cultivation of character, family education, family history, family precepts, generational wealth, mencius, menciuss mother, prime minister zhuge liang, zeng guofan, zengzi

The Critical Importance of Family Precepts

Most families in the Western world have a family crest, a coat of arms, or a family motto that serves as the philosophy, or family precepts, and is an inspirational call to excellence for each generation. The motto is usually written in Latin, such as Semper Fidelis — Always Faithful, or in French, such as ...

Helen London

Multi-generational festive family gathering.

Lessons From the Mother of Mencius, the Second Sage

In Chinese culture, the mother of Mencius, the Second Sage, is seen as an exemplary female role model. When Mencius was young, his mother moved home three times to find the right kind of environment for raising children, and finally settled down in a small and culturally rich community near Zoucheng Xue Palace. This is ...

Helen London

A portrait of Mencius.

Famous People From Ancient China: Mencius and His Mother

In 375 B.C., a boy was born in Zou County, Shandong Province, to one of the many famous people from ancient China. The boy’s birth name was Meng Ke, but he later became known as Mencius, one of the most well-known philosophers in Chinese history. When Mencius was 3 years old, his father passed away. ...

Emma Lu

Portrait of Mencius from the Yuan Dynasty.