Black-haired people don’t know how to study diligently early, and white-haired people regret studying late.
From "Poems to Encourage Learning" by Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty
The lights are on at three o'clock and the chickens are on at five o'clock, which is when men are studying.
Black-haired people don’t know how to study diligently early, and white-haired people regret studying late.
Translation and Notes
Translation From midnight every day to when the rooster crows, it is the best time for boys to study. In their youth, they must know how to study hard and study diligently. But if you only know how to play and don't know how to study hard, you will regret when you are old that you didn't know how to study hard when you were young. Comment on the lights at the third watch: It’s midnight, very late. Rooster at dawn: The rooster crows at dawn. Black hair: youth, refers to a teenager. Baishou: When a person is old, it refers to an old person.
Appreciation
"Encouraging Learning" is an ancient poem written by Yan Zhenqing, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. Encourage young people to cherish their youth. When they are young, they must know how to study hard, study diligently, and make a difference. Otherwise, it will be too late to think about studying when they are old. It will be too late to regret. They should cherish their time. Let children initially understand that life is short, thereby increasing their enthusiasm for learning. The poem reveals this profound truth in just 28 words and achieves an inspiring effect.
Yan Zhenqing
Yan Zhenqing (709-784, one theory is 709-785), courtesy name Qingchen, Han nationality, was born in Jingzhao Wannian, Tang Dynasty (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province), and his ancestral home is Langya Linyi, Tang Dynasty (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). Linyi, Shandong), a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty in China. An outstanding calligrapher in the mid-Tang Dynasty. The "Yan style" regular script he founded is known as the "Four Masters of Regular Script" together with Zhao Mengfu, Liu Gongquan and Ouyang Xun.