立志篇 The Chapter of Ambition 1
大鹏之志 《庄子》 The Ambition of a Roc 3
蜀鄙之僧 彭端淑《白鹤堂集》 Two Monks in the Frontier of Sichuan 6
岳飞分赐沉香 黄元振《百氏昭忠录》 Yue Fei Distributing Aloeswood Incense 9
张溥抄书 《明史·张溥传》 Zhang Pu Copying Books 12
赵广断指画观音 陆游《老学庵笔记》Painting the Bodhisattva Guanyin with One Thumb Missing 15
小子安知壮士之志 范晔《后汉书·班超列传》How Can You Possibly Understand a Hero’s Ambition？ 19
求知篇 The Chapter of Learning 23
炳烛之光 刘向《说苑》 The Light of a Candle 25
担薪诵书 班固《汉书·朱买臣传》 Reading Aloud While Carrying Firewood 28
薜谭学讴 《列子·汤问》 Learning Vocal Music 31
说话诀窍 《墨子·言语》 The Secret of Talking 34
婆媳棋局 李肇《唐国史补》 A Game of Chess Between Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law 37
人才篇 The Chapter of Talent 41
不爱丑恶 《说苑·臣术》 Disliking Ugly Things 43
韩信受辱胯下 司马迁《史记·淮阴侯列传》 Going Through Under the Butcher’s Legs 46
孔融少年机智 刘义庆《世说新语》 Kong Rong’s Quick Wits in Childhood 49
超迁 班固《汉书·贾宜传》 Speedy Promotion 53
守卫尽职 李肇《唐国史补》 Keeping the Best Guard 55
马皇后论宝 余继登《典故纪闻》 Queen Ma Commenting on the Treasures 58
德性篇 The Chapter of Morality 63
恶者贵，美者贱《庄子·山木》 The Ugly Is Noble，the Beautiful Is Base 65
宝贝《左传·襄公十五年》 The Treasure 68
大公无私 《吕氏春秋》 Most Selfless 70
匈奴不灭，无以家为 班固《汉书·霍去病传》How Dare I Make My Home Before Wiping Out the Xiongnu 74
大树将军 范晔《后汉书·冯异传》“Tall-Tree General” 77
天知，神知，我知，子知 范晔《后汉书·杨震列传》 No Absolute Secret 79
以此遗之，不亦厚乎 范晔《后汉书·杨震列传》 To Bequeath Them with Morality，Is That Not Also Precious？ 82
糟糠之妻不下堂 范晔《后汉书·宋弘列传》 A First Wife in Poverty Should Not Be Forsaken 85
爱莲说 周敦颐 Ode to the Lotus 89
教化篇 The Chapter of Teaching 93
曾子教子 《韩非子·外储说左上》 Zengxi Teaching His Son 95
为父浣洒 班固《汉书·万石君传》 Washing Father’s Underclothes Personally 98
李存审戒子 司马光《资治通鉴》 General Li Cunshen’s Advice to His Sons 100
惠子善譬 《说苑》 Making Good Use of Metaphors and Analogies 103
教学相长 《礼记》 To Teach Is to Learn 107
三友 《论语·季氏篇》 Three Kinds of Friends 109
三戒 《论语·季氏篇》 Three Exhortations 111
三乐 《论语·季氏篇》 Three Delights 113
习惯说 刘蓉 On Habit 115
哲理篇 The Chapter of Philosophy 119
学无所用 《说苑》 Your Skills are Useless 121
世无良猫 乐钧《耳食录》 There Is Not a Single Good Cat in the World 124
瞎子摸象 《涅盘经》 The Blind Touching an Elephant 127
晏子使楚《晏子春秋》 The Ambassador to the State of Chu 130
比美 《战国策》 Who Is Better-looking？ 133
窍鸡贼 魏息园《不用刑审判书》 The Hen Thief 137
天下无马 韩愈《昌黎先生集》 There Is Not a Single Good Horse in the World 140
不禁火，民安作 范晔《后汉书·廉范传》 People Working at Night with Lamps 143
三世廷尉 范晔《后汉书·郭躬列传》 Three Generations on the Chair of Supreme Law Court 146
令反侧子自安 范晔《后汉书·光武帝纪》 Let the Half-hearted Personnel Feel at Ease 149
赵括之母 刘向《列女传》 Zhao Kuo’s Mother 152
子产知奸 王充《论衡·韩非》 Zi Chan Realizing the Adultery 157
假药误人 柳宗元《柳河东集》 The False Medicinal Herbs Harming Patients 160
智愚篇 The Chapter of Wit 163
姜从何生 江盈科《雪涛小说》 Where Does Ginger Grow？ 165
长生术 孔鲋《孔丛子》 The Magic Art of Longevity 167
曹冲称象 陈寿《三国志》 Cao Chong Weighing an Elephant 169
误抄祭文 方飞鸿《广谈助》 Copying the Wrong Funeral Oration 172
刻舟求剑 《吕氏春秋·察今》 Marking the Boat for the Lost Sword 175
牧童评画 苏轼《东坡志林》 A Cowherd Commenting on the Painting 178
智匠喻皓 沈括《梦溪笔谈》 A Wise Architect 181
画蛇添足 刘向《战国策》 Adding Feet to the Snake 185
痴人说梦《笑笑录》 Is Takes a Fool to Talk Twaddle 188
嗟来之食《礼记·檀弓下》Food Given in an Impolite Manner 191
悔改篇 The Chapter of Repentance 195
裴矩进谏 司马光《资治通鉴》 Pei Ju s Admonition 197
宋太祖怕史官 司马光《涑水纪闻》Emperor Song Taizu Fearing the Historiographer 201
七步成诗 刘义庆《世说新语》Verses Composed in Seven Paces 204
停建中天台 刘向《新序·刺奢》 No Mid-sky Tower Is to Be Built 207
讽喻篇 The Chapter of Allegory 211
枭将东徙 刘向《说苑·说丛》 An Owl Moving to the East 213
医人治驼 江盈科《雪涛小说》 Curing the Hunchback 215
外科医生 江盈科《雪涛小说》 The Surgeon 218
半日闲 冯梦龙《古今谭概》 A Halfday’s Rest 221
狐假虎威 刘向《战国策》 The Fox Borrowing the Tiger’s Terror 224
一窍不通 辜鸿铭《张文襄幕府闻》 Both Are Greek to Me 227
止母念佛 浮白斋主人《雅谑》 Preventing Mother from Chanting Scriptures 230
阉羊 陆灼《艾子后语》 Castration Does Not Help 233
说谎老君 冯梦龙《广笔府》 Laojun Telling a Lie 236
黔之驴 柳宗元《柳河东集》 The Ass Brought to Guizhou 239