1. Encouragement to learn

Tang Dynasty - Meng Jiao

When a stone is struck, there is fire; if it is not struck, there is no smoke. People only know when they learn, but it is unnatural if they do not learn.

Everything has its own destiny, and it is not me who is the best. Youth must be born early, how can one grow into a young man?

Translation

Only when the stone is hit, there will be sparks; if not hit, not even a little smoke will come out.

The same is true for people. Only through learning can we master knowledge; if we don’t learn, knowledge will not fall from the sky.

Everything must be practiced by yourself. The knowledge gained by others cannot replace your own talents.

You should work hard as early as possible during your youth. Can a person remain a "youngster" forever?

2. Poems to encourage learning

Zhao Heng [Song Dynasty]

Rich families do not need to buy fertile land, there are thousands of bells of millet in the book.

There is no need to build a high hall to live in peace, there is a golden house in the book.

Don’t regret having no one to follow you when you go out. There are so many carriages and horses in the book.

Don’t hate an unscrupulous matchmaker when marrying a wife, there is beauty in the book.

The man wants to fulfill his life ambitions and reads the Five Classics diligently in front of the window.

Translation

If you want to make your family rich, you don’t need to buy fertile land. You can get a lot of rice by studying.

If you want to live a stable life, you don’t need to build a tall and magnificent house. There are houses made of gold in the book.

Don’t be afraid that no one will follow you when you go out. If you study and become an official, you can enjoy being surrounded by carriages and horses.

Don’t be afraid to marry a wife without a matchmaker. You will naturally have a beautiful woman after you gain fame.

If a man wants to realize his lifelong ambition, he should study diligently in front of the window.

3. Poems to Encourage Learning

The author was Yan Zhenqing in the Tang Dynasty

It is the time for men to study when the lights are on at three o'clock and the chickens are on at five o'clock.

Black-haired people don’t know how to study early, and white-haired people regret studying late.

Translation:

From midnight every day until the rooster crows, it is the best time for boys to study. In their youth, they must know how to study hard and study diligently. But if you only know how to play and don't know how to study hard, you will regret when you are old that you didn't know how to study hard when you were young.

Famous quotes about learning:

1. Be broad-minded and make reservations; ——Su Shi

2. To learn a hundred things, one must first be determined. ——Zhu Xi

3. If a sword is not sharpened, it will rust; if a person does not learn, he will fall behind.

4. The edge of a sword comes from sharpening, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold.

5. The pen falls in the storm, and the poem becomes the weeping ghosts and gods. ——Du Fu

6. Three feet of ice does not freeze in one day.