Page 10 - GFT Vol05

also advances a wide range of admired for 2,500 years. Why is he so
academics and arts. Only through respected? His education was the most

education can people become complete and sublime. His mother
enlightened, return to their self-nature, taught him for three years, and after

and understand the relationship three years his education was handed
between themselves and the universe. over to a teacher. The teacher taught
him not only by word but also by
How do we learn to get along with
example. His mother taught him to see
people, with animals, with plants, with
the example in the teacher and build his
mountains and rivers, in all different
confidence. Therefore, in ancient China,
dimensions? This depends on what we
there is a saying: "Three years
are taught. The ancients of China
determine eighty." A person educated
started with prenatal education, when a
in this way will uphold his ethics under
mother became pregnant. A pregnant
all circumstances, and he will not lose
mother should not have evil thoughts,
this concept, which, we can say, is holy.
but must have the right knowledge and
At the age of six or seven, he has the
right views. Why? Her thoughts affect
ability to distinguish between right and
her baby, so education has to start here.
wrong, good and evil, what he can
Her speech should be calm and her
touch and what he dares not touch. He
attitude peaceful, as her thoughts,
has this ability.
words, and actions will affect the baby.
During pregnancy, for the sake of the This kind of education persisted till

next generation, a woman should the last years of the Manchu Qing
strictly manage herself so that her child Dynasty, but after the Republic of China

can be born peacefully. began, due to social unrest, the
education had disappeared. Today, we
After birth, the child’s eyes open; he
have lost filial piety for at least one
can see, he can hear, and although he
hundred years, and our roots have been
can't speak, we know that he is already
lost. Where is respect for our teachers
learning. Who teaches him? His parents,
and respect for the Tao, the way of
and the people around him, whether
righteousness? Teaching respect and
adults or children. The mother should
filial piety is the fundamental
take good care of him and not let him
foundation of Chinese culture. Filial
see, hear, or touch anything bad. The
piety is our attitude to parents, and
mother must watch and protect him for
respect is our attitude to teachers. We
a thousand days, three years. In these
must respect our teachers and respect
three years, with his mother as his
the Tao. We should treat people of our
teacher, his nature will take root. This is
parents’ generation as we treat our
the root of a saint.
parents, and we should treat our elders
Confucius has been honored and

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