惟有读书高 meaning in English

to be a scholar is to be the top of society

To be a scholar is to be the top of society .
万般皆下品，惟有读书高。
The reasons resulted from the influence of the traditional confucian thought , i . e . " all other callings now rank first , the study of books is last and worst " and from the prominent geography , which had produced many generals and ministers , intensifying the hunanese ' s zeal for official careers
其主要原因：一是传统儒家“万般皆下品，惟有读书高”思想的影响；二是湖南在中国近、现代历史上“中兴将相，什九湖湘”的显赫地理，更强化了湘人从政的热忱。