J Confucius, copyright 2008 by John Glines Di Zi Gui is an ancient Chinese book. Translated into English, the words Di Zi Gui  mean standards for being a good student and child. In ancient China, this book provided moral instruction to children before they entered school. Here in the reading room you can access the complete text yourself. Although Di Zi Gui is based on Confucian teachings, the fundamental principle underlying Di Zi Gui is also the foundation of the Chinese culture, which encompasses the Three Teachings - Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Although the book is ancient, its underlying moral principles are still valid today. In the recent past, Di Zi Gui has been experiencing a revival. Both parents and teachers have come to realize that they need guidelines to teach their children moral behavior so that the children will grow up to be law abiding citizens with a strong sense of ethics. Both parents and teachers are motivated to use this book because they want their children to have a bright and promising future that will lead them to a path of ultimate happiness. A word of caution: in order to teach Di Zi Gui effectively, both teachers and  parents must first practice the teachings of Di Zi Gui themselves before they are able to teach Di Zi Gui to their children. In Chinese history, Confucius has always been considered the greatest and best teacher. His influence extends throughout the world today. Confucius believed that moral principles, virtues and discipline should be the very first lessons taught to a child, and that children need to practice them daily. It is most important to the ancient Chinese parents that their children learn moral principles and virtues first – before any other subject, because without moral principles, the learning of all other subjects would be futile. Today, we live in a tumultuous world where the relationships among people, and between people and their environment are failing. Parents do not know how to act like parents. Our minds are confused and have become polluted. Our family unit is also disintegrating, as evidenced by an ever-increasing divorce rate. Even our physical existence is no longer guaranteed with global warming. We are not just fearful for our futures but the futures of our children. In reintroducing this book, I hope all parents, teachers and children will find  Di Zi Gui helpful in guiding them through life's difficulties. Because the standards of Di Zi Gui were used in ancient China when only the male child was allowed to enter school, all the pronouns used in the original text are of the male gender. For today's society, the standards apply equally to all children, male and female. All the footnotes in this book are added to help readers understand the text. Chinese characters contain extensive and profound meanings. If the readers feel I have not yet fully explained the text, I welcome your comments and corrections.