32. To derive the implications from the name of a subject is always advisable.

古人比父子為橋梓①，比兄弟為花萼，比朋友為芝蘭，敦倫者，當即物窮理也；今人稱諸生曰秀才，稱貢生曰明經，稱舉人曰孝廉②，為士者，當顧名思義也。

【中文注釋】

① 橋梓：也即喬梓。喬的樹幹高大，梓的樹幹低矮，古人常將它們比作父與子。

② 秀才、明經、孝廉：皆為明清時人們對考取這三個不同科舉功名的學生的敬稱。秀才是明清兩代對生員的通稱，傳承自漢朝，別稱茂才，原指才之秀者，始見於《管子·小匡篇》；明經是一種官員舉薦遴選科目，因被舉薦者須明習經學，故以“明經”為名，始於漢武帝時期，至宋神宗時期被廢除；孝廉是漢武帝時設立的察舉和任用官員的一種考試科目，是“孝順親長、廉能正直”的意思，明清兩代以“孝廉”這個稱呼用作對舉人的雅稱。

【今文解譯】

古人把父子關係比作喬木與梓木，把兄弟關係比作花瓣與花萼，把朋友關係比作芝草與蘭花。講究人倫大統的人，應當學會通過對事物的觀察來類比人與人之間的關係並加以善待。

今人稱通過縣級考試的讀書人為秀才，稱被地方官推薦進入太學的讀書人為明經，稱在省級考試中榜上有名的讀書人為孝廉。有誌於學的人，應當明白這些稱謂的含義並好自為之。

【English Translation】

In ancient time, people used to compare the relationship between father and son to arbor and catalpa, that between brothers to petals and sepals of a flower, and that between friends to iris and orchard. Whoever pays attention to the natural bonds and ethical principles should try his best to learn to treat them well by analogizing the substance to the significance humanly related through thorough observation.

While at present time, people take a habit of calling the students who have passed the examination at the county level as xiucai, the scholars recommended by local prefectures or county governments as mingjing, the successful candidates in the imperial examination at the provincial level as xiaolian. Whoever is interested in learning should know clearly what these titles imply and look out for himself.

以身作則 心平氣和