Respecting teachers and cherishing virtue are part of the traditional ethics practiced by the Chinese people. Teachers, who impart morality, knowledge, and values, teach people the proper ways to interact with each other and with society at large. They exemplify virtue. 

It was stated in the chapter "Record on Education" in The Classic of Rites: "Upon securing the proper reverence for the master, the virtue he embodies is regarded as honored. When that is done, the people know how to respect learning." To maintain respect for the teacher and revere virtue, the student must not only show respect and courtesy but also hold respect in his heart and faithfully follow the teachings imparted to him. Let's take a look at a few examples of how ancient people showed respect for their teachers and for virtues. 

Yin Xi Performs the Ritual of Honoring Laozi as Master 

Yin Xi was a scholar in the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100 – 711 BC). He became fond of ancient books at an early age. He had expertise in astronomy and was accomplished in watching the stars to predict the future. One day, he observed the heavenly climate and saw a purple mist on the eastern horizon that didn't dissipate. He figured that a sage was to come from that direction and go through the Hangu Pass. Because he was in charge of allowing people to go through the pass on their way to the west, he ordered the guards to inform him immediately if they saw anyone with an uncommon appearance in the next few days. He also sent people to clean the roads and burn incense in preparation for greeting the sage. 

A few days later, he received reports that an elderly man with white hair and a divine physique was riding in an ox-drawn cart toward the pass heading west. He immediately went to greet the elderly sage. He knelt down a dozen yards from the cart and said, "Yin Xi, the chief officer at Hangu Pass, greets the sage!" The elderly man replied, "I'm simply an average citizen. Can you tell me why you are performing this extraordinary ritual?" Yin Xi explained, "I have been waiting for days for your arrival after I saw indications that a divine being would soon arrive. It is my sincere hope that your holiness will enlighten me." 

The elderly man asked, "What were the indicators you saw?" Yin Xi answered, "I often watch the stars and know the basics of their changes. In the tenth month of last year, the Sage star moved across the western sky in wintertime. Early this month, a tender breeze passed by while a bloom of purple mist rose on the eastern horizon. Thus I knew that a sage would pass here heading west. The purple mist was so vast that it spanned 10,000 miles, which told me that this was no ordinary sage. The purple mist was led by the Ox star, which told me that the sage was to arrive in an ox-drawn cart. Today, upon seeing your holiness with this extraordinary, transcending countenance, I would be unable to express my gratitude if you would advise me on my cultivation practice." The elderly man was pleased to see Yin's sincerity as well as his kind heart and courteous demeanor. He smiled, "You recognized me, the old man. I, too, was aware of you. I am to offer you salvation." Yin was glad and kowtowed to the sage. 

When he asked the elderly sage's name, the sage said, "My name is vast. At the moment, my surname is Li, my given name Boyang. People call me Lao Dan." Yin burned incense, kowtowed, and completed the ritual of honoring Laozi as his teacher. Zi is a courteous title used in place of one's name. 

Laozi stayed briefly at Hangu Pass, only long enough to record something that is hard to define or describe, which he termed Tao. In it, he imparted his views about the universe, man, and society. He gave Yin Xi a 5,000-word manuscript called Tao Te Ching. Yin Xi followed Laozi's instructions to cultivate his mind and body, promoted the teachings of the Tao school in managing the country and benefiting the world, and succeeded in his cultivation. He was honored by later generations as Yin, the True Man. 

Confucius and His Disciples 

Confucius, circa 551 – 479 BC, was a renowned thinker, philosopher, and educator. Legend has it that he had over 3,000 students, 72 of whom were disciples who followed him closely. Confucius practiced his own teachings. His pursuit of truth, ideals, and personal integrity, as well as his propriety, kindness, humbleness and courtesy, his loyalty and his care for ordinary people have inspired his students and future generations. 

Confucius' students respected him deeply, treated him as their father, carried out his resolves as their own, and regarded committing themselves to honorable causes as the highest purpose. His student Yan Hui was "content to stay poor while focusing on his pursuit of Tao," cultivated himself, and strictly followed Confucius' teachings. Another student, Mi Zijian, maintained law and order by playing a stringed instrument, imbuing virtue with harmonic music, and encouraging people to settle down and work hard. Yet another student, Zi Xia, compiled analects, promoted education, and guided the public with kindness. 

Confucius' students followed him on a long, arduous journey to spread his teachings in different countries. When others slandered their teacher, they defended him and upheld his noble character. Zi Gong solemnly pointed out one offender's lack of awareness of his own deficiencies. Zeng Can praised Confucius as a person with great virtue "as pure as if washed by tidal waves from a great river, on which the autumn sun shines, and as sacred as the boundless universe." He carried on and implemented the benign policies Confucius preached. He was quoted as saying, "A scholar has to have strength and determination, because he shoulders grave responsibilities and has a long journey ahead of him. Won't his responsibilities be grave if he aims at carrying out benign policies across the land? Won't his journey be long if he is to uphold justice till eternity?" 
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Emperor Taizong of Tang Instructs His Princes to Respect Their Teachers 

Emperor Taizong of Tang, 599 - 649, was widely recognized as a wise ruler in Chinese history. He paid special attention to education and carefully selected the princes' teachers, such as Li Gang, Zhang Xuansu, Wei Zheng, and Wang Gui, all men of great virtue who were highly esteemed. 

On one occasion, Li Gang suffered a problem with his feet that made it impossible to walk. The imperial court had strict rules against officials riding in a carriage carried on men's shoulders. The officials were expected to walk with great care. 

When Emperor Taizong learned about Li Gang's foot problems, he decreed that Li Gang be given the privilege of riding in a carriage in the imperial court. He further ordered his prince to greet the teacher when he arrived at the court. 

On another occasion, he learned that his fourth son, Li Tai, was not being respectful to his teacher, Wang Gui. He criticized his son in front of Wang Gui, "Next time you see your teacher, you must be as respectful to him as you are to me. Even the slightest digression is not allowed." From then on, Li Tai was courteous and respectful toward his teacher. His schoolwork improved, too. Emperor Taizong's strict family rules called for all of the princes to respect their teachers and to value the teachings they were given. 

Emperor Taizong issued a decree that read, "I have conducted a careful comparative study of wise emperors and kings. Without exception, they all had great teachers. The Yellow Emperor learned from Tai Dian, Zhuanxu learned from Lu Tu, Yao learned from Yin Shou, Shun learned from Wu Chengzhao, Tang learned from Wei Zibo, King Wen of Zhou learned from Ziqi, and King Wu of Zhou learned from Guo Shu... If one does not learn, he has no way understand the principles passed down from the ancient times. There is no man who lacks such understanding yet can rule the country and maintain peace." 

He decreed that his sons had to respect their teachers as much as they respected him. In addition, he encouraged the teachers to be straightforward when pointing out the princes' deficiencies. The teachers' ability to fulfill their great responsibilities was, to a great extent, due to Emperor Taizong's understanding, support, and encouragement. When the ninth son, Li Zhi, was appointed as the crown prince, Emperor Taizong set even stricter rules for him. He had to stand up whenever his teacher or his father was speaking, and he had to commit their words to memory and express has gratitude afterwards. 

There is an ancient saying that "one who is your teacher for a day is your father for the rest of your life." Stories about ancient people respecting their teachers and valuing the virtues embodied by their teachers have been passed down as inspiring tales. Such stories are admired by people of today with a sense of morality and those who adhere to lofty ideals. It all started with respecting teachers and cherishing virtues.

尊师重道 (上)

尊师重道是我们中华民族的传统美德，老师是伦理道德、知识、价值观念的传授者，教人为人处世的行为规范，是道德的表率。《礼记﹒学记》中说：“师严，然后道尊；道尊，然后民知敬学”，维护师道尊严，不仅要求学生的言行举止体现出对老师的尊敬和礼貌，更要从内心里敬重老师，并严格按照老师说的要求去做。古人尊师敬师的例子很多，以下为其中几例。

尹喜拜师

尹喜是西周时的一位贤大夫，自幼喜好古籍，精通历法，善观天文，能知前古而见未来。一天，他仰观乾象，见东方有紫气相连，知有圣人当度关而西，于是请任函谷关令。在关上他叮嘱守关士卒：“数日之内将有大圣人路经此关，汝等见有形貌脱俗之人要立即禀报。”同时派人洒扫道路，夹道焚香，以迎圣人。几天后，尹喜闻报有位白发老翁道骨仙貌，驾青牛之车欲出关，立即赶来迎接，在牛车数丈前跪拜道：“关令尹喜叩见圣人！”老翁说：“吾乃一介布衣，如此非常之礼，不知有何见教？”尹喜道：“吾早得神明示像，已在此恭候多日，诚望圣人赐教。”老翁道：“汝何以知之？”尹喜道：“吾好观天文，略知变化。去冬十月，天圣星西行过昴；今月之初，和风立至，见紫气东来，知有圣人西行；紫气浩荡，长达三万里，知来者至圣至尊绝非一般之神；紫气之前有青牛星相牵，圣人必乘青牛之车来也。今观圣人神姿迥绝，望指点修行之道。尹喜感恩不尽。”老翁见其求道至诚，心慈人善，笑答道：“汝知老夫，老夫亦知汝，当得度汝也。”尹喜非常高兴，叩头问道：“敢问大圣人姓名？”老翁道：“吾姓字渺渺，非可尽说，今姓李，字伯阳，号老聃。”尹喜听说是老子，焚香叩头，恭敬地拜其为师。

老子把自己关于道德以及对宇宙、人生、社会等方面的见解，写了一部五千言的《道德经》授与尹喜。尹喜按照老子的教导虔心修行，弘扬道家学说经国济世，后来修成大道，被称为尹真人。

孔子的学生们

孔子是我国古代著名的思想家、教育家，一生桃李满天下，相传有弟子三千，贤弟子七十二人。他对学生言传身教，他对真理、对理想、对完美人格的追求，他的正直、善良、谦虚、有礼，他对国家的忠诚和对百姓的关心，都深深地感染著他的学生与后人。他的学生们衷心地尊敬老师，以对父亲之礼对待孔子，视师志为己志，实践和传播道义，把行义作为人生的最高价值。如颜回“安贫乐道”、修身和严格遵守礼仪，老师怎么说就怎么做；宓子贱“鸣琴而治”，以礼乐之道施政，使百姓安居乐业，德入民心；子夏整理书籍，从事教育，善化民众。

孔子的学生们跟随他不辞辛苦地周游列国弘道，当有人诽谤孔子时，他们站出来为老师辩护，捍卫老师的高尚人格，如子贡则正色以告其人“不自量”， 子路追随、保卫老师忠心耿耿，他们对老师的崇敬正如曾参所说：“老师的盛德好像纯洁的江水冲洗过，又像秋天的阳光照耀过，还像广阔无边的天地一样圣洁。”曾参继承、弘扬了孔子的学说，他坚定不移地推行仁政，说：“读书人不可以不坚强而有毅力，因为他责任重大而路途遥远。把实现仁德作为自己的责任，不是很重大吗？维护正义而直到永久，不是很遥远吗？”。 
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唐太宗教子尊师

唐太宗是我国历史上的一代明君，他非常重视对子女的教育，他给几位皇子选择的老师都是德高望重、学问渊博之人，如李纲、张玄素、魏征、王圭等，而且一再教导子女一定要尊重老师。有一次，李纲因患脚疾，行走不便，当时皇宫内制度森严，官员不要说坐轿，就是出入也是诚惶诚恐的。唐太宗知道后竟特许李纲坐轿进宫讲学，并诏令皇子迎接老师。还有一次，唐太宗听到有人反映皇四子李泰对老师王圭不尊敬，他当著王圭面批评李泰说：“以后你每次见到老师，如同见到我一样，应当尊敬，不得有半点放松。”从此，李泰见到王圭，总是好好恭迎，听课也认真了。由于唐太宗家教很严，他的几位皇子对老师都很尊敬。

唐太宗曾下诏说：“朕比寻讨经史，明王圣帝，曷尝无师傅哉！前所进令，遂不睹三师之位。黄帝学太颠，颛顼学绿图，尧学尹寿，舜学务成昭，禹学西王国，汤学威子伯，文王学子期，武五学虢叔，……夫不学，则不明古道，而能政致太平者，未之有也。”他一方面强调尊师重教，专门下诏书规定了对待老师的礼遇，并教诫皇子们见师如见父；另一方面鼓励老师对皇子的过失极言切谏。各位老师都能够坚定地履行职责，与唐太宗的理解、支持和鼓励是分不开的。九皇子李治被立为太子后，唐太宗对他更加严格要求，李治每次听了父亲和老师的教导，都是毕恭毕敬地肃立，然后感激赐教，表示一定“铭记在心”、“永志不忘”。

古语说“一日为师，终身为父”，古人尊师重道的精神，被后世传为佳话，令人学习和敬仰，使人追求高尚的道德和树立崇高的信仰，敬师德、学师德和永铭师恩。