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Jingyitang jiaxun 敬義堂家訓

Jul 17, 2023 © Ulrich Theobald

Jingyitang jiaxun 敬義堂家訓 is a book on private education written by Ji Dakui 紀大奎 (1756-1825), courtesy name Xiangchen 向辰, style Shenzhai 慎齋, from Linchuan 臨川, Jiangxi. He also wrote the books Shuangguitang gao 雙桂堂稿 and Bisuan bianlan 筆算便覽.

The brief text is the product of Ji's own experience in self-cultivation. Ji explains that the basis for regulating the mind (zhi xin 治心) was to keep under control one's fear (jie qin kong ju 戒謹恐懼), while the basis for the regulation of the body (zhi shen 治身) was diligence in comportment and wording (min xing shen yan 敏行慎言). The fundament for regulating a family (zhi jia 治家) was filial piety, friendship, industry, and frugality (xiao you qin jian 孝友勤儉). The root of lasting fame (she shi 涉世) were loyalty, propriety, compassion and pity (zhong yi ce da 忠義惻怛). The aim of learning or reading books was to preserve in one's heart the Heavenly principle (cun tianli 存天理), discard human desires (qu renyu 去人欲), and the hope to achieve a great name. In order to achieve these aims, one had to remove all thoughts of wealth and gain, greediness, and arrogance; one should concentrate on diligence and perseverance; be attentive to one's own body; expand good qualities and change the temperament.

The text is included in the essay collection Kezi suibi 課子隨筆.

Source:
Jiaoyu da cidian bianzuan weiyuanhui 教育大辭典編纂委員會, ed. (1991). Jiaoyu da cidian 教育大辭典, part 8, Zhongguo gudai jiaoyu shi 中國古代教育史 (Shanghai: Shanghai jiaoyu chubanshe), Vol. 1, 253.