Stories of the Ancients Honoring Their Teachers

 
The Chinese people always used to honor and respect their teachers, as it was a traditional value that formed a binding relationship between teacher and student. In teaching his students, the teacher was expected to impart virtue, his scholarly knowledge and wisdom regarding how one should behave in society. His duty was to bring life-long, valuable wisdom to his students, and for this reason, the ancient people of China had the saying, "A teacher for one day should be respected like a father for life." People paid a lot attention to their conduct and behavior, as they wanted to learn the correct moral principles that a human should possess. This would enable them to develop virtue, and because of this, they were thankful for their teacher's benevolence.
 
Below are three stories about teachers and students from ancient China.
 
King Wen and King Wu Respected Jiang Ziya as a Teacher
 
During the waning years of the Shan Dynasty (1571 – 1046 BC), King Wen of the Zhou region governed the western lands. He governed his people with benevolence. He understood that in order to develop a nation and to make progress, he needed people around him that exhibited virtuous behavior. He had heard that Jiang Ziya was a scholar with high moral standards, and so wanted to invite Jiang to join him. He decided on an auspicious date, took a vegetarian diet and cleansed himself, then took his followers to the city of Boxi to meet with Jiang. While talking to Jiang, King Wen saw that Jiang was indeed a very talented individual, with a magnanimous heart, high moral standards, and with a desire to bring peace to the people. King Wen said happily, "Before my grandfather passed away, he told me that one day someone of great talent would come to help me and bring prosperity to the Zhou region. You must be the one." King Wen invited him to return to the palace together in the carriage. Jiang joined King Wen's government as the prime minister and King’s Wen teacher. King Wen learned strategies to govern a nation from Jiang Ziya. As a result, the Zhou region became increasingly prosperous.
 
When King Wen was dying, he asked his son King Wu to treat Jiang like a father and also as a teacher. Later, Jiang Ziya helped King Wu to defeat the last king of the Shan Dynasty, and established King Wu as the King of the Zhou Dynasty.
 
Zigong Defended his Teacher’s Dignity
 
Zigong was a student of Confucius during the Spring-Autumn Period. He was bright, strict with himself and respected his teacher in every way. Zigong was not only a communicator of Confucianism, he was also a staunch defender. He took his teacher’s goals as his own, spread the ideals of virtue and benevolent governance and defended Confucius’ dignity and reputation.
 
When a person named Chen Ziqin asked Zigong, “What is the source of Confucius’ knowledge? He travels to different states to understand the affairs of each state. Does he ask others for information or do others tell him proactively?” Zigong replied, “The benevolent ways of King Wen and King Wu of Zhou are known throughout the world. People with virtue comprehend its deeper meaning, those without virtue can only understand the surface. Virtue and axiom exist everywhere, therefore the source of my teacher’s knowledge comes from everywhere. The way my teacher gathers information is different from ordinary means. He receives information due to his gentle, kind, respectful, frugal and humble virtue.”
 
When King Jinggong of the Qi State asked Zigong to give examples of Confucius’ virtue, Zigong replied immediately, “My teacher is a sage. He has more than virtue.”
 
When Shusun Wushu, an official in the State of Lu, attempted to slander Confucius, Zigong said solemnly, “This is futile. My teacher cannot be slandered. Others may have virtue comparable to hills that can be transcended. My teacher’s virtue is like the sun and moon, it is impossible to surpass. Even though some people claim to not rely on the sun and moon, this posts no harm to the sun and moon. This only shows the pettiness of the one making the claim!”
 
Zigong acted this way out of his respect for Confucius as well as his deep understanding of Confucius’ teachings. He realizes that defending truth and virtue are righteous acts.
 
Yue Fei Commemorated the Benevolence of his Teacher
 
Yue Fei (1103 – 1142 AD) was a hero from the Song Dynasty. He was born into a poor family, and his father died when he was young. As a child, he could not afford to go to school, but he had a great desire to learn, and often stood outside the school looking through the window, trying to listen to the teacher’s lectures. As he could not afford brush and paper, he just wrote on the ground using a broken twig. Teacher Zhou Tong often saw Yue Fei and realized that he was anxious to learn, so Zhou Tong offered him free schooling. Yue Fei was taught how to be an upright individual, love his countrymen fight for his country and establish lofty goals. On days that fell on odd numbers, Yue Fei would study literature, and on even-numbered days, he would learn martial arts. He was taught a special technique to shoot arrows from both sides. With great devotion to his studies, he finally became a master in both the martial arts and literature. Yue Fei later became a general that had resounding achievements on the battlefield. He led forces to reclaim lost territories and became the most feared man in the enemy Jin camp.

 

When Zhou Tong died, Yue Fei buried him as if he were his father. On the first and the fifteenth day of each month, Yue Fei would pay homage to Zhou Tong regardless of whether he was at home or on the frontlines. After shedding tears, he would take out the bow given to him by Zhou Tong and fire three arrows into the sky. Yue Fei said, "My teacher has taught me how to be a man and to love my country. He taught me the martial arts and marksmanship that he perfected throughout his life. I cannot forget what he did for me."
 
People in ancient China had a saying, "The sages in Taoism, Buddhism or Confucianism had their teachers. All ancient emperors had their teachers." People who do not respect their teachers are devoid of gratitude and will not become enlightened. All sages in history showed respect for their teachers and are role models for later generations.
 
古人尊师故事三则
 
尊师重道是我们中华民族的传统美德，老师授人以“德”、“才”，教人做人之道、学业、技能及为人处世的行为规范，使其一生受益，因此古训中有“一日为师，终身为父”之说。古人非常注重品行修养，学师德，谢师恩，留下了许多感人的故事，以下为其中的几个。
 
文王、武王师事姜子牙
 
商朝末年时，西部诸侯国之长周文王以德化民，推行仁政，深明要治理好国家就要任用贤德之人。他思贤若渴，听说姜子牙道德高尚、学识渊博、是当世大贤，就选定吉期，斋戒熏沐，极其精诚的亲自率众到磻溪去请。谈话中，文王看姜子牙胸怀博大，有经天纬地之才，济世安民之志，便高兴的说：“我祖父在世时曾对我说：‘将来一定会有位圣人至周，帮你把周兴盛起来。’您就是我祖父说的圣人啊。”说罢就请姜子牙与他同车而归。文王任姜子牙为丞相，请他当自己的老师，向他请教治国安民的方略，西周更加强盛起来。文王临终前把儿子武王托付给姜子牙，文王嘱其子：“以父事丞相，早晚听训指教。可请丞相坐而拜之。”武王于是尊姜子牙为相父，又尊为“师尚父”。姜子牙不负众望，励精图治，辅佐武王伐纣，一统天下，为后世开辟了治国兴邦之正道。
 
子贡维护师道尊严
 
春秋时，孔子的学生子贡，聪颖好学，克己自律，对老师毕恭毕敬。不仅是孔子儒家学说的传播者，而且还是其坚定的捍卫者。他视师志为己志，弘扬道德仁政思想，时时处处维护著老师的尊严和声誉。陈子禽问子贡说：“孔子的学问是从哪儿得来的？他周游列国，了解了各国的政事，是请求人家告诉的，还是人家主动说的呢？”子贡说：“文王、武王的仁义之道流传在世间，贤能的人知道它的内涵，缺少贤能的人只知它的皮毛，道义公理无处不在，夫子在哪里不能学习呢！夫子打听消息的方式也和一般人不一样，他是凭著温和、善良、恭谨、俭朴、谦让的美德得来的。”齐景公向子贡询问孔子的贤能时，子贡马上回答说：“夫子圣人也，岂直贤哉。”鲁国大夫叔孙武叔毁谤孔子，子贡义正词严的说：“这样做是没有用的！夫子是毁谤不了的。别人的贤德好比丘陵，还可超越过去，夫子的贤德好比太阳和月亮，是无法超越的。虽然有人要自绝于日月，对日月又有什么损害呢？只是表明他不自量力而已！”子贡这样做是源于他对孔子的敬佩和对其学说主张的深刻理解，源于他认定追求真理和维护道德是正义的事情。
 
岳飞念念不忘师恩
 
宋代民族英雄岳飞，幼年丧父，家境贫寒，无钱上学。但他非常好学，常在私塾窗外听课，无钱买纸笔，就以树枝为笔，大地为纸。私塾老师周侗很喜欢这个勤学的孩子，就免费收岳飞为学生，教育他如何做人，帮助他树立保国安民、建功立业的远大抱负，每逢单日习文，双日习武。还教会他射箭绝技，能左右开弓，百发百中。岳飞不负师教，勤学苦练，文武双全。后来他率军收复失地，屡建奇功，成为令金兵闻风丧胆的一代英豪。周侗去世后，岳飞披麻衣，驾灵车，执孝子之礼，以父礼安葬他。且在朔望（初一、十五）之日，无论在外行军打仗，还是驻扎营中他都要祭拜自己的恩师，每次痛哭之后，必定会拿起老师所赠的“神臂弓”，射出三枝箭。岳飞说：“老师教我立身处世精忠报国的道理，还把他一生摸索的箭法和武艺都传授给我，师恩是我一生都不能忘怀的。” 

古人云：“三教圣人，莫不有师；千古帝王，莫不有师”，人不敬师是为忘恩，何能成道？自古之先哲圣贤以身作则，虚怀若谷，其尊师重道的风范堪为后世楷模，令后人学习和景仰。