开卷有益 — “Reading always brings benefits”

The idiom 'Kai Juan You Yi' (开卷有益), meaning 'reading always brings benefits', originates from the Song Dynasty, as recorded in Wang Pizhi's 'Shui Yan Tan Lu'.

Emperor Taizong of Song (Zhao Guangyi), after successfully unifying the country, was a strong proponent of traditional culture. He initiated the compilation of numerous ancient texts and cultural materials. During the Taiping Xingguo era (976-983 AD), he ordered the creation of three monumental encyclopedias: 'Taiping Guangji', 'Taiping Yulan', and 'Wenyuan Yinghua', making significant contributions to preserving China's cultural heritage.

'Taiping Yulan', originally named 'Taiping Bianlan', was particularly cherished by Emperor Taizong. He made a personal commitment to read three volumes every day, intending to complete the entire work within a year. Due to his dedicated reading, the book was renamed 'Taiping Yulan', signifying 'the Emperor's personal reading during the Taiping Xingguo era'.

Despite his extremely busy schedule governing the country, if he missed his daily reading due to official duties, he would make up for it on his leisure days. His attending officials, concerned about his health from prolonged study, advised him to rest. However, Emperor Taizong famously responded, 'As long as I open a book and read, there will be benefits (开卷有益), so I do not feel tired.' This story solidified the idiom's meaning, emphasizing the universal advantages and enlightenment gained from reading.