What are the characteristics and reasons of family instructions in Tang Dynasty?

The Tang Dynasty was a crucial period for the rise and fall of the gentry society in the Middle Ages. The family style, family training and family law of the aristocratic gentry were of great significance to the rise and fall of the old and new gentry. Cui, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, said: "It is a great event to be able to be the virtue of the monarch and educate the people. The prosperity of education begins in the family and extends to the country." Obviously, family education in traditional society, including family style, family training and family law, plays an important role in social education and national governance, which not only relates to the rise and fall of families, but also affects social order and social atmosphere.

Family instruction, family style, family law and the rise and fall of the gentry

Mr. Chen Yinque believes that the so-called gentry is "different from other surnames in terms of home study and etiquette"; "The characteristic of the gentry lies not only in its elegant school spirit, but also in its academic tradition" (Chen Yinque: On the Political History of the Tang Dynasty). During the Wei, Jin, Sui and Tang Dynasties, aristocratic families generally attached importance to family style, family training, etiquette and family laws, and paid attention to inheriting family studies and educating their children, and gradually formed a noble family called "elegant family style and political rules" ("the system of Li Qingnian's return to Guizhou in Dali"). It has become a kind of social knowledge that "family laws are well prepared, and then people are nurtured by words" (Biography of Liu Gong in the New Tang Dynasty). Yan Zhitui wrote "Family Instructions of Yan Family" in the last years of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, which initiated a great family to attach importance to the compilation of family instructions. In the Tang Dynasty, it was very common for scholars to compile family instructions, such as Wang's admonition to Wang and Liu Xie's admonition to future generations. And the model of Emperor Taizong can also be regarded as the family precepts of the emperor's family.

The formation and continuation of the family style of the famous gentry in Tang Dynasty can not be separated from excellent family instructions and strict family laws. Han Xiu, the prime minister of Kaiyuan Middle School, is famous as the nephew of Yan family. Muning "is strict at home and respects his sister very much", while his son praises and wisdom "being taught by his brother, being a servant, and praising the filial piety". During Zhenyuan period, there was a saying that "the scholar-officials who talked about family law respected Han Mu", and "the scholar-officials who talked about family law valued Mu" (Biography of Old Tang Muning). Cui Zhai, the father of Boling, said, "Three generations are one family. At that time, the family manager pushed the law ("New Tang Book Cui Zhai Biography"). Four of his brothers are scholars and one is the prime minister. "Zhai and Yan are the five rites." Xuanzong sighed: "Dancing as a filial friend can be regarded as the law of the gentry." Because of the title: "Dexing Hall." In the middle and late Tang Dynasty, Liu Zi of Jingzhao was strict with family instruction, "self-sustaining by courtesy", and specially prepared bitter pill for his children to refresh themselves when studying in the evening, and "work with their capital" (volume Ding of Southern New Book). Liu Gongzhuo, who grew up under this kind of education, "emphasizes sex and follows etiquette" and "manages the family very strictly, and his children can be disciplined". Later, Niu Sengru praised the good family education: "If you don't learn to teach by name, you can do it!" Therefore, the history is called "Liu's, and the world is called Liu's" ("The Biography of Liu Gong in the Old Tang Dynasty").

The Content of Family Instructions and the Formation of Family Style and Family Law

The most prominent feature of family instructions in the Tang Dynasty is the opening of the cultural tradition of "poetry and calligraphy handed down from family to family" in ancient China. After the reunification, the Sui and Tang Dynasties adopted the strategy of weakening the influence of the gentry. "Scholarship is based on literature", wealth is no longer permanent, "reading is a personal treasure, and senior officials and ministers are in the DPRK", and the concept of spreading poems and books and seeking fame has become the highest pursuit of scholars. Du Fu wrote "The Holy Day of Zongwu" and exhorted his son: "Poetry is a matter of my family, and people pass on their feelings. If you are proficient in selected works, don't look for colorful clothes. " Han Yu advised his children: "Although it is a treasure, it is difficult to save money; Although learning is hidden, it is more than enough. " He also stressed that people are born with similar talents and fools, and "thirty bones to be a pig in Yi Long" is a world of difference. The key is whether to read poetry books or not. Yuan Zhen admonished his sons and nephews, "My family is frugal and poor, and my ancestors taught me that I was often afraid of buying property and neglecting my children and grandchildren, so there is no room for firewood and Soviet Union in my family", and encouraged my children and grandchildren to study hard and win glory with "admiration for poetry" and "strive for strength and never give up what they need". Studying poetry books hard is the most effective way for poor children to get rich, and the myth of "Tian Shelang at dawn and emperor at dusk" became a reality in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Wang Anshi warned future generations that "reading is not expensive, but it benefits ten thousand times", "men don't read poetry books" and "it's like grass in the garden".

Family instructions in the Tang Dynasty generally focused on "loyalty and filial piety" education. Emperor Taizong also said: "Filial piety is the foundation of a hundred lines." "Taigong Family Instructions" said: "A gentleman is loyal to his father and filial to him. When you hear politeness, you learn it, but you don't smell teaching ... filial piety is the father, and you can live every day. " In the form of verse, this paper briefly summarizes the idea of loyalty and filial piety in the Book of Filial Piety, so as to help children strictly practice it in daily life and develop manners that conform to etiquette. Many gentry regard "loyalty and filial piety" as the core content of family instruction. Muning wrote a family instruction to instruct his son, saying, "A gentleman is near and ambitious." It is required to praise the four sons, "broadcast rites and music, be loyal and filial, correct the name, and guide people." Liu Xie's family motto said: "When talking about family law, we should be filial-oriented, respectful and silent, cautious and diligent in self-discipline." Loyalty and filial piety are often mentioned in the same breath in family training. For example, "a person who was born in a famous family and fell in the family, was founded by his ancestors."

Family instructions in the Tang Dynasty paid more attention to the cultivation and persistence of thrift in all kinds of exhortations to children. Emperor Taizong wrote "Emperor Fan", warning the prince to "depend on others for extravagance and frugality, and rely on himself", hoping that the prince would be diligent in keeping the house and be a wise king. The competition in the Tang dynasty was fierce, and the diligence of scholars often decided the success or failure of individuals. Han Yu warned his children: "Poetry and calligraphy are diligent, but they are not diligent and empty." Personal diligence means the difference between officials and slaves in the future. "Taigong Family Instructions" sums up the image of being a thrifty housekeeper: "A thrifty housekeeper will have ample food and clothing; People who study hard will occupy official positions ... diligence is priceless, and learning is bright and bright. " Mu Ning, who is famous for his strict family style, also asked his children to be "only the car of Hui Shi, only the curtain of the book, only the cone of Su Qin, and the three things are perfect", so his family is famous for this.

Family instructions in the Tang Dynasty also attached importance to virtues such as modesty and comity. Zhu's "Teaching Children's Words" says: "Make way for life, and don't waste a hundred steps; Let the bank live for life and not lose one. " This is a classic interpretation of China people's humility. A person has nothing to lose by being humble all his life, but has developed a good character and won the respect of others. Family precepts in the Tang Dynasty regard comity and humility as the basis of self-cultivation and cultivation. "Grandfather's Family Instructions" says: "The foundation of a person's life is righteousness ... When eating with others, be careful not to taste ... Taoism and respect, and attack by the roadside ... When three people walk together, there must be my teacher. If you choose a good one, you should follow it ... if you want to stand on your feet, start a career first; If you want to contact others, you will contact others first ... Modesty is the foundation of all things. " This book is a collection of ancient sages' famous sayings, proverbs and aphorisms about humility in easy-to-understand language, aiming at explaining that the fundamental of communication with people lies in mutual courtesy, learning from each other's strengths, achieving others first, giving others opportunities and taking a step back. In addition, advocating the principle of "reciprocity" is also an important content of family training education in Tang Dynasty. "Grandfather's Mentor" said: "Romantic and elegant, courtesy comes and goes ... you have a cow and a horse. Going and not coming is not a gift. "

Family style, family training and family learning determine the success or failure of children's study style.

Family style, family training and family learning are the family education environment that is often said now, which has a very important influence on children's growth. For example, "Tai Gong Jia Xun" said: "It is black near Zhu Zhechi, and it is black near Mexico; In the bitter fleabane bitter fleabane, don't help yourself straight; White jade does not stain. Those who are close to you flatter, and those who steal are thieves; Being near a fool is a fool, and being near a sage is a virtue. " The quality of family environment and ethos is very important to the development of children's habits and conduct, and even fundamentally determines the success or failure of children's education, which is also the reason why Meng Mu moved to three places. Many examples in the Tang Dynasty can also illustrate this problem. For example, Wu Dan, who was born at the age of four or five in the middle Tang Dynasty, played like a Taoist instrument. At the age of eight or nine, he could speak poetry, but he didn't know it, which covered up his research on Confucianism and metaphysics. It is also true that the weak crown likes Taoist books ... "(Bai Juyi:" Preface to the tombstone of Wu Fujun in Raozhou "). Wu Dan grew up playing with sand, so he can imitate Taoist rituals and build Dojo, which shows that his living environment is full of Taoist breath, so that he once studied Taoism after he was weak. Fortunately, he later studied the Book of Songs hard and was admitted to Jinshi, which made him successful. For another example, Liu Gongchuo's family is full of talented people, which has a lot to do with Liu's strict laws and good style of study, and has been passed down from generation to generation.

In traditional society, the fine family style of aristocratic families is an effective guarantee for children to receive a good family education. For example, Yuan Zhen's mother was born in a "five-surname marriage", and the Zheng family in Xingyang was famous for its strict family style. Zheng Youshi "taught parents filial piety". After he got married in Yuanshi County, he "worshiped Fengjie's family and passed it on as a training to attract Yan". In the past twenty-five years, I have devoted myself to remonstrance and whipping. "Always admonish the descendants with righteous words, and the descendants are ashamed" (Bai Juyi: epitaph of the Zheng family in Xingyang, wife of Nanyuan House in Tanghe). Yuan Zhen became a famous figure and literary master in the Tang Dynasty because of his excellent maternal education and good family style in his grandfather's family.

Family traditions and origins have a particularly obvious impact on children's success. For example, since Wei and Jin Dynasties, Yan's school is not only famous for Confucianism, but also has many calligraphers, such as Yan Tengzhi, Bing Zhi, Qin, Zhen Qing, etc., which should have a lot to do with Yan's children's attention to calligraphy training since childhood. This makes many people in his family good at calligraphy since childhood. Ru Yan is "young, knowledgeable, good at seal script, especially good at practicing kungfu"; Yan Wei is really "filial, lonely, raising his uncle Yin Zhongrong's family and teaching brushwork", and his exquisite calligraphy is "admitted to higher education" and "learning from a hundred schools of thought, learning six books without skills". Yan Zhenqing, a great calligrapher, is also from his family. He was "lonely early, which was taught by his uncle and Yunnan himself". Yan Zhenqing's becoming a famous calligrapher should have a lot to do with his uncle's enlightenment since childhood. Ouyang Tong, the son of another great calligrapher, "is an orphan, and his mother Xu teaches his father to write books". "He is very keen on admiration, and his energy is tireless day and night, no less than inquiry" (Biography of Old Tang Books and Ou Yangxun). On the contrary, many children who lack biographies of calligraphers often "know the door, but don't know the secret". Even if parents "look for famous books to teach their children, and test what they have learned, they will be determined", the result is still "unsuccessful" (Zhang Wenxi on Six Styles of Calligraphy).

In short, the rise and fall of a family has a lot to do with good family style, family training and strict family law. As Liu Xuan said, "A man of noble family is founded by the loyalty, filial piety and diligence of his ancestors and the stubbornness and arrogance of his descendants." The house of the gentry is "difficult to ascend to heaven, but easy to fall to heaven." If the aristocratic family is lax in family education, unhealthy in family style and poor in family training, it will easily decline. Therefore, family style, family training, family education and family law are undoubtedly important means to maintain aristocratic families, which objectively play a positive role in educating society and prospering culture.