The motto originally refers to the motto written by the ancients and placed on the right side of the seat. Later, it generally refers to the motto that people use to motivate and warn themselves as a guide to action. In history, many celebrities at home and abroad have their own "mottos".

One of the inscription styles. Inscription originally refers to the words engraved on the utensils to record merits and praises and spread them to future generations. "Selected Works·Cui Yuan's "Motto"" Lu Yanji's annotation: "Yuan's brother Zhang was killed by others, so Yuan killed his enemy, fled, and was pardoned. He wrote this inscription to warn himself and put it on the right side of his seat, so it is called a motto. "This is where the motto comes from. The inscriptions of mottos are shorter than other inscriptions. Some are just one or two sentences or mottos, placed next to the seat as a warning to oneself. Everyone has their own principles for conducting themselves in the world, and mottos are the most common form of adhering to this principle. Motto Motto

The content is to encourage yourself, spur yourself, or restrict your behavior. A motto is a type of inscription.

Related legends

Why is this kind of motto written and placed next to the seat or other places called a motto? There are two different legends.

Legend 1

This is like this: In the Song Dynasty, there was a man named Wu Jie who liked history books very much. He copied down all the things recorded in history books that could be used to draw lessons from, and placed them on the right side of his seat, calling them "mottos." An inscription is a text engraved on an object to describe one's life, career, or to alert oneself. As time passed, the walls and windows of his house were covered with aphorisms and mottos. From then on it spread slowly. The content of the "motto" is not just past events that can be used for reference, and the form is not limited to being placed on the right side of the seat.

The second statement

is a story about Confucius, a great educator in ancient my country. According to records in ancient books, the Qiqi is a peculiar wine container. When it is empty, it tilts to one side. When most of the jar is filled, it stands upright. When it is full, it turns over. This kind of singing instrument inspires people not to be complacent, and if they are complacent, they will do somersaults. Duke Huan of Qi, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, liked this kind of singing instrument very much during his lifetime. He always kept a quiver on the right side of his seat to warn himself not to be proud and complacent. After Duke Huan of Qi died, when the people built a temple for him, they did not forget to put this vessel in the temple for people to worship their ancestors. Once, Confucius took his students to a temple to worship. When they saw this kind of utensil, they felt strange, so they asked the person in charge of incense in the temple. The person in charge of incense told him that this was a Qī vessel. Confucius then remembered the story about Duke Huan of Qi. He pointed at the teacup and said to the students: "When the teacup is empty, it tilts. When you pour wine or water into it, it will stand upright halfway. When the teacup is full, it will tilt again. So in the past, Duke Huan of Qi would always Put the teacup on the right side of his seat to warn him not to be complacent. Complacency will be like a teacup filled with water and will inevitably tip over." After that, he asked the students to get water. Pour into the decanter. Sure enough, everything was just as Confucius said. Confucius said to the students: "The same is true for studying. Modesty will benefit you, but you will suffer losses. You must remember it firmly." When he returned home, Confucius also asked someone to make a squeegee and put it on the right side of his seat as a warning. Live and learn until you are old and never be satisfied. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the famous scientist Zu Chongzhi also made a quiver for Xiao Ziliang, the son of Emperor Wu of Qi, and it was very successful. It may be that this kind of singing instrument was lost later, or it may be that later generations felt that words could more accurately express their thoughts, so the instrument was replaced by words engraved on metal and placed next to their seats. The inscriptions in the study are not all metal precepts, but also include many mottos and aphorisms.

The third statement

Cui Yuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty killed his enemy and fled alone. Later, he was pardoned by the imperial court and returned to his hometown. When you know you have made a mistake, you make an "inscription" and place it on the right side of your seat to warn yourself. Later, people called it "motto".

Hope to adopt it! ~