Reading

[Song Dynasty] Lu Jiuyuan

Reading should be avoided in a hurry (1), and the time of swimming is long and interesting (2).

You may as well let it go (3) if you don’t know, but you need to consider (4) urgently.

Translation

The most taboo thing in reading is eagerness for success. If you can think about it carefully, you will have endless interest. You might as well put aside the things you don't understand, but think about the things that are useful to you.

Notes

(1) Hurry: in a hurry, eager for success.

(2) Hanyong: Think while chanting, slowly pondering and digesting.

(3) Quan: For now.

(4) Personal: a place that is relevant to oneself.

Details:

About the author

Lu Jiuyuan (1139~1192), also known as Xiangshan, also named Zijing. A famous philosopher and educator in the Southern Song Dynasty. Han nationality, from Jinxi, Fuzhou (now part of Jiangxi). He was as famous as Zhu Xi, a famous Neo-Confucianist at that time, and was known as "Zhu Lu" in history. Lu Jiuyuan is the founder of Chinese "Xinxue". Wang Yangming in the Ming Dynasty developed his theory and became the famous "Lu Wang School" in the history of Chinese philosophy, which had a profound impact on modern Chinese Neo-Confucianism. He was called "Lu Zi" by later generations.