Original text of "Yan Family Instructions: Muxian":
The ancients said: "A saint in a thousand years is like a twilight; a wise man in five hundred years is like a shoulder." It is said that sages are so rare and so vast. How can I not cling to and admire such a wise and enlightened gentleman? I was born in troubled times, grew up in the army, wandered across the country, heard and seen a lot, and was fascinated by the famous and worthy people, and I was fascinated by them.
When a person is young, his expression is uncertain, the money he gives is sloppy, his words and actions are influenced by others, he is not interested in learning, and it is subtle and dark. Those who are! Therefore, living with good people is like entering a house of orchids, which will smell fragrant for a long time; living with evil people is like entering a house of abalones, which will smell bad for a long time. Mozi was sad about dyeing silk, so he said that a gentleman must be cautious about making friends. Confucius said: "There is no friend who is inferior to myself." Disciples like Yan and Min are unparalleled in the world, but if they are better than me, they are valuable.
The world's people are too blind, their ears are valued but their eyes are valued, and they value creation but neglect the near. The young and the old go around, just like the sages, they always insult each other without showing any courtesy; in foreign lands and counties, they take advantage of the slightest sound of wind and stretch their necks and raise their heels, which is worse than hunger and thirst. Check the length and check the essence and roughness. Maybe it can't be done like this, so the people of Lu called Confucius Dongjiaqiu. In the past, there was a strange young man in the palace of Yu State who was older than the king. The king was against him and refused to accept his advice, which would lead to the destruction of the country. You must pay attention to it!
Before Liang Xiaoyuan, there was a man named Ding Zang in Jingzhou. He was a man of the Hongting people and was quite good at literature. The military government is contemptuous and disrespectful, and it is shameful for the children to think of it as regular practice. Shi Yun said: "Ding Jun's ten pieces of paper are not as good as Wang Bao's number." I love his handwriting and always keep it.
Xiaoyuan sent Dianzhuhui and compiled an article to express Xiao's sacrifice. When he offered wine, he asked: "The king gave you a calligraphy and writing pen, and he is a special hand. Whose name is that? Silent question?" The editor answered truthfully, and Ziyun sighed: "It is a strange thing that this person is not known by the world." So the people who heard about it were impressed again, and he became an official at Shangyi Cao Lang. At the end of the year, he served as an attendant to the King of Jin'an and followed him eastward. When Xitai died, Jiandu was lost and scattered, and Ding Yixin died in Yangzhou. Those who were underestimated in the past will not be able to get a piece of paper later.
When Hou Jing first entered Jianye, although the gate was closed, public and private affairs were noisy and he was not in his own way. The prince Zuo Wei led Yang Kan to sit at Dongye Gate, and carried out some of the strategies in one night, so he had more than a hundred days to resist the evil and rebellion. So there were about 40,000 people in the city, including no less than 100 princes and court officials. They just relied on one person to settle down, and they were like this.
A few years after Emperor Wenxuan of Qi came to power, he indulged in indulgence and lacked discipline. Shang Neng was entrusted with the affairs of the State Council, and Yang Zunyen was ordered to live in peace and quiet inside and outside, and everyone in the government and the public was in their rightful place. There was no objection to everything, and the dynasty was protected by heaven. After Zunyan was killed by Xiaozhao, the criminal government declined. In the bright moon of Hulu, the ministers of the Qi Dynasty who were rebellious were executed without guilt, and the soldiers were disintegrated. The people of Zhou Dynasty began to have the ambition to swallow Qi, and Guanzhong has been there to this day. This man's use of troops is more than just the hope of ten thousand men. The survival of the country depends on his life and death.
Translation:
The ancients said: "A saint is born in a thousand years, and it is as close as the time from morning to night; a wise man is born in five hundred years, and it is as close as the time from morning to night; "Like shoulder to shoulder." This means that saints and wise men are so rare. If you meet a wise gentleman who is rare in the world, how can you not admire him! I was born in a time of chaos, grew up among soldiers and horses, moved in exile, and saw a lot. When I met celebrities and wise men, I always admired them with ecstasy.
When a person is young, his mental attitude has not yet been finalized. He interacts closely with others and is influenced by them. Their words, smiles, and actions, even if they have no intention of learning, will be subtle and naturally similar. What's more, people's behavioral skills are something that is more obvious and easier to learn! Therefore, being with good people is like entering a flower house where orchids are grown, which will naturally become fragrant over time; if you are with evil people, it is like entering a shop selling abalone, which will naturally become smelly over time.
When Mozi saw the situation of silk dyeing, he lamented that the silk would become whatever color it was dyed. Therefore, a gentleman must be cautious in making friends. Confucius said: "Don't make friends with people who are not as good as yourself." People like Yan Hui and Min Sun will not always be around. As long as there is something better than me, they are very valuable.
Most people in the world are blocked and unable to understand. They value what is said but despise what they see. They value what is far away but despise what is around them. Among the people who often interact with each other from childhood to adulthood, if there are wise men and philosophers, they are often dismissive and lack courtesy and respect.
For those who live in other counties and other places, if they hear a little bit about their reputation, they will stretch their necks and stand on their heels, eager to see them. In fact, they compare the short and long of the two and examine the essence and thickness of the two. , it is possible that the things far away are not as good as those around you, so the people of Lu would call Confucius "Dongjiaqiu".
In the past, Gong Zhiqi of the Yu Kingdom grew up next to Lord Yu. Lord Yu was very casual with him and refused to listen to his advice, and finally ended up with the country subjugated. You really have to be careful!
When Emperor Yuan of Liang was in Jingzhou, there was a man named Ding Zang, who was just an ordinary citizen in Hongting. He was very good at writing articles, especially cursive script and official script. He was called the representative of Emperor Yuan's correspondence. Write. However, people in the military government despised him, did not pay attention to his calligraphy, and did not want their own children to imitate and learn. There was a saying that "the ten pieces of paper written by Ding Jun are not as good as a few words written by Wang Bao".
I have always loved Ding Zang’s calligraphy and often treasure it. Later, Emperor Yuan of Liang sent a clerk named Hui Bian who was in charge of documents to send an article to Xiao Ziyun, the wine-offering officer. Xiao Ziyun asked: "The letter the king just gave you and the poem he wrote are really good. What is this person's surname?" What's his name? How come he has no reputation?" Hui Bian answered truthfully, and Xiao Ziyun sighed: "There is no one in this life who can compare with him, but it is strange that he is not praised by the world."
After hearing this, Ding Zang was slightly impressed by Ding Zang, and Ding Zang gradually became the Minister of Education and Cao Lang. Finally, Ding Zang became the attendant of King Jin'an and followed the king eastward. When Emperor Yuan was killed and Xitai fell, his letters and documents were lost and buried. Ding Zang also died in Yangzhou soon after. Those who looked down upon Ding Zang in the past will no longer be able to get a piece of Ding Zang's calligraphy in the future.
When Hou Jinggang entered Jiankang (Nanjing), although the Taimen Gate was closed, officials and ordinary people were in chaos, and no one could protect themselves. Prince Zuowei led Yang Kan to sit in Dongye Gate and make arrangements overnight. He was able to resist the evil for more than a hundred days. At this time, there were more than 40,000 people in Taicheng, and Wang Shao's court officials numbered no less than 100. It was only Yang Kan who could keep everyone in peace, and the difference between them was so obvious.
A few years after Emperor Wenxuan of Qi came to the throne, he indulged in drinking and sex, indulged in wanton behavior, and had no laws and regulations. But it was still possible to entrust political affairs to Shangshu Ling Yang Zunyan, so that the internal and external stability was stable, the government and the public were calm, everyone got what they wanted, and there was no objection. This was the case for the entire Tianbao Dynasty. Yang Zunyan was later left behind by Emperor Xiaozhao, and the criminal government weakened. Hu Lu Mingyue was a hero of the Qi Dynasty's defense against the enemy, but he was killed innocently. The hearts of the soldiers were separated, and Zhou people had the idea of ??destroying Qi. Guanzhong still praises Hu Lu Mingyue to this day. The general's use of troops is not only the hope of thousands of men, but his life and death are related to the survival and destiny of the country.
Extended information
"Muxian Chapter" comes from "Yan Zhitui·Yan Family Instructions·Part 7"
"Yan Family Instructions" was written in the Sui Dynasty After Emperor Wen destroyed the Chen Kingdom, before Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty came to the throne (about the end of the 6th century AD). This is Yan Zhitui's work describing his personal experiences, thoughts, and knowledge to warn his descendants. *** There are seven volumes and twenty chapters. They are the first in order, the second in godson, the third in brothers, the fourth in marriage, the fifth in family management, the sixth in conduct, the seventh in admiration, the eighth in admonition, the ninth in articles, the tenth in name, and the involvement in affairs. Eleventh, saving troubles, twelveth, stopping oneself, thirteenth, admonishing soldiers, fourteenth, cultivating one’s mind, fifteenth, returning one’s heart, sixteenth, documentary evidence, seventeenth, music and words, eighteenth, miscellaneous arts, nineteenth, end System number 20.
"Yan Family Instructions" has an important influence on later generations, especially after the Song Dynasty. Zhu Xi's "Primary School" in the Song Dynasty and Chen Hongmou's "Yang Zheng Yigui" in the Qing Dynasty were both based on "Yan Family Instructions". Not only Zhu and Chen, but dozens of family mottos that appeared after the Tang Dynasty were all directly or indirectly influenced by the "Yan Family Instructions", so Wang Sanpin said. "Family mottos from ancient times to modern times are based on this as our ancestors." From the many reprints of "Yan Family Instructions", which has not been lost for more than a thousand years, we can see its far-reaching influence.