During the Southern Dynasties, in order to teach calligraphy to the kings of Liang Dynasty, Xiao Yan, Emperor Wu of Liang Dynasty, asked Yin Tieshi to draw out a thousand different characters from Wang Xizhi's works, each character on a piece of paper, and then put these in no order. The rubbings were given to Zhou Xingsi, who compiled them into rhymes with content. This is the "Thousand-Character Classic" that has been passed down to the 21st century for more than 1,400 years.
Source: "Qian Zi Wen" by Zhou Xingsi of Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty
Original text: De Jian has a good name and a correct form. Sound can be heard in an empty valley, and people can listen to it in an empty hall. Misfortunes are caused by evil accumulation, and blessings are caused by good things. A ruler and a jade are not treasures, but an inch of yin is a jade.
Interpretation: If you develop good morals, you will have a good reputation; just like if your body is dignified, your appearance will be upright. The shouts carried far in the empty valley, and the voices in the spacious hall were very clear. Disasters are the result of many evil deeds, and fortune and fortune are the rewards of good deeds. A foot-long jade cannot be considered a real treasure, but even a moment is worth cherishing.
Extended information
During the Southern Dynasties, Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, asked Yin Tieshi to carve out a thousand different characters from Wang Xizhi’s works in order to teach the kings calligraphy. A piece of paper, and then handed these disorderly rubbings to Zhou Xingsi, who compiled them into verses with content. This is the "Thousand-Character Classic" that has been circulated for more than 1,400 years into the 21st century.
Literacy textbooks dedicated to enlightenment have appeared in China very early. In the Qin Dynasty, there were "Cangjie Pian" and "Yanli Pian", and in the Han Dynasty there was Sima Xiangru's "Fan Jiang Pian" , Jia Li's "Pang Xi Pian", Cai Yong's "Encouragement to Learning", Shi You's "Ji Jiu Zhang", during the Three Kingdoms period there were "Pi Cang", "Guang Cang", "Shi Xue Pian", etc., among these works only " "Jijiuzhang" had an impact on later generations.
The rest of the impact is not significant. Although "Ji Jiu Zhang" is a more prominent primary school book after "Cang Jie Pian", due to various problems in its circulation, its authority was far less than before in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Some enlightenment readings that appeared during this period such as "Ting Ting" "Gao", "Jieyou" and the like, their readability is limited. It was against this background that "The Thousand Character Essay" came out.