1、三字經Three-Character Canon 宋 王應麟 著Written by Wang Yinglin 人之初， At the beginning of life, 性本善。 Man is good in nature.性相近， Human nature is alike, 習相遠。 Habits make them different.茍不教， For lack of education, 性乃遷。 The nature is in alteration.教之道， And the nurture of the young, 貴以專。 Better be maintained for

2、long. 昔孟母， Once Menciuss mother 擇鄰處。 Chose the best neighborhood for her son;子不學， When her son played truant,斷機杼。 She cut the threads on the loom.竇燕山， Another case is Dou Yanshan,有義方。 Who was wise in family education.教五子， He raised his five sons,名俱揚。 And all of them were blessed with fame.養不教， Rear

3、children without instructing them,父之過。 And the father should be blamed;教不嚴， Teach in a slack and lazy way師之惰。 And the teacher should be criticized. 子不學， If a pupil plays truant,非所宜。 It proves to be improper.幼不學， If a child fails to learn,老何為？ What could he be when getting old?玉不琢， Without being carv

4、ed and polished,不成器。 A jade cant be a work of art. 人不學， If one does not learn,不知義。 Hell not know human virtues. 為人子， When one is young, 方少時。 He should make the best of his time, 親師友， Associating with the good and the wise, 習禮儀。 And learning to stand on ceremony. 香九齡， When Huang Xiang was nine years

5、old, 能溫席。 He could warm the mat for his father. 孝于親， Whoever has love for their parents所當執。 Should be as kind as such. 融四歲， When Kong Rong was four years old, 能讓梨。 He could offer his brothers the bigger pears. 弟于長， Even if one is quite young,宜先知。 One should love ones brothers. 首孝悌， One should bear f

6、amilial love from the outset, 次見聞。 Before he starts to learn,知某數， Including counting and computing,識某文。 As well as reading and writing. 一而十， One times ten is ten, 十而百， Ten times ten is a hundred, 百而千， A hundred times ten is a thousand,千而萬。 And a thousand times ten is ten thousand. 三才者， Therere three

7、 essential elements to know, 天地人。 They are heaven, earth and man. 三光者， There are three kinds of light;日月星。 Theyre from the sun, the moon and the stars. 三綱者， There are three ethical disciplines:君臣義； That of loyalty between the king and his men,父子親， of love between father and son,夫婦順。 And of harmony b

8、etween husband and wife. 曰春夏， There are Spring and Summer, 曰秋冬。 And Autumn and Winter:此四時， They are the four seasons, 運不窮。 Alternating all the year round. 曰南北， There are north and south, 曰西東。 And east and west. 此四方， They are the four directions, 應乎中。 Laid out by central position. 曰水火， There are wate

9、r and fire, 土木金。 And wood, metal, and earth: 此五行， They are five elements, 本乎數。 Related to the numerals. 曰仁義， There are benevolence, righteousness, 禮智信。 And courtesy, intelligence and loyalty. 此五常， They are the five human norms, 不容紊。 Which are regulated in certain terms. 稻粱菽， There are rice, sorghum

10、and bean, 麥黍稷。 And wheat, millet and corn: 此六谷， They are six kinds of grain 人所食。 For one to serve as food. 馬牛羊， There are the horse, the ox and the sheep,雞犬豕。 And the foul, the dog, and the pig: 此六畜， They are six kinds of livestock, 人所飼。 Raised in herds by the farmers. 曰喜怒， There are joy and anger,曰

11、哀懼； And sorrow and fear, 愛惡欲， And love, hate and desire: 七情具。 They are seven human feelings altogether. 匏土革， There are gourd, pottery, leather, 木石金； And wood, stone, and metal, 絲與竹， Together with string and bamboo, 乃八音。 All these can be made into musical instruments. 高曾祖， From his great-great-grandf

12、ather, 父而身； To his great-grandfather, 身而子， To his grandfather and father, 子而孫； To himself and his son, 自子孫， To his grandson and great-grandson,至玄曾。 And to his great-great-grandson: 乃九族， Whoever is born into the world人之倫。 Will face the nine-layer relation. 父子恩， There should be affection between fathe

13、r and son, 夫婦從； As well as love between husband and wife. 兄則友， Brothers should be kind to each other:弟則恭； The elders amiable, and the younger respectful. 長幼序， A harmony should be maintained 友與朋； Among families as well as friends. 君則敬， Even the king should be cordial, 臣則忠。 To whom the subjects can be

14、 loyal. 此十義， These are called the Ten Doctrines 人所同。 That everyone in the world should follow. 凡訓蒙， To enlighten the school children, 須講究。 Good methods must be taken. 詳訓詁， The meaning must be correctly grasped, 明句讀。 And the syntax clear in mind. 為學者， A pupil must start his learning 必有初。 From the ver

15、y beginning. 小學終， After he has learned the basics, 至四書。 Hed learn the Four Books next. 論語者， The first book is Confucius Analects, 二十篇。 Composed of twenty chapters，群弟子， Which were recorded by his disciples記善言。 And put together as living doctrines. 孟子者， The second book is called Mencius, 七篇止。 Consisti

16、ng of seven sections, 講道德， In which is highlighted moralities, 說仁義。 As well as benevolence and righteousness. 作中庸， The third book is the Doctrine of the Mean, 子思筆。 Written by Zi Si, Confucius grandson, 中不偏， Who poses all midway, 庸不易。 In which the common truth exists. 作大學， Zeng Zi wrote the Great lea

17、rning, 乃曾子。 From which one can achieve a great deal. 自修齊， He demonstrated a way to self-improvement 至平治。 From the individual life to the social affairs. 孝經通， When ones mastered the Filial Scripture, 四書熟。 Together with the four books. 如六經， The Six Confucian Scriptures 始可讀。 Can be for him a new start.

18、詩書易， The Songs, the History, and the Changes, 禮春秋。 And the Annals and the Rituals：號六經， Are called the Six Confucian Scriptures, 當講求。 Which are needed to be studied thoroughly. 有連山， There was Lianshan in the Xia Dynasty, 有歸藏； Which was called Guizang in the Shang, 有周易， And Zhouyi in the Zhou, 三易詳。 Al

19、l refer to the Book of Changes. 有典謨， With the records of the early sages deeds, 有訓誥； And with the regulations and laws, 有誓命， As well as the decrees and rules 書之奧。 The Book of History is hard to read. 我周公， A sage is called the Duke of Zhou, 作周禮。 Who drafted the rituals for the country. 著六官， He appoin

20、ted six ministers, 存治體。 By whom the nation was governed. 大小戴， Dai and his nephew were two scholars, 著禮記。 Who annotated the Book of Rituals. 述圣言， By digging from the sages words, 禮樂備。 The Book of Music came from the Ritual. 曰國風， With the National Morals, 曰雅頌。 And the Grace and the Paeans, 號四詩， The Bo

21、ok of Songs is divided into four sections, 當諷詠。 And each should be chanted and recited. 詩既亡， When tradition of collecting folk songs is lost, 春秋作。 The Book of History was compiled, 寓褒貶， Which sets the moral code for state officials, 別善惡。 And which judges the good from the evil. 三傳者， Three commentari

22、es have been given 有公羊； To the Book of History ever written:有左氏， There are three commentary authors:有谷梁。 Gong Yang, Zuo Qiuming and Gu Liang. 經既明， After having grasped the classics,方讀子。 One can read the works of other schools, 撮其要， Not only drawing up the essentials, 記其事。 But also learning by heart

23、the details. 五子者， Five figures should be mentioned 有荀揚； Of the great masters of thought:文中子， They are named Xun Zi and Yang Zi, 及老莊。 And Wen Zhong Zi, Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi.經子通， With a thorough understanding of the above mentioned, 讀諸史。 One can proceed to historical works. 考世系， From each phase of his

24、torical evolution, 知始終。 One can learn the ups and downs of each reign. 自羲農， There lived Fu Xi and Shen Nong, 至皇帝。 As well as Xuan Yuan. 號三皇， They were called the Three Emperors, 居上世。 Living long before the good old days.唐有虞， Yao and Shun reigned in the later years, 號二帝。 Who were called the Two Emper

25、ors. 相揖遜， Both yielded the crown to capable men, 稱盛世。 And their reigns were called the heydays. 夏有禹， There lived Yu in the Xia Dynasty, 商有湯。 And there appeared Tang in the Shang;周文武， Together with King Zhou Wen and his son, 稱三王。 They were called the Three Great Kings. 夏傳子， After Yu was succeeded by

26、his son, 家天下。 All under heaven were ruled by one family. 四百載， And the Xia Dynasty lasted four centuries long, 遷夏社。 Till there were revolution in the country. 湯伐夏， The revolution against Xia was led by Tang, 國號商。 Who founded a new dynasty called Shang. 六百載， Six centuries had passed 至紂亡。 Before it was

27、 overthrown in the reign of Zhu. 文武王， Zhou Dynasty was founded by King Zhou Wu,始誅紂。 Who captured and beheaded cruel Zhu. 八百載， The Zhou Dynasty lasted eight centuries, 最長久。 And its the longest dynasty in history. 周撤東， When the capital of Zhou was moved east, 王綱墜。 The whole state began to go downward.

28、 逞干戈， Seas of wars broke out everywhere, 尚游說。 And politicians ran canvassing about. 始春秋， The East Zhou began with the Spring and Autumn, 終戰國。 And ended with the Warring states. 五霸強， Five Dukes ruled in the former period, 七雄出。 And seven powers dominated in the latter. 嬴秦氏， Emperor Qin Shihuang appear

29、ed, 始兼并。 And annexed all states into one empire. 傳二世， When he was succeeded by his evil son, 楚漢爭。 The Chun and the Han began to fight for the crown. 高祖興， When Liu Bang won over Xiang Yu, 漢業建。 He, as the founder of the Han Dynasty, was called Gao Zu. 至孝平， And during the reign of Emperor Xiao Ping, 王莽

30、篡。 The Han collapsed with Wang Mangs usurping. 光武興， The throne was restored by Liu Xiu, 為東漢。 Who was crowned Emperor Guang Wu. 四百年， The later four-period is called the East Han, 終于獻。 Ruined in the reign of Emperor Xian. 魏蜀吳， Three new states of Wei, Shu, and Wu, 爭漢鼎。 Tussled fiercely for the throne

31、of the Han. 號三國， They were called the Three States, 迄兩晉。 To be replaced by two Jins in chains of was. 宋齊繼， The Song and the Qi rose one after another, 梁陳承。 And the Liang and the Chen succeeded later. 為南朝， They were called the South Dynasties as a whole. 都金陵。 With their capitals in Jinling city. 北元魏，

32、 Yuan founded in the north a reign of Wei, 分東西。 Splitting into two sections, the east and the west. 宇文周， West Wei was renamed North Zhou by Yuwen Jue; 與高齊。East Wei was dominated by Gao Yang with the title of North Qi. 迨至隋， Not until the foundation of the Sui Dynasty 一土宇。 Was the whole country united

33、. 不再傳， The throne was succeeded by the son, 失統緒。 Who lost his life and his crown. 唐高祖， Li Yuan, with an imperial tile of Tang Gaozu, 起義師。 Rose up with his army. 除隋亂， He swept off the riots and chaos, 創國基。 And founded the Tang Dynasty. 二十傳， With a succession of twenty emperors, 三百載。 The Tang lasted f

34、or three hundred years. 梁滅之， Before there rose the reign of the post Liang, 國乃改。 Which replaced the reign of the Tang. 梁唐晉， The Post Liang, the Post Tang, and the Post Jin, 及漢周。 Together with the Post Han and the Post Zhou, 稱五代， Are called the Five Dynasties altogether, 皆有由。 Each replacing the forme

35、r. 炎宋興， General Zhao, stood out, noble and strong, 受周禪。 And the emperor of the Zhou handed over his crown. 十八傳， Zhao founded the Song Dynasty, with eighteen successors, 南北混。 And the capital was moved southward in war riots. 遼與金， Two tribes called the Liao and the Jin, 皆稱帝。 Respectively founded their

36、 imperial reigns. 元滅宋， The latter was subverted by the Dynasty of Yuan, 絕宋世。 And the Song also ended in the Yuans invasion. 蒞中國， The Yuan conquered the whole country, 兼戎狄。 Together with the remote nationalities. 九十年， After a reign of ninety years, 國祚廢。 The throne collapsed in rebellions. 太祖興，When Zh

37、u Yuanzhang distinguished himself during the uprising, 國大明。 He founded a new dynasty called the Ming. 號洪武， He got Hong Wu as his imperial title, 都金陵。 With Jinling city to be the capital. 迨成祖， During the reign of Emperor Cheng Zu, 遷燕京。 The capital was moved to Yanjing. 十六世， There lasted sixteen succe

38、ssions 至崇禎。 Till the fatal end of Emperor Chong Zhen. 權閹肆， With eunuch Wei abusing the royal power, 寇如林。 Seas of rebels broke out. 至李闖， Among them rose the Chuang King, 神器焚。 Who overthrown the Dynasty of Ming. 清太祖， Qing Taizu founded a new nation, 膺景命。 To fulfill the missions from the heaven. 靖四方， H

39、e swept away all the enemies, 克大定。 And unified the whole country. 廿一史， The history of the twenty one dynasties 全在茲。 Has all been mentioned above. 載治亂， Through the reigns in order or disorder, 知興衰。 One can trace the ups and downs. 讀史者， In studies of historical works, 考實錄。 One should delve into the ac

40、tual records. 通古今， By which to grasp the history on the whole, 若親目。 As if shown before ones own eyes. 口而誦， One can learn by reading and chanting,心而惟。 And by way of meditation. 朝于斯， one should indulge in studies 夕于斯。 From morning till night. 昔仲尼， Confucius set a good example, 師項橐。 Who once followed X

41、iang Tuo as a disciple. 古圣賢， All sages and nobles in ancient times 尚勤學。 Would work hard at their studies. 趙中令， A prime minister called Zhao Pu 讀魯論。 Lost himself in the study of the Analects. 彼既仕， Though he had a high post in the government, 學且勤。 He was still a diligent learner. 披蒲編， Lu Wenshu copied

42、 books on grass weave,削竹簡。 And Gongsun Hong wrote on bamboo chips. 彼無書， The poor guys had no books of their own, 且知勉。 Yet they had such means to try. 頭懸梁， Sun Jing fastened his hair to the beam, 錐刺股。 And Su Qin stabbed his thighs with an awl. 彼不教， Why both of them did such strange deeds? 自勤苦。 They t

43、ook pains to learn of themselves. 如囊瑩， Che Yin read under the light of glow worms, 如映雪。 And Sun Kang read against the white snow. 家雖貧， Though they came from poor families, 學不輟。 They never stopped their studies. 如負薪， Zhu Maichen tried reading in firewood cutting, 如掛角。 And Li Mi held his book in cattl

44、e herding. 身雖勞， Though they were tired out at work, 猶苦卓。 They were still learning hard. 蘇老泉， Sun Xun didnt start to learn 二十七。 Until he was twenty seven. 始發憤， Though it was late for him to learn, 讀書籍。 Yet he finally had much to attain. 彼既老， When he became old, 猶悔遲。 He still felt repentant. 爾小生， Young pupils, all of you, 宜早思。 Better start learning sooner. 若梁灝， Liang Hao was acclaimed 八十二。 At the age of eighty two: 對大廷， He stood out