What inspirations have you gained from the lectures in "Teacher's Theory"?

1. Enlightenment: It shows that anyone can be his or her own teacher, and one should not be unwilling to learn humbly because of his or her status or age difference.

2. Introduction

"Shi Shuo" was written in the 18th year of Zhenyuan of Tang Dynasty (802 AD) when Han Yu was appointed as Doctor of Four Schools. This article was written by Han Yu to his student Li Pan's. "Teacher's Theory" is an essay explaining the important role of teachers, the necessity of learning from teachers, and the principles of selecting teachers. This article criticized the erroneous concept of "the scholar-bureaucrats" at that time who were ashamed to learn from teachers, and advocated the culture of learning from teachers. At the same time, it was also a public reply and serious refutation of those slanderers. The author shows that anyone can be his or her own teacher, and that no one should be discouraged from learning humbly because of their status or age difference. At the end of the article, the words and deeds of Confucius are used as evidence, stating that seeking teachers and respecting the Tao has been a practice since ancient times, and people of this era should not abandon the ancient Tao.

3. Creation background

Among the scholar-bureaucrats in the Tang Dynasty, there was a common mentality that "low status will make you feel ashamed, and high officialdom will bring you close to flattery". The social background of Han Yu writing "The Theory of Teachers" can be seen from a passage in Liu Zongyuan's "Reply to Wei Zhongli on Teachers' Taoism": "In today's world, if you don't hear of teachers, if you do, you will laugh at them and think you are a madman. Duhan Yufen ignored the popular customs, committed laughter and insults, and recruited his disciples to write "Shi Shuo". He became a teacher because of his resistance to Yan. There are many people who live in Chang'an and have no time to cook, and they go to the east." Han Yu opposed the wrong concept of "a clan of scholar-bureaucrats" and proposed that "Tao" is the teacher. It is of progressive significance.

4. About the author

Han Yu (768-December 25, 824), courtesy name Tuizhi, was born in Heyang, Henan (now Mengzhou City, Henan Province), Han nationality. The county is located in Changli, Hebei Province, and is known as "Han Changli" and "Mr. Changli" in the world. An outstanding writer, thinker and philosopher in the Tang Dynasty. He was a Jinshi in the eighth year of Zhenyuan (792) of Emperor Dezong of Tang Dynasty. In the 19th year of Zhenyuan (803), he was slandered by powerful officials and demoted to Yangshan because he wrote "On the Conditions of Drought and Human Hunger". He participated in the war against Wu Yuanji, a rebel vassal in Huaixi, and served as Pei Du's marching commander. In the fourteenth year of Yuanhe (819), he was demoted to Chaozhou for admonishing and welcoming the Buddha's bones. In his later years, he served as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, also known as the Ministry of Official Affairs of Han. In the fourth year of Changqing (824), Han Yu died of illness and was given a posthumous title as a gift to the Minister of Rites, so he was called "Han Wengong".