Learning Requires Consistency and Perseverance
 
In ancient times, people emphasized practice when learning and promoted tireless effort, with a stress on being diligent and consistent. They did not encourage studying hard for one day and slacking off for the next ten days. In other words, they believed that one needs to be strict with oneself and not slack off. When one puts in his best effort, he will achieve the goal. It is just like the old saying "read the book one hundred times, and you will naturally understand its meaning." The following are two stories about ancient people's approach to studying.
 
During the Jin Dynasty (265 – 420 AD), the famous poet Tao Yuanming (365 – 427 AD) was a noble and knowledgeable scholar. A young man asked him, "I admire you because you are so knowledgeable. Would you tell me the best way to learn?" Tao Yuanming said, "There is no best way. If you work hard, you will make progress. And if you slack off, you will lag behind." He took the young man to a field. He pointed at a small sprout and said, "Look carefully, can you see that it is growing?" The young man stared at it for a long time and said, "I did not see it grow." Tao Yuanming asked, "Really? Then how could a little sprout become so tall later on?" He continued, "In fact, it is growing every moment. However, we cannot see it with our eyes. It is the same principle for learning. Our knowledge accumulates little by little. Sometimes we don't even know it. But if you consistently do it, you will make great progress."
 
Tao Yuanming then pointed to a knife-sharpening stone next to the stream and asked the young man, "Why does the stone have a concave side like a saddle?" The young man answered, "It is because people use it to sharpen knifes day after day." He then asked, "Then on exactly which day did it take this shape?" The young man shook his head. Tao Yuanming said, "It is because farmers have used it day after day. Learning is the same. If you don't do it consistently, your knowledge level will degrade each day." The young man finally understood him. He thanked Tao Yuanming. Tao wrote the following for him, "Learning diligently is like a sprout in spring time. We do not see it grow yet it grows daily. Slacking off is like a knife-sharpening stone. We do not see it being damaged yet it deteriorates."
 
Gu Yewang (519 – 581 AD) was a famous historian during the Northern and Southern period (420 – 589 AD). His knowledge spanned many fields. Many people came to him to ask questions. One time, a son of his friend named Hou Xuan asked him, "You have read many scriptures. I wish to ask you whether there is a shortcut to studying." After thinking for a moment, Gu Yewang pointed to a nearby leafy Gingko tree and said, "If you want to know the shortcut, you first need to look at this tree." Hou Xuan examined the tree from top to bottom three times but could not find anything unusual. He then asked, "I am too naive to see anything. Please guide me." Gu Yewang said, "With its mature root system, the tree can grow tall and strong. With its thick and strong trunk, the tree can grow thick leaves. Only with a noble goal and firm belief can one have a bright future. Take the tree as an example, the tree progressively grows one ring every year. One needs to be diligent. Take one step forward at a time. This is the key." Hou Xuan thought about those words carefully and enlightened to its meaning.
 
Since then, Hou Xuan calmed down to study. He improved rapidly. His friends asked him, "You are so familiar with those books that you can recite them from back to front. Why are you still reading them?" Hou Xuan said, "There is no shortcut in studying. One has to take one step at a time. I still have not enlightened to many principles and deep meanings in those books. Therefore I need to review them to learn something new each time." Gu Yewang taught the children, "A small tree likes sun because it wants to grow into a big and strong tree. For a person, his goal of life is to become a good person who will benefit his people and his country. It is important to have goals. When it comes to learning, it is important to persevere and never give up under any circumstances."
 
Ancient people believed that learning was also a process of improving their morality. The key to learning lies in the will to work hard and perseverance. Studying consistently is the best way to learn.
 
学贵有恒
 
古人学习始终以致用为纲，重在实践，讲求无倦与精进，学贵有恒，最忌一曝十寒。也就是对自己要勤勉，不能懈怠，功到自然成，所谓“书读百遍，其义自见”。以下为古人劝学的两个故事。
 
东晋大诗人陶渊明节操高尚，学识渊博，有个少年向其求教说：“我非常敬佩先生的学识，想向您请教读书的妙法。”陶渊明说：“学习哪有妙法？勤学则进，辍学则退呀。”他拉著少年的手来到稻田旁，指著一根苗说：“你仔细看看它是否在长高？”少年注视了很久说：“没见长啊。”陶渊明反问到：“真的没见长吗？那么，矮小的禾苗是怎样变的这么高的呢？”他见少年低头不语，便进一步引导说：“其实，它是每时每刻都在长啊！只是我们肉眼察觉不到。读书学习也是同理，学识是一点一滴积累的，有时连自己也不易觉察到，但只要勤学不辍，就会日有所长。”
 
接著，陶渊明又指著溪边的一块磨刀石问少年：“那块磨刀石为何像马鞍一样的凹面呢？”“那是磨损成这样的。”少年随口答道。“那它究竟是哪一天磨损成这样的呢？”少年摇摇头。陶渊明说：“这是农夫们天天在上面磨刀、磨锄，日积月累，才成为这样的。学习也是如此，如果不坚持读书，每天都会有所亏损啊。”少年恍然大悟，拜谢了陶渊明。陶渊明为其写道：“勤学如春起之苗，不见其增，日有所长；辍学如磨刀之石，不见其损，日有所亏。”
 
南朝的顾野王是著名的史学家，博学宏才，慕名向他求知的人很多。一次，他朋友的儿子侯悬向他请教说：“您遍观经史，我想问您在学习上有没有诀窍。”顾野王沉吟片刻，指著旁边一棵枝叶茂盛的银杏树说：“你既然要学窍门，先看看这棵树。”侯悬把这棵树从下向上，又从上向下，一连看了三遍，没看出甚么奥秘，于是说：“学生愚昧，还请先生指点。”顾野王道：“根系发达，才能树冠雄伟；茎干粗壮，才能枝叶繁茂。同理，学习扎实，才能稳步提高；志向崇高，信念坚定，才能前程远大。以树为例，树要成长，一岁一圈年轮，岁岁增大。人要精进，一步一个脚印，步步向前。要说有诀窍，这就是诀窍。”侯悬细细的品味著顾野王的话，领悟了其中的意思。
 
侯悬从此静心学习，提高很快，成绩与日俱增。同伴们问他：“这些书本你已经倒背如流了，怎么还反复看啊？”侯悬说：“学习无捷径可走，必须一步一个脚印。我对书中的道理有许多还没有悟到或做到，当然要温故而知新。”顾野王给孩子们讲道：“小树追求阳光，是为了成为栋梁，人生追求理想，是为了成为于国于民有利之人。人贵有志，学贵有恒，任何时候都不能够放弃。”
 
古人认为读书求知的过程也是不断完善自己品德修养的过程。学习成败的关键在于是否具有勤奋的态度，坚韧的毅力。惟有持之以恒，才是学习、读书最好的方法。