What is the meaning of the phrase: "When you come in, you should be quick to move forward; when you go back, you should be slow to move back"?

The meaning is: when you come to your elders, you should step forward quickly; when you go back, you should go back a little slower in order to be polite; when your elders ask you, you should stand up and answer them, and you should look at them and listen to them, instead of looking in all directions.

From "The Rules of Discipleship" - Qing Dynasty - Li Yuxiu

When you go in, you should be quick to step forward; when you go back, you should be slow to step back; when you are asked by your elders, you should stand up and answer; and you should not look around and listen.

Expanded Information

1. Background of the Creation of the Rules of Discipleship

The Rules of Discipleship is a three-character rhyming text written by Li Yuxiu, an educator of the Qing Dynasty. Its content is based on the sixth article of the Analects of Confucius, which reads: "Disciples should be filial in entering, fraternal in leaving, prudent and trustworthy, and kind in loving all people. If you have the ability to do so, you should learn the language", compiled with three words and two lines. The whole text has 360 sentences and 1080 characters. The Disciple's Rules are based on the teachings of Confucius, compiled in the form of three-character rhymes, with the core idea of Confucianism's filial piety, fraternal duty, and benevolence.

2. Introduction of the author of "Rules of Discipleship"

Li Yuxiu (1647-1729), Ziqian, CaiSan, a famous scholar and educator in the early Qing Dynasty and the author of "Rules of Discipleship", with the ancestry of Tieling in Liaoning Province, was born in Li Jiaying Village in Shandong Province (i.e., Hanting District, Weifang City), and when he was a young man, he left his home because of a special mission and went to Shanxi Province (i.e., Zhouzhuang Township, Longxing Township, Xinjiang County). Zhouzhuang Village, Longxing Town, Xinjiang County), teaching, educating, governing, serving the country, until his death has not returned to his home in Shandong.