In an office, there are files of all sorts and types. In a kitchen, there are bottles and cans of all shapes and sizes. For the sake of convenience, we often stick labels on things to make them easier to identify. Can we also put labels on people? During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, a well-known doctor named Yuyi Chun offended some people of power and position. As a result, he was falsely accused, arrested, and delivered to the imperial capital to have his face branded (tattooed). His youngest daughter, Tiying, traveled thousands of miles and followed him all the way to the capital. She wrote to the emperor asking that he give her father a chance to reform by revoking the punishment of having his face branded. “People can change and reform, but the branding on the face can never be erased,” she reasoned. Consequently, Emperor Wen proclaimed that it was his own fault that people were committing offenses, because he had not fulfilled his responsibility in teaching the populace. How could he bear to inflict such a punishment on the populace? Therefore, not only was Yuyi Chun released, but the punishment of branding the face was also abolished. Had it not been for the kindness of Emperor Wen, then even with a daughter as filial as Tiying, Yuyi Chun would not have been saved.

From this story we know that the practice of putting “labels” on people existed even in ancient China. In ancient Greece and Egypt, there were also many examples of this. The bracelets, anklets, rings, earrings, and other ornaments that modern women love to wear were actually used as marks of slavery at that time. While the tendency to discriminate has always been a part of the human nature, time buries the traces of the past. Confucius said, “How could those who do evil have descendants?” Those who initiated the practice of “people labeling” are precisely those who are afraid that things will be over with and forgotten. The damage it does to people is invisible, and its effect swift. It is much more than not having descendants.

Instead of fostering a harmonious atmosphere, today’s teachers put labels on students without hesitation. Where is their wisdom and humaneness in doing so? Can people with no wisdom and humaneness be teachers? It is human nature to enjoy good things and dislike bad ones. Who doesn’t like praise? Who likes to be labeled? Teachers should be able to coax their students into good behavior quite easily; however, instead of using the method of positive reinforcement, they wear themselves out inventing all kinds of labels to put on students, eventually provoking rebellion from the students. Is it worth the effort? “One should not do to others what one would not want done to oneself.” Trying to label students or to fit them into fixed categories hurts them deeply in indescribable ways. While growing up is inevitably a painful process, how can teachers bear to increase the pain?

Educating children requires tremendous care and effort. When children are not doing well, aside from reflecting and improving ourselves, we need to put ourselves in their shoes and try to find out where the problems lie, and help them overcome their obstacles. Teachers may also display anger when necessary, but the children should still be able to feel their kindness and concern. With a kind and compassionate heart, we should care for them and help them resolve their problems. Being kind and compassionate does not mean spoiling them. On the other hand, if we casually put labels on children, then we are really abandoning them. When children feel that teachers have given up on them, they will give up on themselves even faster!

Well-intentioned teachers have sometimes warned me as well as other students, “So-and-so is a bad kid [there are many different labels, such as: mentally imbalanced, dishonest, wild, arrogant, impolite, sneaky, blatant, overbearing...] Don’t let other kids be with him, for he might be a bad influence on them.” Such “concern” appalls me. A child who is thus labelled by his teacher will undoubtedly be deeply hurt, and his relationships with other children will be ruined. While it is easy to casually stick labels on things, without regard for whether or not they are appropriate, it is not so easy to remove them. Maybe we can tear off the label and clean off the glue, but our mental impression of the label cannot be erased so readily. That’s how it is with visible labels for objects. When we put invisible labels on people, the sense of degradation and frustration that they feel may be so severe that it becomes a recurring nightmare.

Whenever I see a child living under the shadow of a label, my heart goes out to that child. Living in the Saha world is bad enough; how can we bear to hurt each other? Our children are the future pillars of the society and the nation. If they grow up with crippled bodies and minds, they will become like wood infested with termites. How can we expect them to support skyscrapers? The repercussions do not stop with the person who gets labeled. When one person is hurt, the whole family is affected; when one family is troubled, the entire society is affected; when the society is unwell, the whole nation is harmed. How can teachers not be cautious?

The Venerable Master Hua said it well, “Teachers should be endowed with kindness and compassion, as well as patience. You should teach even bad children so that they become good. The good ones are already good. They are not good as a result of your teaching. If you can teach and influence bad children to become good children, that will be truly wonderful. On the other hand, if children are good to begin with, what need is there for you to teach them?” I hope all teachers will think this over carefully!