The commandment to stop weaving

The commandment to stop weaving

The mother of Mencius admonished her son who gave up his studies by cutting the yarn on the loom so that the yarn could not be made into cloth. Later, I used this story to warn the dropouts. It comes from the biography of Lienv and the biography of Mu Yi.

explain

Mencius' mother admonished his son who gave up his studies by cutting the yarn on the loom so that it could not be made into cloth. Later, I used this story to warn the dropouts.

source

Liu Xiang of the Han Dynasty wrote in biography of Lienv · biography of Mu Yi: "Mencius is very few. He learned and returned. Mencius' mother weaved it and asked," where is learning? " Mencius said, "it's natural."

original text

Mencius was very few. After learning, his mother made achievements and asked, "what's the point of learning?" Mencius said, "it's natural." Mencius cut the fabric with a knife. Mencius was afraid and asked why. Mencius' mother said, "if I were to stop weaving, I would learn." A gentleman's learning is to establish a name, to ask is to know widely, to live is to be peaceful, and to move is to harm far away. To abolish it today is not to be free from war and disaster. Mencius was afraid, and he studied hard all day long. His father, Zisi, became a famous Confucian in the world.

translation

When Mencius was young, he came home in the middle of his study abroad. Mencius' mother was weaving cloth and asked him, "how far has his study progressed? Mencius said, "it's still the same as before." Mencius' mother used a knife to cut the cloth she was weaving. Mencius was very afraid and asked her mother why she was doing so. Mencius' mother said, "you neglect your studies, just like I cut these fabrics." Virtuous people are always famous by studying, and gain extensive knowledge and wisdom by seeking advice with an open mind. In this way, they can get peace at home, and avoid disasters when they go out to work and become officials. Today, if you neglect your studies, you will inevitably become a person who can only do rough work and be driven by others, so you can't get away from the disaster. Mencius was very scared. He studied hard day and night. He imitated his teacher Zisi and finally became a famous scholar in the world.