Three Moves by Mencius’ Mother
孟母三迁
In Biographies of Outstanding Women·The Biography of Mencius' Mother，Liu Xiang recorded:Meng Ke's mother, also known as Mencius' moth-er，is a great mother of Zou State. Meng Ke，later known as Mencius，lived near agraveyard in his childhood. Therefore，as he played，he amused himself by imita-ting the others' digging tombs. His mother said，“It's not good for a child to live in this kind of place.”They moved to a house near a market. Then the son took pleasure in imitating the peddler's hawking. Again the mother said，“It's not good for a child to live here.”She changed their residence a second time and housed themselves near a school. There her son played imitating the sacrificial rites on cer-emony and formalities of courtesy. The mother said，“This is the right place for a child.”They settled there. After Meng Ke grew up，he acquired six classical arts (rites，music，archery，riding，writing and arithmetic) and became a scholar well-known for his erudition and one of the representatives of Confucianism. Since then this idiom has been used to eulogize mothers' inculcation.
据汉刘向《列女传·母仪·邹孟柯母》记载:邹国孟柯的母亲很了不起，人称孟母。开始的时候，孟柯的家靠近墓地，当时孟柯还很小，整天在坟墓之间玩耍，蹦蹦跳跳地玩一些筑坟埋葬之类的游戏。孟母说:“这里不是我们可以居住教子的地方。”于是就搬走了，在市场旁边找了间房子住了下来。孟柯又开始玩一些商人叫卖之类的游戏。孟母又说:“这里也不是我们可以居住教子的地方。”于是第三次搬家，住到了学宫旁边。孟子便开始玩一些设供祭礼、揖让进退之类的游戏。孟母说:“这个地方真的可以让我的儿子住下来了。”于是就住了下来。孟子长大成人后，精通六艺，成了一位博学鸿儒。后人因此将“孟母三迁”用作颂扬母教之词。
。