The characteristic of Chinese culture is "etiquette". Its role is reflected in the two aspects of enhancing personal moral cultivation and cultivating national spirit. "Book of Rites" is a must-read book for ancient scholars, is an important canonical system book in ancient China, as a compilation of Confucian thought, the content of "Book of Rites" is all-encompassing, the text is vivid and fluent, and the beauty of Chinese etiquette is reflected between the lines!
"Etiquette is still reciprocal, and it is not polite to come and go, and it is not polite to come and go."
——Western Han Dai Sheng, "Li Ji Qu Li Shang"
Interpretation: Etiquette is expensive and has a past. Only the past and the absence or the coming and going are not polite. In the interaction between the state and the country, groups and groups, people and people, friends and friends, etiquette attaches great importance to comings and goings, and each other should adopt the same attitude and etiquette specifications, which is customarily called "etiquette and exchange".
"A gentleman does not lose his footing in people, does not lose his color in people, and does not lose his mouth in people."
--Western Han Dai Sheng, "Records of Rites and Tables"
Interpretation: Gentlemen should behave cautiously in front of others, be dignified, and not say the wrong thing and say things that should not be said. A few sentences can be used to persuade people to be careful in their words and deeds, not to say things that should not be said to people, and not to do things that should not be done, so as not to give people a handle and attract criticism.
Knowledgeable and strong and let go, Good deeds and not slack, called a gentleman.
- "Etiquette and Qu Lishang"
Interpretation: Those who can be knowledgeable and compelling, self-cultivation and good deeds and unremitting, can be called gentlemen.
"The lover of a gentleman is also virtuous, and the lover of a delicate man is also appeased."
- "The Book of Rites and Bows"
Interpretation: A gentleman loves his lover according to the standard of virtue, and a villain loves a person to tolerate and indulge.
"In the upper position, not below; in the lower position, not in the upper position." If you are right for yourself and do not seek from others, you have no complaints. ”
——Western Han Dai Sheng, "Etiquette and Moderation"
Interpretation: A gentleman is in a superior position, does not act as a blessing, and bullies those who are in a lower position. In the lower position, do not bow down to the person in the upper position. If you correct your own actions and do not be harsh on others, then there will be no resentment.
"The journey of the avenue is also the public of the world." ”
--Western Han Dai Sheng, "Etiquette and Fortune"
Interpretation: "Dao" refers to the way followed in ancient times, and "the world is just" means that the world is everyone's, not unique to that person, that party, or that faction.
"The wise man respects it and fears it and loves it." Love knows its evil, hate knows its good. ”
- "Etiquette and Qu Lishang"
Interpretation: Be close and respectful to a man of virtue, fearful and admired. For the person you love, you must be able to know his shortcomings, and for the people you hate, you must be able to see his benefits.
"Erudite and not poor, persevering and tireless."
——Han Daisheng' Book of Rites and Learning
Interpretation: Learning is endless, the accumulation of knowledge is endless; we must always pay attention to cautious words and deeds, and cannot slacken off!
"The benevolent will make their fortunes, and the unkind will make their fortunes."
——Xihan Daisheng, "Etiquette and University"
Interpretation: People with benevolence use wealth to develop and achieve themselves, and people without benevolence use their bodies and minds to accumulate wealth.
"Knowing deficiencies, then being able to reflexively also; knowing sleepiness, then being able to strengthen oneself also."
- "Etiquette and Learning"
Interpretation: Only by realizing that their knowledge is not enough, can they reflect on themselves; only when they realize that they are confused about some knowledge, can they strive for self-improvement.
"Etiquette is to people, and there are tillers in wine: the gentleman is thick, and the villain is thin."
——Western Han Dai Sheng, "Li Ji Qu Li"
Interpretation: Etiquette for people, like wine song for winemaking, gentlemen value etiquette, and villains despise etiquette. Niè (蘖): Sake koji, similar to rice used for sake brewing.
"If everything is determined, it will be abolished; if it is determined before words, it will not be delayed; if it is determined before it is determined, it will not be sleepy; if it is determined before it is done, it will not be guilty; if it is determined before the tao, it will not be poor."
- "Etiquette: The Middle Way"
Interpretation: Anything can be successful if you are prepared in advance, and you will fail without preparation; if you are prepared before you speak, you will not be unable to stand up to your words; if you make preparations in advance, you will not encounter difficulties and setbacks; if you plan before acting, you will not regret mistakes; and if you can decide properly in advance, you will not be impossible.
"A gentleman is ashamed to be in his position without his words; a gentleman is ashamed to have his words and deeds without his deeds."
——Western Han Dai Sheng, "Etiquette and Miscellaneous Notes"
Interpretation: The gentleman is ashamed to be in a certain position without the opinion that should be provided in that position; there is such a speech, but there is no such behavior, and the gentleman is ashamed of it. These few sentences are mostly used to illustrate that in a certain position, there should be words and deeds that are consistent with that position. It can also be used to satirize incompetent people who occupy a certain position.
Men and women who eat and drink, the great desire of man to survive; the death of poverty, the great evil of man.
- "Etiquette and Fortune"
Interpretation: Appetite and sexual desire are the most basic desires of man; death and poverty are the things that people hate the most. (In order to pursue lofty ideals and maintain innocent discipline, a person with high morals can disregard "men and women who eat and drink", do not avoid "death and poverty", and achieve "rich and noble cannot be lascivious, poor and lowly cannot be moved, and mighty cannot be bent", which is the traditional virtue we should inherit.) ）
Ao cannot be long, desire cannot be followed, ambition cannot be satisfied, and happiness cannot be extreme.
Interpretation: Pride cannot grow, desire cannot be indulged, ambition should not be complacent, and happiness should not be overheated.
"The way of a gentleman, if you go far, you will be self-defeating, and if you ascend to a height, you will be inferior."
Interpretation: The way to seek the way of a gentleman, like going a long way, must start from a near place; like climbing a mountain, it must start from a low place.
"Self-sincerity is called nature; self-sincerity is called teaching." Sincerity is clear, and sincerity is sincerity. ”
Interpretation: (Sincerity is given by Heavenly Reason) So from inner sincerity to enlightenment, this is called innate nature; from knowing things to inner sincerity, this is called acquired enlightenment. To be sincere in one's heart will certainly make people aware of things; to know things clearly, it will also make people sincere in their hearts.
"Sincerity is form, form is writing, writing is clear, clear is moving, moving is changing, change is becoming, and only sincerity in the world is able to be transformed."
Interpretation: Sincerely use the image to show, the image is very obvious, the significant performance is very clear, the clear performance is seen in the action, the action is constantly changing, and after the change, it can reach a high realm (out of the mind). Only the greatest sincerity in the world can reach this high realm of divination.
"The way of a gentleman, light and not tired, simple and literary, gentle and reasonable, knowing the distance and proximity, knowing the wind from the self, knowing the micro,can be related to entering the virtue."
Interpretation: A gentleman's ideas and deeds seem bland but not tiresome, simple but elegant, and show reason in moderation. You can know the truth from far and near, where the wind direction comes from, and you can see the big things from a little thing. This can be said to have entered the door of morality.
"After knowing the qualities, knowing and then knowing the sincerity, sincerity of the intention and then the right heart, the right heart and then the body cultivation, the body cultivation and then the family Qi, the family Qi and then the country rule, the country rule and then the world is peaceful."
—— Etiquette and University
Interpretation: Only after deducing the principles of things can we obtain knowledge; after obtaining knowledge, the will can be sincere; after the will is sincere, the mind can be correct; after the mind is correct, can we cultivate good character; after the cultivation of character, we can manage the family and the family; after managing the family and the family, we can govern the country well; after governing the country, we can make the world peaceful.
"Evil words do not come from the mouth, and words of wrath do not come from the body." ”
- "Rituals and Sacrifices"
Interpretation: If malicious words do not come out of your mouth, the words that others hate you will not return to you.
"The virtuous, the Benye; the rich, the last."
- "Etiquette and University"
Interpretation: Morality is fundamental, wealth is only a branch.
"Rich house, moral run body, broad heart and fat body, so the gentleman will be sincere."
Interpretation: Wealth can decorate houses, and morality can cultivate character. Broad-minded, natural and serene posture, so the gentleman must make his thoughts sincere.
"If you study alone and have no friends, you are lonely and unheard of." ”
Interpretation: A person who studies alone without friends to work with will be short-sighted and not widely informed.
Postscript: A gentleman has a heart of benevolence and a heart of courtesy; a benevolent person loves others, and a person who is polite respects others. In modern society, interpersonal communication is valuable and courteous. Etiquette is the external manifestation of a person's cultural cultivation and moral cultivation of a person and even a nation and a country, and it is also the basic requirement of being a human being. Learn from the ancients, learn the beauty of etiquette in behavior, words and deeds, but also the wisdom of treating people and doing things!
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