I remember watching the drama Jewel in the Palace many years ago. There was a line that stayed with me: “A mother is the doctor of the whole family.”

I believe many people would agree with that. But I would go a step further: Parents are a child’s very first teachers — and their most important guides.

In the Three Character Classic, it says: “To raise without teaching is the father’s fault. To teach without discipline is the teacher’s neglect.” Most modern parents, alongside their work, take on both responsibilities — to nurture and to teach. And yet, most parents are not experts in raising children.

I still remember when I had my first child. After leaving the hospital and returning home, I placed the baby in the cot — and immediately felt a sense of uncertainty.

What do I do next?

And so began a cycle of constant learning, practising, and learning again.

Even in professional fields — doctors, engineers — people must continue studying and undergo regular assessments in order to maintain their qualifications. How could parents be any different?

A child is constantly growing. At every stage, their development — physical, emotional, cognitive — is different. Every single day presents a new challenge. How could we not keep learning?

For new parents, there are always experienced elders around us — generous, well-meaning, and willing to share what they know about daily life.

But when it comes to early education — especially something as important as language learning — experience alone is not enough.

We need the right tools.

At the time, I could not find a suitable one. So I created one for my own child.

The Sage Formula (思展方程式).

Every lesson, every character, every small story was shaped with care, thought, and hope. Later, as I watched my child grow, I felt a wish to share this tool with other parents.

Fortunately, I received support from a senior figure in the publishing world who was approaching retirement. With his encouragement, we published Basic Chinese 500 in the simplest possible form, and in the smallest quantity.

There was no experience. No marketing. It simply appeared quietly on the shelves.

And yet, even more fortunately, it was quickly recognised by parents and teachers.

Emails began to arrive. Messages appeared on Facebook. Each one brought surprise — and a deep sense of gratitude.

Some parents said the programme saved them from having to research and design their own curriculum.

Others said it became a kind of companion — something that supported them emotionally along what can often feel like a long and lonely journey of raising a child.

Gradually, a community formed. Parents who had used the programme began sharing their experiences with those just starting out.

I often heard parents describe the Sage Formula as a kind of map. A map that marks a child’s learning journey — showing where they are, where they have been — so that even after a pause, they can find their way forward again.

And that is true.

All of us, at times, feel tired. We want to stop. To put things down. To rest for a while. But often, that pause becomes a stumbling point. Because once we let go, the resistance to starting again is far greater than the determination we had at the beginning. One day becomes tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes the next day.

Pressure builds. And with it, a quiet sense of guilt.

A map does not restrict our direction. But it tells us where we are. And sometimes, that is exactly what we need.

In this way, the Sage Formula gradually entered many homes and schools — and became, in its own way, a teacher to children.

At the very beginning, I deliberately chose not to give names to the characters in the books. I wanted to leave space — space for children’s own imagination.

Later, I discovered that many children had given the characters names themselves. Their sense of engagement was remarkable.

I also discovered something unexpected: Basic Chinese 500 had acquired a nickname among children — “The Tall Mountain” (《高高的山》).

I had never planned that. What I had originally created as a space for children’s imagination gradually became something more.

It became a space for parents as well — a space in which they could teach in their own way.

One Sage Formula became thousands — each one different, each shaped by a different family.

It felt like dropping a small stone into water, and watching the ripples spread.

The very first character I chose was “山” (mountain). Because it is one of the most representative pictographs — and one of the easiest for children to understand. Three simple strokes. And yet, enough to open up a wide and generous space — A space from which a child can begin their lifelong journey of learning.

It seems, after all, that I chose well.