Xie Family Precepts
What are family precepts? Family precepts are the instructions that parents give to their children in terms of conduct and education. Chinese family mottos are generally based on the wise sayings of ancient and modern sages. Family precepts serve as the guidelines for the life and behavior of future generations. Although times have advanced and technology is changing with each passing day, family precepts are universal heirlooms that remain fresh through generations. The predecessors all hope that the next generation will study the family precepts more and practise them personally. It is a heart of love and care that lives up to the predecessors.
“Xie’s Family Instructions” are the living standard and behavioral guide for Xie’s descendants, and is also the main factor in the family’s prosperity after more than a thousand years. The original text of “Xie’s Family Instructions” was written in classical Chinese and has been passed down from generation to generation. In order to adapt to the reading habits of future generations, some descendants of the Xie family have revised and adapted the classical Chinese style into poetry and ballads for the cultivation of future generations.
The sincere teachings given by Xie’s ancestors to their descendants about establishing themselves, conducting themselves in society, and studying are all contained in every word of “Xie’s Family Instructions”. The Xie family is rich in talents, including not only outstanding writers such as Xie Lingyun, Xie Daoyun, and Xie Huilian, but also outstanding military talents such as Xie Shi, Xie Xuan, and Xie Yan. To this day, we can still get a lot of inspiration from “Xie’s Family Instructions”.
Introduction
The main emphasis are: be filial to parents, be friends with brothers, respect elders, be harmonious with neighbours, pursue own career to live with peace of mind, be knowledgeable, be diligent and frugal, be clear about one’s direction, be cautious about marriage, sacrifice frequently, make friends carefully, be patient, and refrain from spoiling.
1. Filial Piety to Parents
When parents give birth to children, their grace is higher than the mountains and deeper than the sea.
As a son of a man, you should serve around him, and you should be educated and nurtured before you become a man.
At home, she looks graceful and cheerful, but when ordered to do so, she only behaves calmly.
If your superiors give you advice, don’t let God’s grace be harmed by trivial matters.
If you listen at the same time, you will clearly fulfill your duties as a son, and you will be filial to your parents together with your wife.
When you are sick, you should use decoction and medicine to boil it; when you die, you should observe mourning and provide funeral services.
Do not imitate those who are disobedient and stubborn. Being lazy and creating grudges is an insult to relatives.
When serving as a public servant, you should show your filial piety, show your loyalty, show your relatives, and promote your reputation.
2. Friends and Brothers
Brothers and sisters are one body, so why should they be alienated from each other?
It is a normal thing to respect the little ones and the big ones, and the big ones must love the affection of their little ones.
When they grew up, they each had families, and it was difficult to refuse each other’s support.
You and others are in agreement, and there is no difference between you and me. I will not be jealous.
If you build a feud over property, let your instigation lead to a fire in the bean dustpan.
How can family ties be continued when roommates are at war with each other like enemies?
Compatriots with different breasts are all brothers, and there is no distinction between brothers and sisters.
Family ties must also be protected by family ties. I am the first priority for everyone.
3. Respect Your Superiors
When you are an official, you have elders at home, and I am older than you.
It is true that he respects his elders, regardless of his high or low status.
Sit in the corner, bow to the emperor and give way humbly, and don’t dare to entertain anyone when you go along.
He is a criminal with no ability to do his job, has no respect for his elders and has low quality.
Mo Lingchang, the virtuous and wise ancestor, was young and foolish.
Being arrogant in old age is a big mistake, showing off oneself is self-indulgence.
Be proud of your wealth and honor, and don’t tolerate your wild and rebellious behavior.
There is always an order in moral ethics, and the elders and the younger have the same mentality of respecting the inferior and the inferior.
4. With Neighbors
People from the same village drink from the same well, and they are neighbors when they go out.
Although we are not our own flesh and blood, we do not compare to each other when we go out and go out as friends.
It is a pleasure to watch and help each other, and to take good care of each other.
We support each other in sickness and in times of trouble, and our roots continue to support each other regardless of whether we are together or not.
It is foolishness for the rich and the poor to deceive each other, and it is jealousy for neighbors to be snobbish.
The conflict between the strong and the weak is short-sighted, and the struggle between the big and the small consumes energy.
Why start a lawsuit with a small amount of money, why kill a disease with a small hatred.
Don’t disturb your bad habits when you have neighbors, and refrain from any discordant behavior.
5. Safeguard Your Business
Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce can be employed, and they will inherit the wealth first and then the foundation.
Be sincere and dedicated to your duties, and your talents will keep improving with each passing day.
If you have no job, don’t become a vagrant. Choose what you can and become independent.
My body can stay in prison, but my heart dare not live in peace.
A small job can make a big fishing boat, and a small job can provide food and clothing.
Open source helps the river flow, and every industry is a blessing channel.
Wandering is not a waste of time. If you succeed in your career, you will find relief through hard work.
Respect the seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, and enjoy your work without getting tired.
6. Understand Academics
There is no difference in learning among schools, but the difference between scholars makes it into reality.
Middle school is pure while Western learning is miscellaneous. Western learning is real while middle school is weak.
Western countries are learning from each other, while Eastern countries are learning and retaining their national quintessence.
It is easy to be foolish and impetuous in favor of the middle, and it is possible to balance both.
The middle school is for body and mind, and the West is for practical use, and they complement each other perfectly.
According to the time, the academic field can be broad, and the talents can enjoy the trees at night.
Learning will only benefit if you put it into practice. Why not doubt it if you learn but don’t study?
There is no limit to the sea of learning and academic excellence, and moral integrity and words and deeds complement each other.
7. Be Diligent and Frugal
Being good at work is better than playing hard, working hard and studying hard are frugal.
You can build a career by working hard, and guard against arrogance and impatience.
It is also clever to be diligent in planting and cultivating crops in the four seasons. There is a song of hard work under the stars and the moon.
Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce are all here, and the rooster crows and the phoenix is happy.
Relatives and friends come and go with frugal service, and chickens and millet greet each other with great affection.
The way of common people is always happy, and it is interesting without wine or tea.
The family is rich and hardworking is the treasure, and there is food in the hand for reincarnation.
You can do common things for the sake of the people, and you can be honest and honest if you are an official.
8. Understand Trend
Systems can change trends, but customs can change.
Loving one’s relatives and respecting one’s relatives lasts forever, who can’t follow the law?
The value of interpersonal relationships lies in equality. How can we violate the principle of respecting elders and younger ones?
How can a young man humiliate his elders? Unless you are rude and foolish.
Indulging in alcohol and smoking is not a good deed, and being aggressive and ruthless is decadent.
Gambling is a bad habit, and one is obsessed with it regardless of shame.
Those who lose their reputation during the funeral must be punished, and the elders and compatriots must promote the rules.
If you abide by the laws and clean yourself, you will be happy and proud of your ancestors.
9. Marry with Caution
Children must be cautious when marrying, and be vigilant about freedom of love.
Marriage and love in this world can go astray, so follow the trend to prevent yourself from being deceived.
Look at people by their words and deeds, not by their promises and open hearts.
Parents should come to counsel in time to prevent late-stage students from being sad.
Before marriage, the most important thing is to guard against scheming, and be clean and indestructible.
When choosing a son-in-law and marrying off a daughter, the betrothal gift is light; when marrying a daughter-in-law, a lady is asked to pay a small amount of dowry.
Good parents are the beginning of a good relationship, and children will imitate and learn from them.
Governance comes from the elders, and there is a relay of good deeds and self-consciousness.
10. Diligent Worship and Tomb Cleaning
The clan’s ancestral graves are sacred places, and sacrifices are often made to honor the pioneers.
Regardless of whether you are young or old, you should never be alienated from your ancestors.
Even if the road is far away, you can offer sacrifices from afar. Put your hands together and pay homage at any time.
Everyone is sincerely grateful, and the family may continue to prosper.
I always come to pay my respects and send it with piety, and thank my elders for their love and care.
If I have no ancestors to help me in my life, where will my future and hope be?
In spring, it’s great to watch the swallows protecting their nests, and in the hot summer, it’s amazing to watch the ant army.
Autumn welcomes the fallen leaves, and winter brings white snow and clear heaven and earth.
11. Make Friends Carefully
Be trustworthy and cautious when making friends. Honesty is always appropriate.
It’s a pity that there are thorns in the world, and it’s never easy to be with each other.
It is beneficial for friends to treat each other well with righteousness and treat each other with sincerity and sincerity.
Encourage good deeds and rule out friendship matters, and keep things in order until the point is reached.
Duplicity of words is not what is right or wrong, and this should not be done between friends.
When making friends, you also need to make friends with good character. It is difficult to stay together for a long time with fair-weather friends.
The best form of friendship is parents, who have no desires, no demands, and no defense.
As long as friends can help each other, no matter whether they are noble or humble, smart or stupid.
12. Patience
It is difficult to suppress one’s anger at the moment, but one cannot bear to be impatient and often violates the etiquette.
If it is superficial, it will harm your own heart; if it is serious, it will harm your children and grandchildren.
The ninth generation of Gongyi lived together in Zhang, and the Chen family had a total appetite of eight hundred.
All things can be done with tolerance, and miracles can be achieved through tolerance.
Those who show off their anger often end up making mistakes, and regretting it is too late to sigh.
Be able to endure small things and big things. Patience is the best virtue.
Be able to tolerate everything with a broad mind, be calm and courageous when things change.
Great patience and greed in the world can lead to a broad world.
13. Stop Spoiling
Whether children are rude or not, they are not taught by their fathers and brothers.
When raising children, avoid pampering and work hard to become independent.
Poverty can enjoy the joy of suffering, and wealth can save the taste of food.
When admonishing one’s disciples to encourage one’s disciples to teach, one should know that success in learning is the first priority.
Being bossy and domineering is a moral behavior, and the arrogance and coquettishness must be eliminated.
Practice humility and prudence every day, and learn to let pears grow from an early age.
It is a sin to condone and support adultery, and you have the courage to correct your mistakes.
If there is a transgression, do not condone it, but love to the depths is enlightenment.
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