Pr imary Source Docume nt with Que st ions (DBQs)
E X C E R P T S F R O M H O U S E I N S T R U C T I O N S O F M R . Y A N ( Y A N S H I J I A X U N ) Introduct ion It was common for successful men in China and elsewhere in East Asia to write down “House Instructions” for the benefit of their heirs and descendants. As you read these instructions, you may think about what their purposes in doing so may have been. This particular set of house instructions was written by Yan Zhitui (531-591), who was from a leading family of scholars and officials of the period of north-south division (317-589). Accordingly, he served four different, short-lived dynasties, including several whose rulers were foreigners — men of Turkic warrior clans who ruled northern China. Docume nt Exce rpts with Que st ions (Longer selection follows this section) From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 541-546. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Excerpts
from
House
Instructions
of
Mr.
Yan
(Yanshi
Jiaxun)
…
as
soon
as
a
baby
can
recognize
facial
expressions
and
understand
approval
and
disapproval,
training
should
be
begun
so
that
he
will
do
what
he
is
told
to
do
and
stop
when
so
ordered.
After
a
few
years
of
this,
punishment
with
the
bamboo
can
be
minimized,
as
parental
strictness
and
dignity
mingled
with
parental
love
will
lead
the
boys
and
girls
to
a
feeling
of
respect
and
caution
and
give
rise
to
filial
piety.
I
have
noticed
about
me
that
where
there
is
merely
love
without
training
this
result
is
never
achieved.
Children
eat,
drink,
speak,
and
act
as
they
please.
Instead
of
needed
prohibitions
they
receive
praise;
instead
of
urgent
reprimands
they
receive
smiles.
Even
when
children
are
old
enough
to
learn,
such
treatment
is
still
regarded
as
the
proper
method.
Only
after
the
child
has
formed
proud
and
arrogant
habits
do
they
try
to
control
him.
But
one
may
whip
the
child
to
death
and
he
will
still
not
be
respectful,
while
the
growing
anger
of
the
parents
only
increases
his
resentment.
After
he
grows
up,
such
a
child
becomes
at
last
nothing
but
a
scoundrel.
Confucius
was
right
in
saying,
“What
is
acquired
in
infancy
is
like
original
nature;
what
has
been
formed
into
habits
is
equal
to
instinct.”
A
common
proverb
says,
“Train
a
wife
from
her
first
arrival;
teach
a
son
in
his
infancy.”
How
true
such
sayings
are!
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Que st ions :
1. How does Mr. Yan’s advice on child-rearing fit with modern Western notions?
2. On what grounds can Mr. Yan compare the training of a child to the training of a wife? What assumptions does this imply about newly married wives?
A
wife
in
presiding
over
household
supplies
should
use
wine,
food,
and
clothing
only
as
the
rites
specify.
Just
as
in
the
state,
where
women
are
not
allowed
to
participate
in
setting
policies,
so
in
the
family,
they
should
not
be
permitted
to
assume
responsibility
for
affairs.
If
they
are
wise,
talented,
and
versed
in
the
ancient
and
modem
writings,
they
ought
to
help
their
husbands
by
supplementing
the
latter’s
deficiency.
No
hen
should
herald
the
dawn
lest
misfortune
follow.
… Que st ions :
3. What roles does Mr. Yan prescribe for women? 4. How do Mr. Yan’s prescriptions compare to those of female authors such as
Ban Zhao and Song Ruozhao? Longe r Se le ct ion From Sources of Chinese Tradition, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Irene Bloom, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1999), 541-546. © 1999 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Excerpts
from
House
Instructions
of
Mr.
Yan
(Yanshi
Jiaxun)
Preface
Of
books
written
by
sages
and
worthies
that
teach
men
to
be
sincere
and
filial,
to
be
careful
in
speech
and
circumspect
in
conduct,
and
to
take
one’s
proper
place
in
society
and
be
concerned
for
one’s
reputation,
there
are
more
than
enough
already.
Since
the
Wei
and
Jin
periods
prudential
writings
have
reiterated
principles
and
repeated
practices
as
if
adding
room
upon
room
[to
the
household]
or
piling
bed
upon
bed.
In
doing
the
same
now
myself,
I
do
not
presume
to
prescribe
rules
for
others
or
set
a
pattern
for
the
world,
but
only
to
order
my
own
household
and
give
guidance
to
my
own
posterity.
…
The
habits
and
teaching
of
our
family
have
always
been
regular
and
punctilious.
In
my
childhood
I
received
good
instruction
from
my
parents.
With
my
two
elder
brothers
I
went
to
greet
our
parents
each
morning
and
evening
to
ask
in
winter
whether
they
were
warm
and
in
summer
whether
they
were
cool;
we
walked
steadily
with
regular
steps,
talked
calmly
with
good
manners,
and
moved
about
with
as
much
dignity
and
reverence
as
if
we
were
visiting
the
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awe‑inspiring
rulers
at
court.
They
gave
us
good
advice,
asked
about
our
particular
interests,
criticized
our
defects
and
encouraged
our
good
points
‑‑
always
zealous
and
sincere.
When
I
was
just
nine
years
old,
my
father
died.
The
family
members
were
divided
and
scattered,
every
one
of
us
living
in
dire
straits.
I
was
brought
up
by
my
loving
brothers;
we
went
through
hardships
and
difficulties.
They
were
kind
but
not
exacting;
their
guidance
and
advice
to
me
were
not
strict.
Though
I
read
the
ritual
texts,
and
was
somewhat
fond
of
composition,
I
tended
to
be
influenced
by
common
practices;
I
was
uncontrolled
in
feelings,
careless
in
speech,
and
slovenly
in
dress.
When
about
eighteen
or
nineteen
years
old
I
learned
to
refine
my
conduct
a
little,
but
these
bad
habits
had
become
second
nature,
and
it
was
difficult
to
get
rid
of
them
entirely.
After
my
thirtieth
year
gross
faults
were
few,
but
still
I
have
to
be
careful
always,
for
in
every
instance
my
words
are
at
odds
with
my
mind,
and
my
emotions
struggle
with
my
nature.
Each
evening
I
am
conscious
of
the
faults
committed
that
morning,
and
today
I
regret
the
errors
of
yesterday.
How
pitiful
that
the
lack
of
instruction
has
brought
me
to
this
condition!
I
would
recall
the
experiences
of
my
youth
long
ago,
for
they
are
engraved
on
my
flesh
and
bone;
these
are
not
merely
the
admonitions
of
ancient
books,
but
what
has
passed
before
my
eyes
and
reached
my
ears.
Therefore
I
leave
these
twenty
chapters
to
serve
as
a
warning
to
you
boys.
Instructing
Children
Those
of
the
highest
intelligence
will
develop
without
being
taught;
those
of
great
stupidity,
even
if
taught,
will
amount
to
nothing;
those
of
medium
ability
will
be
ignorant
unless
taught.
The
ancient
sage
kings
had
rules
for
prenatal
training.
Women
when
pregnant
for
three
months
moved
from
their
living
quarters
to
a
detached
palace
where
they
would
not
see
unwholesome
sights
nor
hear
reckless
words,
and
where
the
tone
of
music
and
the
flavor
of
food
were
controlled
by
the
rules
of
decorum
[rites].
These
rules
were
written
on
jade
tablets
and
kept
in
a
golden
box.
After
the
child
was
born,
imperial
tutors
firmly
made
clear
filial
piety,
humaneness,
the
rites,
and
rightness
to
guide
and
train
him.
The
common
people
are
indulgent
and
are
unable
to
do
this.
But
as
soon
as
a
baby
can
recognize
facial
expressions
and
understand
approval
and
disapproval,
training
should
be
begun
so
that
he
will
do
what
he
is
told
to
do
and
stop
when
so
ordered.
After
a
few
years
of
this,
punishment
with
the
bamboo
can
be
minimized,
as
parental
strictness
and
dignity
mingled
with
parental
love
will
lead
the
boys
and
girls
to
a
feeling
of
respect
and
caution
and
give
rise
to
filial
piety.
I
have
noticed
about
me
that
where
there
is
merely
love
without
training
this
result
is
never
achieved.
Children
eat,
drink,
speak,
and
act
as
they
please.
Instead
of
needed
prohibitions
they
receive
praise;
instead
of
urgent
reprimands
they
receive
smiles.
Even
when
children
are
old
enough
to
learn,
such
treatment
is
still
regarded
as
the
proper
method.
Only
after
the
child
has
formed
proud
and
arrogant
habits
do
they
try
to
control
him.
But
one
may
whip
the
child
to
death
and
he
will
still
not
be
respectful,
while
the
growing
anger
of
the
parents
only
increases
his
resentment.
After
he
grows
up,
such
a
child
becomes
at
last
nothing
but
a
scoundrel.
Confucius
was
right
in
saying,
“What
is
acquired
in
infancy
is
like
original
nature;
what
has
been
formed
into
habits
is
equal
to
instinct.”
A
c
ommon
proverb
says,
“Train
a
wife
from
her
first
arrival;
teach
a
son
in
his
infancy.”
How
true
such
sayings
are!
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Generally
parents’
inability
to
instruct
their
own
children
comes
not
from
any
inclination
just
to
let
them
fall
into
evil
ways
but
only
from
parents’
being
unable
to
endure
the
children’s
looks
[of
unhappiness]
from
repeated
scoldings,
or
to
bear
beating
them,
lest
it
do
damage
to
the
children’s
physical
being.
We
should,
however,
take
illness
by
way
of
illustration:
how
can
we
not
use
drugs,
medicines,
acupuncture,
or
cautery
to
cure
it?
Should
we
then
view
strictness
of
reproof
and
punishment
as
a
form
of
cruelty
to
one’s
own
kith
and
kin?
Truly
there
is
no
other
way
to
deal
with
it.
…
As
for
maintaining
proper
respect
between
father
and
son,
one
cannot
allow
too
much
familiarity;
in
the
love
among
kin,
one
cannot
tolerate
impoliteness.
If
there
is
impoliteness,
then
parental
solicitude
is
not
matched
by
filial
respect;
if
there
is
too
much
familiarity,
it
gives
rise
to
indifference
and
rudeness.
Someone
has
asked
why
Chen
Kang
[a
disciple
of
Confucius]
was
pleased
to
hear
that
gentlemen
kept
their
distance
from
their
sons,
and
the
answer
is
that
this
was
indeed
the
case;
gentlemen
did
not
personally
teach
their
children
[because,
as
Yan
goes
on
to
show,
there
are
passages
in
the
classics
of
a
sexual
kind,
which
it
would
not
be
proper
for
a
father
to
teach
his
sons.]
…
In
the
love
of
parents
for
children,
it
is
rare
that
one
succeeds
in
treating
them
equally.
From
antiquity
to
the
present
there
are
many
cases
of
this
failing.
It
is
only
natural
to
love
those
who
are
wise
and
talented,
but
those
who
are
wayward
and
dull
also
deserve
sympathy.
Partiality
in
treatment,
even
when
done
out
of
generous
motives,
turns
out
badly.
…
Brothers
After
the
appearance
of
humankind,
there
followed
the
conjugal
relationship;
the
conjugal
relationship
was
followed
by
the
parental;
the
parental
was
followed
by
the
fraternal.
Within
the
family,
these
three
are
the
intimate
relationships.
The
other
degrees
of
kinship
all
develop
out
of
these
three.
Therefore
among
human
relationships
one
cannot
but
take
these
[three]
most
seriously.
…
When
brothers
are
at
odds
with
each
other,
then
sons
and
nephews
will
not
love
each
other,
and
this
in
turn
will
lead
to
the
cousins
drifting
apart,
resulting
finally
in
their
servants
treating
one
another
as
enemies.
When
this
happens
then
strangers
can
step
on
their
faces
and
trample
upon
their
breasts
and
there
will
be
no
one
to
come
to
their
aid.
There
are
men
who
are
able
to
make
friends
with
distinguished
men
of
the
empire,
winning
their
affection,
and
yet
are
unable
to
show
proper
respect
toward
their
own
elder
brothers.
How
strange
that
they
should
succeed
with
the
many
and
fail
with
the
few!
There
are
others
who
are
able
to
command
troops
in
the
thousands
and
inspire
such
loyalty
in
them
that
they
will
die
willingly
for
them
and
yet
are
unable
to
show
kindness
toward
their
own
younger
brothers.
How
strange
that
they
should
succeed
with
strangers
and
fail
with
their
own
flesh
and
blood!
…
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Family
Governance
Beneficial
influences
are
transmitted
from
superiors
to
inferiors
and
bequeathed
by
earlier
to
later
generations.
So
if
a
father
is
not
loving,
the
son
will
not
be
filial;
if
an
elder
brother
is
not
friendly,
the
younger
will
not
be
respectful;
if
a
husband
is
not
just,
the
wife
will
not
be
obedient.
When
a
father
is
kind
but
the
son
refractory,
when
an
elder
brother
is
friendly
but
the
younger
arrogant,
when
a
husband
is
just
but
a
wife
overbearing,
then
indeed
they
are
the
bad
people
of
the
world;
they
must
be
controlled
by
punishments;
teaching
and
guidance
will
not
change
them.
If
rod
and
wrath
are
not
used
in
family
discipline,
the
faults
of
the
son
will
immediately
appear.
If
punishments
are
not
properly
awarded,
the
people
will
not
know
how
to
act.
The
use
of
clemency
and
severity
in
governing
a
family
is
the
same
as
in
a
state.
Confucius
said,
“Extravagance
leads
to
insubordination,
and
parsimony
to
meanness.
It
is
better
to
be
mean
than
to
be
insubordinate.”1
Again
he
said,
“Though
a
man
has
abilities
as
admirable
as
those
of
the
Duke
of
Zhou,
yet
if
he
be
proud
or
niggardly,
those
other
things
are
really
not
worth
being
looked
at.”2
That
is
to
say,
a
man
may
be
thrifty
but
should
not
be
stingy.
Thrift
means
being
frugal
and
economic
in
carrying
out
the
rites;
stinginess
means
showing
no
pity
for
those
in
poverty
and
urgent
need.
Nowadays
those
who
would
give
alms
are
extravagant,
but
in
being
thrifty
are
stingy.
It
would
be
proper
to
give
alms
without
extravagance
and
be
thrifty
without
being
stingy.
…
A
wife
in
presiding
over
household
supplies
should
use
wine,
food,
and
clothing
only
as
the
rites
specify.
Just
as
in
the
state,
where
women
are
not
allowed
to
participate
in
setting
policies,
so
in
the
family,
they
should
not
be
permitted
to
assume
responsibility
for
affairs.
If
they
are
wise,
talented,
and
versed
in
the
ancient
and
modem
writings,
they
ought
to
help
their
husbands
by
supplementing
the
latter’s
deficiency.
No
hen
should
herald
the
dawn
lest
misfortune
follow.
…
The
burden
of
daughters
on
the
family
is
heavy
indeed.
Yet
how
else
can
Heaven
give
life
to
the
teeming
people
and
ancestors
pass
on
their
bodily
existence
to
posterity?
Many
people
today
dislike
having
daughters
and
mistreat
their
own
flesh
and
blood.
How
can
they
be
like
this
and
still
hope
for
Heaven’s
blessing?
…
It
is
common
for
women
to
dote
on
a
son‑in‑law
and
to
maltreat
a
daughter‑
in‑law.
Doting
on
a
son‑in‑law
gives
rise
to
hatred
from
brothers;
maltreating
a
daughter‑in‑law
brings
on
slander
from
sisters.
Thus
when
these
women,
whether
they
act
or
remain
silent,
draw
criticism
from
the
members
of
the
family,
it
is
the
mother
who
is
the
real
cause
of
it.
…
1
Analects
7:35.
2
Analects
8:11.
Pr imary Source Docume nt, with Que st ions (DBQ) on EXC ERPTS F RO M HOUSE INSTRUCTIONS OF MR. YA N (YA NSHI J IA XUN)
Asia for E duca tors | Columb ia Universi ty | http ://a fe.ea sia .columbia .edu Pa ge 6 of 6
A
simple
marriage
arrangement
irrespective
of
social
position
was
the
established
rule
of
our
ancestor
Qing
Hou.3
Nowadays
there
are
those
who
sell
their
daughters
for
money
or
buy
a
woman
with
a
payment
of
silk.
They
compare
the
rank
of
fathers
and
grandfathers,
and
calculate
in
ounces
and
drams,
demanding
more
and
offering
less,
just
as
if
bargaining
in
the
market.
Under
such
conditions
a
boorish
son‑in‑law
might
appear
in
the
family
or
an
arrogant
woman
assume
power
in
the
household.
Coveting
honor
and
seeking
for
gain,
on
the
contrary,
incur
shame
and
disgrace;
how
can
one
not
be
careful?
3
Qing
Hou
was
the
posthumous
name
of
Yin
Zhitui’s
ninth‑generation
ancestor.
His
name
was
Yan
Han.
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