The Four Books and Five Classics is one of the classics of China ancient traditional culture, and its status is still widely recognized and respected. Why did ancient scholars have to read four books and five classics? This paper will discuss it from the perspective of history, culture and education.
First of all, historical reasons are inevitable. The Four Books and Five Classics is an important part of China's ancient traditional culture, which was first formed in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. In feudal society, these classics were regarded as the knowledge and etiquette norms of the upper class and became the official teaching materials of the country and society.
Therefore, it is also a social and cultural requirement for ancient scholars to read four books and five classics, which is the inheritance and development of feudal ideological and cultural traditions.
Secondly, cultural reasons are also very important. The Four Books and Five Classics are not only classic works in the fields of politics, philosophy and ethics in ancient China, but also an important part of China culture.
These classics contain a lot of human wisdom and wisdom revelation, covering all aspects of life philosophy and wisdom, such as Confucius' "benevolence" and "golden mean" and Laozi's "Tao Te Ching". These wisdom and thoughts are of great significance to the inheritance and development of ancient culture in China, and they are also treasures of China culture.
Third, the reason of education cannot be ignored. In ancient China, education was regarded as one of the most important ways to inherit the humanistic spirit, and reading was the core.
The Four Books and Five Classics are important teaching materials of ancient education in China, and they are also the standard courses for ancient scholars in China. Reading the Four Books and Five Classics can help the ancient scholars get spiritual enlightenment and life guidance, and at the same time, it can also cultivate their cultural literacy, ideological literacy and spiritual pursuit.
To sum up, there are many reasons why ancient scholars read the Four Books and Five Classics. Historical reasons make it the official textbook of feudal society, and cultural reasons are that it embodies the essence of China culture. The reason for education is that it is an important part of ancient education and a standard course for cultivating scholars. Reading four books and five classics can not only enlighten the spirit and guide life, but also edify people.