The three watches are lit up and the five watches are when the boys are studying.
The black hair does not know how to study early, and the white head regrets studying late.
Yan Zhenqing - "Persuasion Poems".
If you don't grasp the opportunity to learn when you're young, you won't regret it until you're old, and it's too late. The first half of the poem, "Three watches, lights and five watches, it is when the boy is studying" is like describing a scene of diligent study: in the middle of the night, everyone else is asleep, the lights are still on, and the chickens begin to crow when the day is about to dawn, and this is a good time to study hard. The term "boy" used here does not only refer to boys, but is often used to denote young people in ancient times.
The second half of "The black hair doesn't know how to study early, and the white head regrets studying late" is to say that when I was young, my hair was still black, and I didn't know how to hurry up and study, and I regretted that I didn't study hard when my hair was gray, but it was too late at that time. The meaning here is that when we are young, we often don't know how to cherish time, don't study seriously, and don't realize the importance of knowledge until we are old, but then it is difficult to learn.
The whole poem is like a kind of advice from the older generation to young people: time is precious, youth is no more, you should study hard and accumulate knowledge when you are young, so that you will not regret it when you are old. This poem expresses a profound truth in very simple language, that is, the importance of diligent study and the importance of cherishing time.
Young people are easy to learn and difficult to learn, and every inch of time is indispensable.
I didn't feel the spring grass dream of the pond, and the sycamore leaves in front of the steps have autumn sounds.
——Zhu Xi, "Persuasion Poems".
The first sentence "Teenagers are easy to grow old and difficult to learn" points out a cruel reality - adolescence is easy to be wasted, and once this time has passed, it is very difficult to make up for it. The contrast between "easy to age" and "difficult to achieve" here emphasizes the preciousness of time and the urgency of learning.
Then, "not an inch of time is indispensable", it reinforces the theme of time preciousness. An inch of time, even a short time, should not be underestimated. This sentence reminds us that every minute and every second is precious and should not be wasted.
I didn't feel the spring grass dream of the pond, and the sycamore leaves in front of the steps have autumn sound", using the change of seasons to symbolize the passage of time, the dream of spring has not yet dissipated, and the sound of autumn has already sounded in my ears. This depiction of jumping straight from spring to autumn deepens the thrill of the passage of time and the concept that learning time is fleeting.
Through this poem, Zhu Xi is not only exhorting young people to cherish time and study diligently, but more deeply, he is also reminding us that every stage of life has its own unique value and significance, and we should devote ourselves wholeheartedly to not letting the beauty of any stage pass in vain. This poem uses unpretentious language to convey an eternal theme, that is, the preciousness of time and the importance of learning, giving people profound inspiration.
There are not many people who read books, and they don't know what they think about.
If you don't learn enough, you can't learn what you can't learn.
——Han Yu's "Persuasion of Poetry".
The first sentence "I don't have a lot of reading" is that I am worried that I don't read enough books. This concern is shared by many learners, who always feel that they do not have enough knowledge and have not read enough books. But Han Yu's next words give us a revelation that real learning is not about quantity, but about quality.
The second sentence, "Thinking is unclear", raises another problem: even if you read a lot of books, if you don't think deeply about the meaning of the book and understand its deeper meaning, then learning is incomplete. The "thinking" here emphasizes the importance of understanding and thinking.
The next phrase "I don't learn" means that I am worried that I have not learned well and have not studied enough. This sentence reminds us that learning is a never-ending process, and we need to keep learning and constantly improving ourselves.
The last sentence "it is not possible to learn from suffering" means that even if you learn a lot, if you do not practice and apply what you have learned, then these learnings will be in vain. "Action" here refers to the application of the knowledge learned to practice, and the transformation of theory into practical action.
Through these four sentences, Han Yu is actually telling us: learning is not only about reading, but more importantly, it is necessary to have a deep understanding, continuous learning and the courage to practice. He emphasized the whole process of learning: from reading to thinking, to continuous learning and practical application. This poem profoundly reveals the true meaning of learning in simple language, reminding us that the purpose of learning is not only to acquire knowledge, but more importantly, to improve our understanding, self-learning ability and practical ability through learning.
"Idle Books" Don Du Xunhe
On the bamboo shadow of the window, the sound of wild springs enters the inkstone.
The hard work of the young man will eventually come to fruition, and he will not be lazy with time.
Du Xunhe's "Idle Books", with its beautiful imagery and concise language, conveys to us the importance of diligent study and cherishing time. The poem depicts a scene of tranquil learning: the shadow of bamboo swaying in the wind outside the window, projected on the desk, and the sound of spring water seeping into the inkstone, creating a quiet and focused learning environment. Through this depiction of beauty, the poet is not only describing an external environment, but also expressing an inner state of learning—serenity, concentration, and immersion.
The last two sentences of the poem, "The hard work of the young man will eventually come to fruition, and he will not be lazy to time", which directly conveys the poet's message of persuasion. Here, Du Xunhe emphasized with "the hard work of teenagers will eventually come true" that only through hard work can the struggle of teenagers finally achieve the goal and achieve success. "Don't be lazy with time" is a warning to us not to waste time, every inch of time should be cherished and utilized, and there should be no slackness and laziness. The "time" and "inch work" here symbolize the value of time and effort, and in this way, the poet reminds us that time is precious and that we should accumulate achievements through continuous efforts at a young age.