1. When learning, you must grasp the basic knowledge: that is, do not aim too high and ignore the basic things. The Himalayas are a world-famous mountain because it is a peak built on a vast plateau built on top of the Himalayas. If the Himalayas were built on a river-sea plain, an eight-thousand-meter peak would be impossible to exist. The source of water is easy to dry up.

——Xu Teli (modern educator and revolutionary) quoted from "Xu Teli's Collected Works on Education"

2. When studying and studying, we should pay attention to two bad things and one bad thing. It is "malnutrition". There is no certain foundation in literature and history, no preparation in scientific theory, and no collection of first-hand information. The results are either sallow and thin, or abnormal development; the second is "indigestion". For book knowledge, Regardless of ancient or modern people or an authoritative theory, we must delve deeply into it, chew it carefully, and think independently. We must not swallow it wholeheartedly, follow what others say, follow the trend, be careless, and only skim.

——Quoted by Ma Yinchu (modern scholar and educator) from "Beijing Evening News" on June 22, 1981