Throughout history, genealogy is an important proof of the continued existence of a family, drinking water and thinking of the source, not forgetting the ancestors. For thousands of years, people have recorded the ancestral deeds of their ancestors, family training and family style, etc. and passed them on to their descendants. In the era of the Internet, where communication is convenient, why do we still need to revisit genealogical family books? What kind of traditional Chinese genetic code is hidden in the "family" cultural genealogy?
"Home, and the inheritance of the family, is an ancient topic. In the nearly 10,000 years of agricultural civilization, the family is also the most basic social organization, undertaking social functions such as production and labor, family reproduction, educating offspring, and protecting the safety of the family, so family inheritance, family style and tutoring are important historical cultures of the Chinese nation, and a set of systematic theories have been formed in long-term social practice. Zhu Junbo, executive vice president of the Shanghai Literature and History Data Research Association, commented that the newly published book "Family Inheritance" by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Press combines theory and case, advocating the concept of "unlimited inheritance, stopping at the best", which is quite creative, is a vivid reading of family style learning and education, and has a certain enlightenment for the concept of family inheritance in the new era.
For example, when it comes to the family inheritance, the Confucius family has a long history of 2500 years, has a complete family tree and family rules and family training, and is known as the first in the world. From his genealogy and family rules and family training, it can be seen that as the "six arts" of ceremony, music, archery, imperial, book, and number, it has always played the role of the main lineage. The "Yan Family Training", "Zhang Family Training", "Zhu Zi Zhi Family Motto" and so on, which have been handed down to this day, still have positive significance.
"Looking at the family tree is a long knowledge, you can know the origin of the ancestors, the deeds of the predecessors, the traditions of the family, and so on. Since ancient times, genealogy has carried ethical norms, shaped the spirit of personality, and maintained social order. At the launch ceremony of "Family Inheritance: Jiajia Family Culture" in the library of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the author Chen Jiajia said that family trees are the products of the times, and with social changes, the form and content of family trees are also constantly changing, such as the main function of the Family Tree of the Song Dynasty lies in moral education and education; the function of the Ming Dynasty family tree is gradually transformed into the promotion of ethical ideas such as "Three Principles and Five Constants", Loyalty and Filial Piety; the Family Tree of the Qing Dynasty pays attention to the functions of respecting ancestors, respecting the ancestors and dehua.
The family letter embodies the flesh and blood family affection in the family, is the continuation of thought, and is also a spiritual inheritance. For example, in the book, Cao Cao wrote in the Order of the Sons: "This Shouchun, Hanzhong, and Chang'an, first want to make one son go to the governor, and if you want to choose kindness and filial piety and not violate my order, you don't know who to use." Although the child sees love when he is young, he will use it when he grows up to be good. Not only am I not a private courtier, but my son does not want to be selfish. "Roughly speaking, I will choose my filial son, who listens to me, and go to the town to guard the side; when selecting officials, I will not be selfish, fair and just, and the same is true for selecting sons."
In 213, before Cao Cao went out to requisition Sun Quan, he also wrote to Cao Zhi: "I used to be a Dunqiu Order, twenty-three years old, thinking about what I did at this time, I have no regrets. This year is also twenty-three years old, but it is not reluctant! From the literal point of view, Cao Cao said: When I was twenty-three years old, I became a Dunqiu Ling, thinking back on my behavior at that time, I have no regrets, and now you (Cao Zhi) are also twenty-three years old, you work hard!
In Sun Quan's family letter, there is a "Book of Let Sun Jiao" written to his cousin: "Qing Xing grew up, was particularly entrusted with heavy responsibilities, had a distant view on the top, and engaged in the next part day and night, how can there be wanton anger and evil?" Whoever has no fault, you can change it, it is advisable to chase after the previous worries, and deeply blame yourself. Sun Jiao was a general, and because of a trivial quarrel with the famous Eastern Wu general Gan Ning, Sun Quan wrote a family letter after listening to it, teaching him to treat others with respect and tolerance and generosity. Among them, "whoever has no fault, you can change it" has become a famous saying.
"The Chinese nation has always paid attention to the family, tutoring, and family style, and the family is the basic cell of society and the first school in life." She Ling, president of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Publishing House, said that the book "Family Inheritance" not only has the interpretation of family style construction, the principle of family governance and many years of family inheritance teaching practice experience, but also the analysis of classic cases of ancient and modern Chinese and foreign famous families, interpreting the spiritual connotation and core principles of China's "family culture". In the author's view, "a good family style and family training bring us a thick background, evoking a sense of life identity of how future generations can stand together in the family, and finding where the inner belonging and peace are." ”
Author: Xu Yang
Image source: Publisher
EDIT: Wei Zhong