Read Together
Two lines a day. Ask one question. Find one connection to life.
九州禹迹，百郡秦并。
The Great Yu left traces in the Nine Provinces by taming floods; later Qin united the hundred districts.
This recalls early efforts at shaping the land and forming unity.
Parent note: Talk about solving big problems together — like flood control then, or climate care now.
岳宗泰岱，禅主云亭。
Mount Tai was revered as the foremost of sacred mountains; emperors held ceremonies there.
Nature and ritual connected people to meaning beyond themselves.
Parent note: Ask your child what place feels “sacred” or special to them — a park, a mountain, a family spot.
雁门紫塞，鸡田赤城。
Strategic passes and strongholds — Yanmen, Zisai, Jitian, Chicheng.
Geography shaped defense and history.
Parent note: Pull out a map. Show how mountains, rivers, and passes affect travel and safety.
昆池碣石，钜野洞庭。
Great lakes and stones — Kunchi, Jieshi, Juye, Dongting — each a landmark in Chinese geography.
Naming places helps us remember and connect to the land.
Parent note: Play a naming game: what landmarks are near us that we know by name?
旷远绵邈，岩岫杳冥。
The land stretches vast and far; cliffs and peaks fade into the mist.
Poetry describes both size and mystery of nature.
Parent note: Invite kids to describe what they see on a foggy morning or a mountain trip.
治本于农，务兹稼穑。
Governance rests on farming; people must work diligently in planting and harvesting.
Food is the foundation of stability.
Parent note: Plant something small together — even a pot herb — to connect effort and food.
俶载南亩，我艺黍稷。
Beginning work in the southern fields, I plant millet and grain.
Farming verses remind children that food takes time and care.
Parent note: Make a simple chart: what foods come from plants we grow, and what from animals?
税熟贡新，劝赏黜陟。
When crops ripen, taxes are collected and tributes offered; rulers encourage, reward, demote, or promote.
Organization and fairness in rewards keep society balanced.
Parent note: Relate to school or home — why do praise and fair consequences matter?
Parent Prompts
- What “big problem” do we face today that needs everyone’s help?
- What special place makes you feel connected to something bigger?
- Why is food so important to family and community stability?
- How do praise and fair rules help us grow?