This English version was translated from the Chinese original with AI assistance. The Chinese text is authoritative.
A certain man had an enemy he hated to the bone. He thought it over and over: by the old Chinese reckoning, digging up the enemy’s ancestral graves and cutting off his line of descendants is the ultimate revenge — so he would steal the enemy’s child and raise it himself.
He pondered carefully how to raise it. Beat him and scold him? That might well spur him to strive, and instead make something of the child. Children raised that way often go on to accomplish great things. So don’t let him do anything at all: clothes held out for him to slip his arms into, food brought for him to open his mouth — he will surely grow up good for nothing. If the child has great blessings, this will also use up his blessings; once they are used up, he will again be good for nothing, with hard days ahead of him.
This child happened to love learning. If he studies well, he will have a good job when he grows up and a good life. Often with such children, the less you let them study, the more they want to — they study in secret, they study in hiding, there’s no stopping them. What to do? Then nag at him all day long, push him to study day and night. Never let him have a moment’s leisure. You must keep talking without stop, talk until he rebels, push him until he is sick of studying — and the job is done.
This child is full of confidence in whatever he does. Then, at the slightest shortcoming, keep harping on: look how hard the Zhang family’s child works, look how diligently the Li family’s child studies — why are you like this? This is the most effective way to crush self-confidence and self-respect. Given time, the child will most likely give up on himself.
From childhood, tell him: when you grow up I’ll buy you a house, buy you a car, and leave you a big pile of money. From childhood, satisfy his every demand. Think about it — what does a child have? Just eating well and playing well; it doesn’t cost much. When he grows up — heh heh!
A child who is well read and reasonable, well brought up and kind to others is liked by everyone, and his circumstances when grown will certainly be good. In ancient Chinese education, of all the virtues filial piety came first; being able to honor one’s elders is the root of goodness. Parents loving their children comes from instinct; children honoring their parents is the result of upbringing. A well-brought-up child will surely be welcomed by society, will amount to something and accomplish great things. What to do? In front of the child, curse all day long: why hasn’t that old good-for-nothing, your grandfather, died yet? And so on and so forth — what will become of this child in the end, you could figure out with your heel.
(To be continued)
