Preserving the tradition of respecting teachers

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - In both ancient and modern societies, teachers have always held an important position. In the past, in the relationship between “king, teacher, father”, teachers were second only to the king and even before parents. Therefore, when a teacher died, students had to mourn.

Generations of students visit the tomb of Meritorious Teacher Nguyen Dinh Thang, in Binh Phuoc commune (Binh Son). Photo: Hong Hue

The noble status of the teacher

When Trang Trinh Nguyen Binh Khiem heard that his teacher, Bang Nhan Luong Dac Bang, had passed away, he returned to mourn his teacher for three years before leaving. This is a touching story about the teacher-student relationship in the past. In the past, teachers and village teachers were often educated people who did not take the exams, or passed the exams but did not want to become officials, or resigned from office and returned to their villages to open classes to teach. They were people who were well-educated, understood the teachings of the sages, and were respected by everyone. In a Confucian society, when the path to success was almost limited to studying, taking exams, and becoming an official, the role of teachers who opened minds and imparted knowledge was even more highly regarded. The fact that in the past, parents who sent their children to study always had gifts for the teachers partly reflects this.

Teachers are respected by society first of all for their noble character and love for students and literature. In the history of our country'seducation , there are many teachers who have made their names in Vietnamese history such as Chu Van An, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Nguyen Thiep, Vo Truong Toan... They are respected as masters, famous teachers, and exemplary teachers not only because they have many students, taught many people to become talented, pass exams with high marks, and become great people, but also because of their outstanding character and noble heart of a true teacher.

In Quang Ngai, during the Nguyen Dynasty, there was a famous teacher named Truong Dang Que (1793 - 1865), who passed the provincial examination. However, he was not a village school teacher. In 1820, Truong Dang Que was summoned to Hue, received the position of Hanh Tau Bo Le, then promoted to Bien Tu, and was appointed Hoang Tu Truc Hoc, a position specializing in teaching the princes. He had many students, including many famous people such as Mien Tham, Mien Trinh and Mien Tong, later King Thieu Tri. According to Hoang Ngoc Cuong in the book "Tuyen Tap Tho Van Truong Dang Que", "thanks to his satisfactory teaching of the princes, Truong Dang Que was praised by King Minh Mang and appointed as Thuong Bao Thieu Khanh". Thanks to his famous learning and conduct, he was highly respected by the students in the royal family. Princesses Nguyet Dinh, Hue Pho, and Mai Am, although not attending his school, always acknowledged themselves as his students. When he passed away, his student, Tuy Ly District Prince Mien Trinh, personally wrote the stele with respectful words.

Teacher-student morality

The ancients have a saying: “One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father”, the grace of imparting knowledge and human morality from a teacher is as profound as the grace of giving birth. Always remembering the grace of a teacher, maintaining the virtue of a student, and promoting the virtue of a teacher to serve the country are beautiful traits of teacher-student morality in the behavioral culture of Vietnamese people. Perhaps, there are few places that have the custom of “visiting teachers on the third day of Tet” like in our country.

Quang Nam is a land famous for respecting teachers. In the past, when Confucianism flourished, in Quang Ngai there were 3 holy temples and pagodas built, with regular spring and autumn sacrifices (twice a year in the 3rd and 8th lunar months). According to Dr. Nguyen Dang Vu - former Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, since the 16th year of Gia Long (1815), in Quang Ngai there was a rather impressive Phu Nhon Temple of Literature with a main hall, left and right wings. In the 20th year of Minh Mang, the Khai Thanh Temple was built in Phu Nhon Temple of Literature, with Thien But as the front screen, and the two mountains Thien An and Long Dau as "the left blue dragon, the right white tiger". During Tu Duc's reign, there were also Mo Duc holy temples and Chuong Nghia temple of literature, traces of which still remain and have been restored. In large villages and communes, there were also writings. Temples of literature, holy places of literature, temples of literature, and shrines in the province are not only places to promote the spirit of learning, but also to honor the relationship between teachers and students, passing on to generations the tradition of respecting teachers and valuing education.

The tradition of respecting teachers has been continued by the people of Quang through generations and promoted through meaningful and touching actions. For example, to commemorate and show gratitude to the late Distinguished Teacher Nguyen Dinh Thang, a great teacher of the Vietnamese Han Nom discipline, generations of students, including many in Quang Ngai, contributed to erecting a stele at the teacher's grave in his hometown, in Binh Phuoc commune (Binh Son). The stele was written solemnly, praising the teacher's talent and extraordinary personality, making many people moved by the gratitude between teachers and students in life.

In the Vietnamese language, the word “teacher” is always associated with a solemn nuance and the two words “teacher and student” always evoke a noble, sacred feeling. For the Vietnamese, “one word is a teacher, half a word is also a teacher”. Because respecting teachers is a noble moral tradition of the Vietnamese people and that tradition will always be continued and preserved despite many changes in life.

PHAM TUAN VU

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