Huang Clan Rules

黄氏家训

 

 

敦孝悌: 孝悌为百行之道,凡为人子弟者,当尽孝悌之道,不可忍灭天性,吾族香公纯孝,为继远祖美德,兹惟望吾族子孙,宜敦孝悌于家。

睦宗族: 宗亲有万年所同,虽支分派别,则源同一脉,不可相视为秦越。兹惟吾族务宜敦一本之祖,共成宗亲之道。

和乡邻: 乡邻为同井之居,凡出入相支,守望相助,切不可相残相斗,务宜亲异姓,如同骨肉之亲也。

明礼让: 礼让为持已处世道,非徒拜跪坐揖之仪,必使亢戾不萌,骄态不作,庶可成嫌让逊顺之风。

务本业: 士农工商各有其业,古人云:业精于勤,而荒于嬉。惟务本业者,乃得自食其力;自食其力者,而敢不专其事乎。

端士品: 士为四民之首,隆其名正,以贵其实也。故宜居仁由义,以成明体达用之学。若使偷闲,不惟上达无由,且士类有玷。

隆师道: 师道为教化之本,隆师重道,正以崇其教也。若不尊从,不惟教化不行,而且有褒渎之嫌,何得漫言传道。

修坟墓: 坟墓所以藏先人之魂骸,每年宜诣墓祭扫,剪除荆榛去其泥秽,以妥祖灵。切勿挖堀抛露,致使祖宗之怨恫。

戒犯讳: 同源苗裔,每派宜择定一字为名,凡属五服之内,嗣子孙不得犯父兄伯叔之名,也当共避之。

戒争讼: 争讼非立身之道。凡争必有失,讼则终凶。宜以忍让处之为尚,勿致有断情绝义之行,免倾家荡产之悔。

戒非为: 非为乃非人生可作可为之事,凡所行者,必要光明正大,天理良心。切勿贪财设计,贪色行奸,身败名裂,无地自容。

戒犯上: 自古尊卑上下,名分昭然。不得以卑凌尊,以下犯上,宜徐行后长,勿致有犯在上之失之罪也。

戒异端: 异端乃非圣人之道,所作乃无父无君之事也。愿吾族宗盟,若闻邪术妖言,宜必远之,勿至其累害也。

戒法律: 法律者,朝庭之律例也。凡人若犯王法律条,不怕你心如钢如铁,到期必有溶化之刑矣。宜必畏之免之。

戒轻谱: 家谱之修,所以叙一本也。谱编成帙,乃一家之宝,务宜同珍重,以便考查世系。切勿抛弃,以亵祖宗也,宜共凛之。

 

Huang Clan Rules

Translation attempted by Carol Wong (Huang) Wai-Yi (Hong Kong)

1. Respect your elderly seriously, because this is a very important virtue among hundred of virtues. Do not do the reverse to destroy your nature. Descendants of Huang are expected to practice this virtue in their families.

2. Treat your relatives that are from the same Huang family well, because they are your relatives from the same origin, even though the family has been separated into different branches. Therefore do not treat each other as enemies. Unite the family as one, and love your relatives.

3. Treat your neighbors from the same village well, because you all share water from the same well. Always treat your neighbors as friends, help each other, but never try to hurt each other. Be close to your neighbors as if they are your “flesh and bone”, this is your duty.

4. Be polite and willing to give, politeness and giving are the method to deal with this world; do not only “kowtow” and greet people. In this way, you are actually playing a part in preventing proud from starting and growing. No proud, then there is modesty.

5. Do your own work. Soldiers, farmer, worker, and merchants, are the different working classes in Chinese society. The ancient people said, “ People become professional with their work. by working hard, but they become barren if they play too much.” Therefore, only those who accept their own responsibilities can make themselves able to make a living and be independent.

6. Respect people from the military, because military is the top of the four groups of people (Military, farming, worker, and merchants). Give them the rest that they deserved, as they are the ones who die for you in war. This is a very practical practice.

7. Make education the way of learning to deal with this world. This is the foundation of education.

8. Repair the ancestral graves. Every year, we should go there and pray to our ancestors.

9. Make names for your children that are balanced with tradition by not offending the elderly.

10. Avoid competition and accusation in a family. So that it does not result in breaking up the close relationships of the family, nor destruction of the family and bankruptcy.

11. Our every action must be open and justifiable by others and the heaven. Do not be greedy for money and make tricky plans, nor be sex-acholic, but to think deeply the significances behind when you see the “advantages”.

12. Avoid offending the ancestors. It has been a long tradition to notice the difference between dignity and inferiority. Do walk in the footstep of the elders.

13. Avoid deviant. Our family must work in union against this. When they hear persons speaking wick words, they should keep a distance from it, so as to avoid the harm.

14. Respect the law.

15. Treasure the clan genealogy book. It was passed down from your most ancient ancestors. Hold them close to you and our family will be great. It tells the true worth of the family.

 
English Translation Copyright
Carol Wong (Huang) Wai-Yi (Hong Kong) 2003