‘A good teacher enables others to continue the purpose.’ The sentence comes from the Xue Ji chapter of the Book of Rites. It follows a comparison with a fine singer whose voice invites others to carry on the song. The next line praises speech that is concise yet clear, subtle yet sound, and sparing in analogy yet understandable.
To ‘continue the purpose’ is not to copy the teacher's words. It is to understand the intention and become able to carry it further. Today, the sentence suggests that teaching should not be judged only by how much the teacher says, but by whether the learner can keep the inquiry moving after the explanation ends.
https://ctext.org/liji/xue-ji/zh
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hans/礼记/学记
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