋作

together called the Four Kinds of Poems, which should be chanted. When the teaching of the Poetry had died out, the Spring and Autumn Annals was composed.

寓褒貶別善惡三傳者有公羊

It holds praise and blame within its wording and distinguishes good from evil. Among its three commentaries are the Gongyang Commentary,

有左氏有穀梁經既明方讀子

the Zuo Commentary and the Guliang Commentary. When the classics are understood, one then reads the various masters;

撮其要記其事五子者有荀楊

pick out their essentials and remember the events of history. Among the Five Masters are Xunzi and Yang Xiong,

文中子及老莊經子通讀諸史

Wenzhongzi, and also Laozi and Zhuangzi. When the classics and the masters are understood, one reads the histories,

考世系知終始自羲農至黃帝

examining the lines of succession and learning when each dynasty began and ended. From Fuxi and Shennong to the Yellow Emperor,

號三皇居上世唐有虞號二帝

these are together called the Three Sovereigns, who lived in high antiquity. Tang Yao and Yu Shun are together called the Two Emperors;

相揖遜稱盛世夏有禹商有湯

they passed the throne on by abdication and are called a golden age. The Xia had Yu the Great, the Shang had Tang the Accomplished,

周文武稱三王夏傳子家天下

and the Zhou had King Wen and King Wu; together they are called the Three Kings. Yu of the Xia passed the throne to his son, and the world became one family's possession;

四百載遷夏社湯伐夏國號商

after four hundred years the altars of the Xia changed hands. Tang attacked Jie of the Xia and named his state Shang;

六百載至紂亡周武王始誅紂

after six hundred years it perished in the time of King Zhou. King Wu of Zhou raised an army and put King Zhou to death,

八百載最長久周轍東王綱墜

and the Zhou lasted eight hundred years, the longest of all. After the Zhou house moved east, the royal order collapsed,

逞干戈尚遊說始春秋終戰國

and so people turned to weapons of war and prized persuasive speech; this began in the Spring and Autumn period and ended in the Warring States.

五霸強七雄出嬴秦氏始兼併

The Five Hegemons claimed supremacy and the Seven Powers arose together. The state of Qin, of the Ying clan, began to swallow up the whole realm,

傳二世楚漢爭高祖興漢業建

but it passed down only two generations before Chu and Han fought each other. The Han founder Gaozu arose and the Han enterprise was established;

至孝平王莽篡光武興為東漢

in the time of Emperor Xiaoping, Wang Mang usurped the throne. Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty, and this was the Eastern Han;

四百年終於獻魏蜀吳爭漢鼎

the Han lasted four hundred years and ended with Emperor Xian. Wei, Shu and Wu fought over the cauldrons of the Han house,

號三國迄兩晉宋齊繼梁陳承

and are together called the Three Kingdoms, which lasted until the two Jin dynasties. The Song and Qi followed one after another, and the Liang and Chen succeeded them,

為南朝都金陵北元魏分東西

these were the Southern Dynasties, with their capital at Jinling. In the north the Yuan Wei split into the Eastern Wei and the Western Wei,

宇文周與高齊迨至隋一土宇

and then came the Zhou of the Yuwen clan and the Qi of the Gao clan. With the Sui dynasty the world was united again,

不再傳失統緒唐高祖起義師

but it did not last through many generations before it lost its rightful rule. The Tang founder Gaozu raised an army in righteousness,

除隋亂創國基二十傳三百載

swept away the disorder of the late Sui and laid the foundation of the state. It passed through twenty reigns and lasted three hundred years;

梁滅之國乃改梁唐晉及漢周

then the Later Liang destroyed the Tang, and the dynastic name was changed. The Liang, Tang, Jin, Han and Zhou

稱五代皆有由炎宋興受周禪

are together called the Five Dynasties, each with its own causes. The Song dynasty arose, receiving the abdication of the Later Zhou,

十八傳南北混遼與金皆稱帝

and after eighteen reigns north and south were joined as one. The Liao and the Jin each called their rulers emperors,

元滅金絕宋世蒞中國兼戎狄

the Yuan destroyed the Jin and also cut off the Song line; they ruled the Central Plains and held the lands of the nomadic peoples as well.

九十年國祚廢太祖興國大明

After ninety years its fortunes came to an end. The Ming founder arose and named the state the Great Ming,

號洪武都金陵迨成祖遷燕京

with the reign title Hongwu, and set his capital at Jinling. In the time of Emperor Chengzu the capital moved to Yanjing;

十七世至崇禎權閹肆寇如林

it passed down seventeen reigns to Chongzhen. Eunuchs seized power and acted without restraint, and bandits were as many as trees in a forest;

至李闖神器焚清太祖膺景命

by the time of Li Zicheng the symbols of the throne were burned. The Qing founder received the great mandate,

靖四方克大定廿一史全在茲

pacified the four quarters, and the general situation was settled. The twenty-one histories are all here,

載治亂知興衰讀史書考實錄

recording order and disorder so that people may understand rise and decline. In reading history, one must examine the true records,

通古今若親目口而誦心而維

and grasp past and present as a whole, as though one had seen it with one's own eyes. Recite with the mouth and reflect with the mind,

朝於斯夕於斯昔仲尼師項橐

in the morning so, and in the evening so. Long ago Confucius took Xiang Tuo as his teacher,

古聖賢尚勤學趙中令讀魯論

and even the sages and worthies of old were diligent in study. Zhao Pu, though Grand Secretary, still read the Lu text of the Analects;

彼既仕學且勤披蒲編削竹簡

he was already an official and yet studied so diligently. Some wove rushes and cut bamboo slips to use as books;

彼無書且知勉頭懸梁錐刺股

having no books, they still knew how to spur themselves on. Some hung their hair from a beam and some pricked their thighs with an awl;

彼不教自勤苦如囊螢如映雪

no one pressed them, yet they put themselves through hardship. Some put fireflies in a bag for light and some read by the glow of snow;

家雖貧學不輟如負薪如掛角

though their families were poor, their study did not stop. Some carried firewood on their backs as they read, and some hung books on the horns of an ox;

身雖勞猶苦卓蘇老泉二十七

though their bodies were weary, their resolve was outstanding. Su Xun, until the age of twenty-seven,

始發憤讀書籍彼既老猶悔遲

had not yet begun to study in earnest. Though already of age, he still regretted having started so late;

爾小生宜早思若梁灝八十二

you who are young should make your plans early. Take Liang Hao, who at eighty-two

對大廷魁多士彼既成眾稱異

answered the policy questions at court and outdid a crowd of scholars. His success came late, and everyone marveled;

爾小生宜立志瑩八歲能詠詩

you who are young should set your aims firmly. Zu Ying could compose poems at eight,

泌七歲能賦棋彼穎悟人稱奇

and Li Mi at seven could write a rhapsody on the game of chess. They were gifted far beyond others, and everyone marveled;

爾幼學當效之蔡文姬能辨琴

you who are young and beginning your studies should follow their example. Cai Wenji could tell a note on the zither by ear,

謝道韞能詠吟彼女子且聰敏

and Xie Daoyun could chant verses and match couplets. Though they were women, they were this quick-witted;

爾男子當自警唐劉晏方七歲

you who are men should rouse yourselves. In the Tang dynasty Liu Yan, at only seven,

舉神童作正字彼雖幼身己仕

was recommended as a child prodigy and made a proofreading official. Though young, he already held office;

爾幼學勉而致有為者亦若是

you who are young and beginning your studies can do it with effort. Those who accomplish something are exactly like this.

犬守夜雞司晨苟不學曷為人

The dog guards the night and the rooster announces the dawn; if a person does not learn, how can he be called a person?

蠶吐絲蜂釀蜜人不學不如物

The silkworm spins silk and the bee makes honey; a person who does not learn is worse than these creatures.

幼而學壯而行上致君下澤民

Learn when young and put it into practice in one's prime; above, one can assist the ruler, and below, bring benefit to the people.

揚名聲顯父母光於前裕於後

Spread one's good name and bring honor to one's parents; add glory to one's ancestors and leave blessings for one's descendants.

人遺子金滿籯我教子惟一經

Others leave their children chests full of gold; what I teach my children is only a single classic.

勤有功戲無益戒之哉宜勉力

Diligence brings results and play brings no benefit. Take this as a warning and work hard!

人之初性本善性相近習相遠

When people are first born, their nature is good; their natures are close to one another, but habits carry them far apart.

苟不教性乃遷教之道貴以專

If they are not taught, their nature will turn bad; the way of teaching lies in being single-minded and devoted.

昔孟母擇鄰處子不學斷機杼

Long ago Mencius's mother chose her neighbors with care; when her son would not study, she cut the threads on her loom.

荀季和有義方教八子名俱揚

Xun Jihe had a good method for teaching his sons, and he raised eight sons, every one of them famous far and wide.

養不教父之過教不嚴師之惰

To feed a child without teaching him is the father's fault; to teach without strictness is the teacher's laziness.

子不學非所宜幼不學老何為

For a child to refuse to learn is not right; if he does not study when young, what can he accomplish when old?

玉不琢不成器人不學不知義

Jade that is not carved and polished cannot become a vessel; a person who does not study will not understand righteousness.

為人子方少時親師友習禮儀

When children are young, they should stay close to teachers and friends and learn the rules of courtesy and proper conduct.

香九齡能溫席孝於親所當執

Huang Xiang at nine could warm his father's bedding; serving one's parents with filial devotion is a duty one must keep.

融四歲能讓梨弟於長宜先知

Kong Rong at four knew to give up the larger pears; respecting one's elder brother is something to understand early.

首孝弟次見聞知某數識某文

First speak of filial piety and brotherly respect, then of what one sees and hears; learn to count and learn to recognize written characters.

一而十十而百百而千千而萬

From one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand, from a thousand to ten thousand.

三才者天地人三光者日月星

The Three Powers are heaven, earth and humankind; the Three Lights are the sun, the moon and the stars.

三綱者君臣義父子親夫婦順

The Three Bonds are these: between ruler and minister, righteousness; between father and son, affection; between husband and wife, harmony.

曰春夏曰秋冬此四時運不窮

Spring and summer, autumn and winter, these are the four seasons, turning without rest.

曰南北曰西東此四方應乎中

South and north, west and east, these are the four directions, all corresponding to the center.

曰水火木金土此五行本乎數

Water, fire, wood, metal and earth, these are the Five Phases, rooted in the numbers of nature.

十干者甲至癸十二支子至亥

The ten Heavenly Stems run from jia to gui; the twelve Earthly Branches run from zi to hai.

曰黃道日所躔曰赤道當中權

The ecliptic is the path along which the sun travels; the equator lies right at the middle of the earth.

赤道下溫暖極我中華在東北

Beneath the equator it is warmest; our Middle Kingdom lies to the northeast of it.

寒燠均霜露改右高原左大海

Cold and warmth are evenly balanced, and frost and dew change with the seasons; on the right are high plateaus, and on the left, the sea.

曰江河曰淮濟此四瀆水之紀

The Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Huai and the Ji, these four great rivers are the mainstays of all waters.

曰岱華嵩恆衡此五嶽山之名

Dai, Hua, Song, Heng and Heng, these Five Sacred Peaks stand for all the famous mountains.

古九州今改制稱行省二十二

In ancient times the land was divided into nine provinces; now the system has changed to what are called provinces, twenty-two in all.

曰士農曰工商此四民國之良

Scholars and farmers, artisans and merchants, these four kinds of people are the good subjects of the state.

醫卜相皆方技星堪輿小道泥

Medicine, divination and physiognomy all belong to the technical arts; astrology and geomancy are minor arts and should not be clung to.

地所生有草木此植物遍水陸

What the earth brings forth includes grasses and trees, plants that cover the waters and the land;

有蟲魚有鳥獸此動物能飛走

there are insects and fish, birds and beasts, living creatures that can fly and can run.

稻粱菽麥黍稷此六穀人所食

Rice, sorghum, beans, wheat, broomcorn millet and panicled millet, these six grains are what people eat.

馬牛羊雞犬豕此六畜人所飼

Horses, cattle, sheep, chickens, dogs and pigs, these six domestic animals are what people raise.

曰喜怒曰哀懼愛惡欲七情具

Joy and anger, sorrow and fear, together with love, hatred and desire, make up the seven emotions in full.

曰仁義禮智信此五常不容紊

Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness, these are the Five Constants, which must not be thrown into disorder.

青赤黃及白黑此五色目所識

Blue-green, red, yellow, white and black, these five colors are what the eyes can tell apart.

酸苦甘及辛鹹此五味口所含

Sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty, these five flavors are what the mouth and tongue can taste.

羶焦香及腥朽此五臭鼻所嗅

Goatish, scorched, fragrant, fishy and rotten, these five smells are what the nose can perceive.

宮商角及徵羽此五音耳所取

Gong, shang, jue, zhi and yu, these five notes are what the ears can hear.

匏土革木石金與絲竹乃八音

Gourd, earth, hide, wood, stone and metal, with silk and bamboo added, make up the eight kinds of musical sound.

曰平上曰去入此四聲宜調協

Level, rising, departing and entering, these four tones should be matched and made harmonious.

九族者序宗親高曾祖父而身

The Nine Generations set out the order of the clan's relatives: great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather and father down to oneself,

身而子子而孫自子孫至玄曾

from oneself to one's son and from son to grandson; counting on from sons and grandsons to great-grandsons and great-great-grandsons.

五倫者始夫婦父子先君臣後

As for the Five Relationships, they begin with husband and wife; father and son come first, and ruler and minister after,

次兄弟及朋友當順敘勿違負

and then brothers and friends. One should follow this order and not go against it.

有伯叔有舅甥婿婦翁三黨名

There are uncles on the father's side, maternal uncles and nephews, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and fathers-in-law; these are the names of the Three Lines of relatives.

斬齊衰大小功至緦麻五服終

The coarse mourning dress with unhemmed edges, the hemmed one, the greater and lesser coarse-cloth mourning, down to the fine hemp mourning, make the five grades of mourning complete.

凡訓蒙須講究詳訓詁名句讀

In teaching young children one must pay attention to method: explain the meaning of the characters in detail and make clear where the sentences break.

禮樂射御書數古六藝今不具

Ritual, music, archery, charioteering, writing and mathematics were the Six Arts of old, but today they are no longer complete.

惟書學人共遵既識字講說文

Only the study of writing is kept up by everyone. Once one can recognize characters, one goes on to study the Shuowen Jiezi.

有古文大小篆隸草繼不可亂

There are the ancient script, the great seal script and the small seal script, and then clerical script and cursive script followed; they must not be confused.

若廣學懼其繁但略說能知原

If one wants to study widely, one fears it will be too much; with a little explanation, one can know the origin.

為學者必有初小學終至四書

Those who pursue learning always have a place to begin: when the Elementary Learning has been read, go on to the Four Books.

論語者二十篇群弟子記善言

The Analects has twenty chapters, in which the disciples recorded the good words of Confucius.

孟子者七篇是辨王霸說仁義

The Mencius has seven chapters, distinguishing the way of the true king from the way of the hegemon and speaking of benevolence and righteousness.

中庸者子思筆中不偏庸不易

The Doctrine of the Mean is from the hand of Zisi: "mean" (zhong) means not leaning to either side, and "constant" (yong) means not changing.

大學者學之程自修齊至治平

The Great Learning gives the order of study, from cultivating oneself and ordering one's family to governing the state and bringing peace to the world.

此二篇在禮記今單行本元晦

These two texts were originally in the Record of Rites, and the separate editions now in circulation come from Zhu Xi.

四書通孝經熟如六經始可讀

When the Four Books are understood and the Classic of Filial Piety is familiar, one may go on to read the Six Classics.

六經者統儒術文周作孔子述

The Six Classics gather together the learning of the Confucian school: King Wen and the Duke of Zhou made them, and Confucius transmitted them.

易詩書禮春秋樂經亡餘可求

The Changes, the Poetry, the Documents, the Rites and the Spring and Autumn Annals; the Classic of Music is lost, but the rest can all be studied.

有連山有歸藏有周易三易詳

The Changes has the Lianshan, the Guicang and the Zhou Changes, and so the principles of the three Changes are complete.

有典謨有訓誥有誓命書之奧

The Documents has the Canons and Counsels, the Instructions and Announcements, and the Oaths and Commands; this is where its depth lies.

有國風有雅頌號四詩當諷詠

The Poetry has the Airs of the States, the Elegantiae and the Hymns, together called the Four Kinds of Poems, which should be chanted.

周禮者著六官儀禮者十七篇

The Rites of Zhou set down the six offices, and the Ceremonials and Rites has seventeen chapters.

大小戴集禮記述聖言禮法備

The two Dais, the Elder and the Younger, compiled the Record of Rites, which relates the words of the sages, so that ritual law is made complete.

王跡熄春秋作寓褒貶別善惡

When the achievements of the true kings came to an end, the Spring and Autumn Annals was composed; it holds praise and blame within its wording and distinguishes good from evil.

三傳者有公羊有左氏有穀梁

The three commentaries are the Gongyang Commentary, the Zuo Commentary and the Guliang Commentary.

爾雅者善辨言求經訓此莫先

The Erya is good at distinguishing the meaning of words; in seeking explanations of the classics, nothing is more worth reading first.

註疏備十三經惟大戴疏未成

Those classics with commentaries and subcommentaries complete number thirteen; only the subcommentary on the Record of Rites of the Elder Dai was never finished.

左傳外有國語合群經數十五

Beside the Zuo Commentary there is also the Discourses of the States, and counting them all together the classics come to fifteen kinds.

經既明方讀子撮其要記其事

When the classics are understood, one then reads the various masters; pick out their essentials and remember the events of history.

古九流多亡佚取五種備文質

Of the Nine Schools of old, most are lost; five of them are taken, with both literary grace and substance.

五子者有荀楊文中子及老莊

The Five Masters are Xunzi, Yang Xiong and Wenzhongzi, together with Laozi and Zhuangzi.

經子通讀諸史考世系知終始

When the classics and the masters are all understood, one reads the histories, examining the lines of succession and learning when each dynasty began and ended.

自羲農至黃帝並頊嚳在上世

From Fuxi and Shennong to the Yellow Emperor, together with Zhuanxu and Emperor Ku, all belong to high antiquity.

堯舜興禪尊位號唐虞為二帝

Yao and Shun arose and gave up the honored seat by abdication; they are called Tang and Yu, together the Two Emperors.

夏有禹商有湯周文武稱三王

The Xia had Yu the Great, the Shang had Tang the Accomplished, and the Zhou had King Wen and King Wu; together they are called the Three Kings.

夏傳子家天下四百載遷夏社

Yu of the Xia passed the throne to his son, and the world became one family's possession; after four hundred years the altars of the Xia changed hands.

湯伐夏國號商六百載至紂亡

Tang attacked Jie of the Xia and named his state Shang; after six hundred years it perished in the time of King Zhou.

周武王始誅紂八百載最長久

King Wu of Zhou raised an army and put King Zhou to death; the Zhou lasted eight hundred years, the longest of all.

周共和始紀年曆宣幽遂東遷

From the first year of the Gonghe regency the Zhou has a firm chronology; after the kings Xuan and You, the court moved east.

周道衰王綱墮逞干戈尚遊說

The way of the Zhou declined and the royal order collapsed; and so people turned to weapons of war and prized persuasive speech.

始春秋終戰國五霸強七雄出

This began in the Spring and Autumn period and ended in the Warring States; the Five Hegemons claimed supremacy and the Seven Powers arose together.

嬴秦氏始兼併傳二世楚漢爭

The state of Qin, of the Ying clan, began to swallow up the whole realm; it passed down only two generations before Chu and Han fought each other.

高祖興漢業建至孝平王莽篡

The Han founder Gaozu arose and the foundations of the Han dynasty were laid; in the time of Emperor Xiaoping, Wang Mang usurped the throne.

光武興為東漢四百年終於獻

Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty, and this was the Eastern Han; the Han lasted four hundred years and ended with Emperor Xian.

魏蜀吳爭漢鼎號三國迄兩晉

Wei, Shu and Wu fought over the cauldrons of the Han house, and are together called the Three Kingdoms, which lasted until the two Jin dynasties.

宋齊繼梁陳承為南朝都金陵

The Song and Qi followed one after another, and the Liang and Chen succeeded them; these were the Southern Dynasties, with their capital at Jinling.

北元魏分東西宇文周與高齊

In the north the Yuan Wei split into the Eastern and Western Wei; and then came the Zhou of the Yuwen clan and the Qi of the Gao clan.

迨至隋一土宇不再傳失統緒

With the Sui dynasty the world was united again; but it did not last through many generations before it lost its rightful rule.

唐高祖起義師除隋亂創國基

The Tang founder Gaozu raised an army in righteousness, swept away the disorder of the late Sui and laid the foundation of the state.

二十傳三百載梁滅之國乃改

It passed through twenty reigns and lasted three hundred years; then the Later Liang destroyed the Tang, and the dynastic name was changed.

梁唐晉及漢周稱五代皆有由

The Liang, Tang, Jin, Han and Zhou are together called the Five Dynasties, each with its own reasons for rising and falling.

趙宋興受周禪十八傳南北混

The Song dynasty of the Zhao family arose, receiving the abdication of the Later Zhou; after eighteen reigns north and south were joined as one.

遼與金皆夷裔元滅金絕宋世

The Liao and the Jin were both descended from foreign peoples. The Yuan destroyed the Jin and also cut off the Song line,

蒞中國兼戎狄九十年反沙磧

ruled the Central Plains and held the lands of the nomadic peoples as well; after ninety years it withdrew again to the desert.

太祖興稱大明紀洪武都南京

The Ming founder arose and named the state the Great Ming; with the reign title Hongwu, he set his capital at Nanjing.

迨成祖遷宛平十六世至崇禎

In the time of Emperor Chengzu the capital moved to Wanping; it passed down sixteen reigns to the Chongzhen emperor.

權閹肆流寇起自成入神器毀

Eunuchs seized power and roving bandits arose on all sides; Li Zicheng broke into the capital, and the throne was thereby destroyed.

清太祖興遼東金之後受明封

The Qing founder arose in Liaodong, a descendant of the Jin people, and had once received investiture from the Ming court.

至世祖乃大同十二世清祚終

It was only in the time of Shizu that the realm was united; after twelve reigns, the fortunes of the Qing came to an end.

凡正史廿四部益以清成廿五

The standard histories number twenty-four, and with the history of the Qing added, they become twenty-five.

史雖繁讀有次史記一漢書二

Though the histories are many, there is an order in reading them: the Records of the Grand Historian first, the Book of Han second,

後漢三國志四此四史最精緻

the Book of the Later Han third, and the Records of the Three Kingdoms fourth; these four histories are the most carefully done.

先四史兼證經參通鑑約而精

Read the four histories first, and use them to check the classics; then consult the Comprehensive Mirror, which is concise and to the point.

歷代事全在茲載治亂知興衰

The affairs of every age are all here; they record order and disorder so that people may understand rise and decline.

讀史書考實錄通古今若親目

In reading history, one must examine the true records; grasp past and present as a whole, as though one had seen it with one's own eyes.

漢賈董及許鄭皆經師能述聖

In the Han, Jia Yi, Dong Zhongshu, Xu Shen and Zheng Xuan were all masters of the classics, able to transmit the learning of the sages.

宋周程張朱陸明王氏皆道學

In the Song, Zhou, the two Chengs, Zhang, Zhu and Lu, and in the Ming, Wang Shouren, all belong to the school of the Way.

屈原賦本風人逮鄒枚暨卿雲

Qu Yuan wrote rhapsodies, drawing on the poets of old; and then came Zou Yang, Mei Cheng, Sima Xiangru and Yang Xiong,

韓與柳並文雄李若杜為詩宗

Han Yu and Liu Zongyuan were both great masters of prose; Li Bai and Du Fu were the foremost masters of poetry.

凡學者宜兼通翼聖教振民風

Those who study should master all of these; support the teaching of the sages and stir up the customs of the people.

口而誦心而維朝於斯夕於斯

Recite with the mouth and reflect with the mind; in the morning so, and in the evening so.

昔仲尼師項橐古聖賢尚勤學

Long ago Confucius took Xiang Tuo as his teacher; even the sages and worthies of old were this diligent in study.

趙中令讀魯論彼既仕學且勤

Zhao Pu, though Grand Secretary, still read the Lu text of the Analects; he was already an official and yet studied so diligently.

披蒲編削竹簡彼無書且知勉

Some wove rushes and cut bamboo slips to use as books; having no books, they still knew how to spur themselves on.

火焠掌錐刺股彼不教自勤苦

Some burned their palms with fire and some pricked their thighs with an awl; no one pressed them, yet they put themselves through hardship.

如囊螢如映雪家雖貧學不輟

Some put fireflies in a bag for light and some read by the glow of snow; though their families were poor, their study did not stop.

如負薪如掛角身雖勞猶苦卓

Some carried firewood on their backs as they read, and some hung books on the horns of an ox; though their bodies were weary, their resolve was outstanding.

蘇明允二十七始發憤讀書籍

Su Mingyun, until the age of twenty-seven, had not yet begun to study in earnest.

彼既老猶悔遲爾小生宜早思

Though already old, he still regretted having started so late; you who are young should make your plans early.

若荀卿年五十遊稷下習儒業

Take Xunzi, who at fifty still traveled to Jixia to study and pursued the learning of the Confucian school.

彼既成眾稱異爾小生宜立志

His success was such that everyone marveled; you who are young should set your aims firmly.

瑩八歲能詠詩泌七歲能賦棋

Zu Ying could compose poems at eight, and Li Mi at seven could write a rhapsody on the game of chess.

彼穎悟人稱奇爾幼學當效之

They were gifted far beyond others, and everyone marveled; you who are young and beginning your studies should follow their example.

蔡文姬能辨琴謝道韞能詠吟

Cai Wenji could tell a note on the zither by ear, and Xie Daoyun could chant verses and match couplets.

彼女子且聰敏爾男子當自警

Though they were women, they were this quick-witted; you who are men should rouse yourselves.

唐劉晏方七歲舉神童作正字

Liu Yan of the Tang dynasty was recommended as a child prodigy at only seven years old and made an official proofreader.

彼雖幼身己仕爾幼學勉而致

Young as he was, he had already entered office; you who study while still young can achieve the same if you strive.

犬守夜雞司晨苟不學曷為人

Dogs guard the night and roosters announce the dawn; if a person does not learn, on what grounds can he count as a person?

蠶吐絲蜂釀蜜人不學不如物

Silkworms can spin silk and bees can make honey; a person who does not learn is actually worse than these creatures.

幼習業壯致身上匡國下利民

Study your lessons while young, and devote yourself to the world in your prime; above, set the state right, and below, benefit the common people.

揚名聲顯父母光於前裕於後

Spread your good name and bring glory to your parents; add luster to your ancestors and leave shelter for your descendants.

人遺子金滿籯我教子惟一經

Others leave their children and grandchildren chests full of gold; all I teach mine is a single classic.

勤有功戲無益戒之哉宜勉力

Diligence brings results, while play brings no benefit. Take this as a warning and work hard!