Full-text Translation of Shi Kuang's Learning Theory

Full-text translation of On Shi Kuang;

Jin Pinggong said to Shi Kuang, "I am seventy years old. I am afraid it is too late to study. "

Shi Kuang said, "Why not light the candle?"

Jin Pinggong said, "How can a courtier tease you?"

Shi Kuang said, "I am blind, how dare I tease the monarch? I heard that when I was a teenager, I liked to study, just like the sunshine of the rising sun. I like studying in my prime, just like the strong sunshine at noon; I like reading in my later years, just like lighting with a candle. Which is better than walking in the dark? "

Jin Pinggong said, "That's great!"

Original works:

A Review of Shi Kuang Studies

Liu Xiang? Han dynasty

Duke Jinping asked Shi Kuang, "I am seventy years old, and I am afraid I am eager to learn."

Shi Kuang said, "Why not light a candle?"

Gong Ping said, "An is a minister. Are you kidding me?"

Shi Kuang said, "How dare a blind minister play with the monarch? I am not so eager to learn when I listen, like the sun at sunrise; Strong and eager to learn, such as the light of Japan and China; Being old and eager to learn is like holding a candle. Holding a candle, what is it and what is it? "

Gong Ping said, "Good!" .

Comment on words and phrases:

Jin Pinggong: King of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period.

Yu: Item.

Wu: Me.

Shi Kuang: Zi Yezi was a musician in the State of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period. He is blind, still loves learning, and has high attainments in music.

Fear: I'm afraid, worried, scared.

Twilight: It means "late, late".

H: why?

Ice candle: light the candle. The candles at that time were just torches, not later candles.

Ann: Why, where?

Play: tease, tease.

Blind courtier: A blind courtier. Shi Kuang is blind, so he calls himself a blind priest.

Minister: the demands of courtiers on the monarch.

Smell: I heard, I heard.

And: the table is tied, and.

Yang: Sunshine.

Which is better, candlelight lighting or walking in the dark?

Which one? It is equivalent to "... and (and) ... which (who) is it?" .

Walking in the dark. Ignorance, darkness.

Kindness: well said!

Good: good, kind.

Rising sun: the rising sun, the morning sun.

Sunlight: midday (intense) sunshine.

Good: I like it.

In favour: as.

Less: young.

Desire: want, want.

Light it.

Article comments:

Jin Pinggong wants to study, but he is worried that he is getting old. Shi Kuang believes that people should study all their lives. He compares figuratively; Teenagers are eager to learn, like the rising sun, and they are eager to learn in their prime, like the noon sun; Learning in old age, like the light of a candle, can also illuminate the mileage of life. Although the light is weak, it is much better than walking in the dark. This metaphor is vivid and easy for people to understand and accept, so it is better to call it Jinping. The feature of this article lies in the use of metaphor. Shi Kuang's rhetoric does not state abstract truth, but uses common sense of daily life to explain his own views. In order to attract the attention of the other party, Shi Kuang deliberately used the ambiguity of Chinese to misinterpret the meaning of Duke Jinping with puns. Jin Pinggong said, "If you want to study, you may die." The word "dusk" refers to the oldest person, who has entered his twilight years. Shi Kuang explained the word "dusk" as the sun had set and it would be late, so he said, "Why not light candles at dusk?" Such misinterpretation is tantamount to teasing, which is why Shi Kuang's words attracted the attention of Duke Jinping. Shi Kuang's metaphor about learning below is naturally based on "soldiers and candles", leaving a deeper impression on each other. The rhetoric of lobbyists in the pre-Qin period was often powerful, which was the secret. (Yue Zhen)

About the author:

Xiang (77 years ago -6 years ago), the word Zheng, formerly known as Geng Sheng, was born in Pengcheng in the early Han Dynasty. He once worked in Chang 'an, the capital city, and was born in Fengyi, Pei County (now Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province). Born in Yuanfeng, Emperor Zhao of Han Dynasty (77 years before), he died in Jianping, Emperor Ai of Han Dynasty (6 years before). Liu Bang's half-brother Liu Jiao is a descendant and Liu Xin's father. I was ordered to lead the school secretary and wrote Bielu, the earliest book classification catalogue in China. Three articles, most of which are lost. Today, there are books such as New Preface, Shuoyuan, Biography of Lienv, Warring States Policy, Biography of Liexian, etc. His book The Five Classics and Yi Tong was compiled by Ma Guohan of A Qing Dynasty. The Songs of Chu was compiled by Liu Xiang, and The Classic of Mountains and Seas was compiled by Liu Xiang and his son Liu Xin.

Character introduction:

Jin Pinggong (? -532 BC), Ji surname, Ming Biao, son of Duke Mourn of Jin, King of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period, reigned from 557 BC to 532 BC.

At the beginning of Jin Ping's reign, there was a war with Chu State, and the war side won. In 552 BC, it formed an alliance with Song, Wei and other countries, and once again restored the hegemony of Jin. In the later period of his rule, due to large-scale construction and civil affairs, power fell to Liu Qing. In 532 BC, he died. posthumous title was Ping, and his son succeeded to the throne, because of Jin and Taoism. He was born without eyes, so he called himself a blind minister. As a doctor of Jin, also known as Jin Ye, he is knowledgeable and versatile, especially good at music and playing the piano. It was praised as "the wisdom of Shi Kuang" by later generations.

Express the theme:

On Shi Kuang was written by Liu Xiang (77-6 BC), a scholar of the Western Han Dynasty. The book says that there is no end to learning in life, and you should study hard at any time.

Inspiration of the work:

1, there is no end to learning in life, so study hard at all times. Lifelong learning benefits for life.

2. "Being old and eager to learn" is not as good as "being young and eager to learn" and "being strong and eager to learn", but it is better than not learning well. Never too old to learn.

If you want to study, you should start now, so that you can achieve something. Aspiring is never too old to learn. Age and gender have nothing to do with success. As long as you have goals, perseverance and determination, you will succeed.