孟母三迁（mèng mǔ sān qiān）

孟母三迁（mèng mǔ sān qiān; Mencius's mother relocated three times for the sake of her son's education

This refers to the story of Mencius's mother, Zhang, moving house three times before finding a location that she felt was suitable for the child's upbringing. As an expression, the idiom refers to the importance of finding the proper environment for raising children.

Mencius's father died when he was very young and Zhang raised her son alone. They were very poor. At first they lived by a cemetery, where the mother found that her son was developing t he worrying habit of imitating the paid mourners in funeral processions. Mencius often amused himself with acting the scenes he saw at the cemetery, mimicking the mourners and grave diggers with other boys. Mother Meng decided it was not a neighborhood to bring up a child. Therefore she decided to move.

The next house was near a market in the town. There, the boy began to imitate the cries of merchants, who were despised in ancient China because they made a living by simply buying and selling what others had labored to produce. Mencius took to playing the part of a street peddler, hawking goods and haggling with customers. Mother Meng decided to move again.

This time she took care to examine the neighborhood. Their new home was near a school. Inspired by the scholars and students, Mencius began to settle down to his studies. Finally Mencius became a one of the most famous scholars in the China.