Illuminating Chinese Classics

In this episode on the Three Character Classic (三字经), we turn to the stars, as our story takes its first look at the natural world. We’ll talk about the three lights in the sky: the sun (日), moon (月), and stars (星). And we’ll discuss the relationship between heaven (天) and earth (地), and mankind (人), who lives in-between the two. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In this episode on the Three Character Classic (三字经), it’s time to talk about maths. But don’t worry: Because this is a children’s book it’s easy to understand, much to the relief of your hosts, who aren’t especially strong in this subject. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

The first part of the Three Character Classic (三字经) talked about the value of devoting your time to learning to valuable things (贵以专). It’s at this point that we move into the second part of the book, which tells you what some of those valuable things are and where you should start. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In this episode of the Three Character Classic (三字经) we follow on from our previous two episodes, about the importance of listening to teachers and of filial respect for parents, with one about being nice to your elder brother. (You might be picking up a theme…) In our story, we learn about Kong Rong (孔融), a Qing Dynasty official whose kindness towards his older brother was so great that it ended up in the history books. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

As Beijing pluges into winter and temperatures plumet, your hosts for the Three Character Classic (三字经) huddle together in their chilly studio to recount the story of nine-year-old Huang Xiang (黄香), who lay in his father’s bed to warm it up in winter before returning to his own. It’s another one of the tales that's told to Chinese children to drill into them the importance of filial piety. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

One of the main takeaway messages from the teachings of Confucius (孔子) is that it’s important to respect your elders. This is a theme that’s touched on repeatedly in the Three Character Classic (三字经). In this episode, we talk about the importance of learning from family and friends when you’re young so you grow up to be a well-rounded person. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In this episode on the Three Character Classic (三字经) we continue on the theme of the importance of education. And we illustrate the book’s message with a story about an unfortunate official named Bian He (卞和) from the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时代) in around 771 to 476 B.C. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In our previous episodes about the Three Character Classic (三字经) we’ve talked about the importance of getting a good education. In this episode, we turn our attention to what can happen if we ignore those lessons and try to coast through life relying on our natural born talent. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In this episode, the author of the Three Character Classic (三字经) points a finger of blame at parents and teachers when a child doesn’t get a good education. And we hear a story about a robber with some memorable last words for his mother as he faced the gallows. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

Dou Yanshan (窦燕山) was a figure from the Five Dynasties Period (五代时期) in around the 10th century. He was a father to five sons, who all grew up to become high government officials. In today’s episode of the Three Character Classic (三字经) we talk about the role of the family in ensuring children get a good education. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In episode three of the Three Character Classic (三字经) we look at the role a good environment can have on a child’s early development. You’ll hear how the mother of the philosopher Mencius moved house three times to help ensure that the people in their neighhourhood were a positive influence on the budding young philosopher. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In our first episode of the Three Character Classic (三字经) we explored the belief that people are fundamentally good when they’re born, and how that can change under the influence of environment and education. In this episode, we look at the role of education in keeping bad habits and attitudes at bay. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.

In our first episode of the Three Character Classic（三字经）we begin at birth. According to Chinese thought, when we come into the world, we are fundamentally good. But as we grow up, our attitudes and abilities change under the influence of our environment and education – not always for the better. The三字经 was written by the Song Dynasty (宋朝) scholar Wang Yinglin (王应麟). This 1,134 character text was one of the first textbooks used by students, and provided lessons on education, morality and ethics, science, literature, and history.