"The Great Learning" was originally the 42nd chapter of "Book of Rites". In the Song Dynasty, brothers Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi extracted it from the "Book of Rites" and compiled it into chapters. Zhu Xi compiled the "Great Learning", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius" into annotations and called them the "Four Books". From then on, "The Great Learning" became a Confucian classic. As for the author of "The Great Learning", Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi considered it to be "Kong's last words".
Zhu Xi reorganized "The Great Learning" into one chapter of "Classics" and ten chapters of "Biography". It is believed that "one chapter of the Classic contains Confucius' words, and Zengzi recounted them; ten chapters of the biography contain Zengzi's meaning, and his followers recorded them." That is to say, "Classic" is Confucius's words, and Zengzi recorded them; "Zhuan" is the Zengzi's words explaining the "Jing" were recorded by Zengzi's students.
Excerpts from the original text:
The so-called people who rule the country in peace should make the people filial when the superiors are old, the people will be fraternal when the superiors are old, and show sympathy to the orphans but the people will not be doubled. This is A gentleman has the right and correct way. What is evil to those above, do not do it to those below; what is evil to those below, do not do it to those above; what is done to the front, do not do it in order; what do you do to the back, do not do it to the former; what do you do to the right, do not do it to the left; Those who are evil to the left should not be handed over to the right; this is called the way of justice.
"Poetry" says: "Only gentlemen are happy, and they are the parents of the people." What the people like well, what the people dislike, and what they dislike, these are called the parents of the people. "Poetry" says: "The Nanshan Mountains are bounded by rocks and rocks. The masters are illustrious, and the people are eager to see them." Those who have a country must not be careless, and they will be slaughtered by the world. "Poetry" says: "The Yin people have not lost their masters, but they are worthy of God. The etiquette is based on the Yin Dynasty, and the command is not easy." If the Tao wins people, the country will be won, but if it loses people, the country will be lost.
That’s why a gentleman should be cautious first of all. There are people with virtue, there is soil for people, there is wealth for people with soil, and there is usefulness for those who have wealth. Virtue is the foundation, wealth is the end. The external foundation is the internal end, fighting for the people and giving away things. Therefore, when wealth gathers, the people disperse, and when wealth disperses, the people gather. Therefore, if something contradicts something and comes out, it also comes in contrary to what is said; if something contradicts something and comes in, it also comes out contrary to what is said. "Kang Gao" says: "But fate is not always the same." If you are good, you will get it, if you are not good, you will lose it.
"Chu Shu" said: "The Chu State has no treasures, but good deeds." The uncle said: "The dead are not treasures, but benevolence and relatives are." "Qin Oath" said: " If there is a minister who has absolutely no other skills, his heart will be at rest, and his appearance will be as good as others. If a person has skills, it is as if he has them; if a person is a sage, his heart is as good as if it comes from his mouth.
It would be beneficial if we could tolerate it to protect my descendants and the common people! If a person has skills, I will hate him; if he is a sage and disobeys him, I will not be able to do so. I cannot tolerate it. , If you can't protect my descendants and the people, it's too bad! "Only the benevolent people exile them and invade the barbarians, and they don't agree with China." This means that only benevolent people can love others and hate others.
To see the good but not be able to lift them up, to lift them up but not be the first to do so, is a destiny; to see the bad and not be able to retreat, to retreat but not be far away, is a transgression. What good people hate, evil people like, this means that if you mess with people's nature, disaster will surely catch you. Therefore, if a gentleman has a great road, he must be loyal and trustworthy to gain it, and arrogant and arrogant to lose it. There is a great way to make money. If you give birth to many people, if you eat it you will have few people. If you use it, you will get sick. If you use it, you will feel comfortable. Then you will have enough wealth.
A benevolent person uses wealth to make a fortune, and an unkind person uses his body to make a fortune. There is no one who is benevolent at the top but not righteous at the bottom. There is no one who does not have good righteousness and his deeds are not finished. There is no one who does not have wealth in the treasury. Mencius Xianzi said: "It is better to have robbers than to have ministers who gather together."
This means that the country does not regard profit as profit, but righteousness as profit. Those who want to grow a country and take care of finances must become a small person. He is a good person, and the villain is responsible for the country, and disasters will come. Although there are good people, they are nothing like them! This means that the country does not regard profit as profit, but righteousness as profit.
Vernacular translation:
To bring peace to the world, you must first govern your own country. Because if the person in the upper position respects the elderly, the people will respect the elderly; if the person in the upper position respects the elder brother, the people will respect the elder brother; if the person in the upper position loves the orphan, the people will not be unfaithful. Therefore, the words and deeds of a gentleman have an exemplary role.
If you hate what your superiors do, don’t treat your subordinates the same way; if you hate what your subordinates do, don’t treat your superiors the same way; if you hate what those before me did, don’t treat your subordinates the same way. Do not treat those who are after me in the same way and hate what those who are after me do in the same way. Do not treat those who are before me in the same way and hate what those who are on my right hand do.
Don’t use the same method to interact with the people on my left side; if you hate what the people on my left side do, don’t use the same method to interact with the people on my right side. This is what is called a role model. The Book of Songs says: "Happy king, you are the parents of the people." He loves what the people like, and hates what the people hate. This is what is called the parents of the people.
The "Book of Songs" says: "The high Nanshan Mountain, with its many mountains. Grand Master Yin, everyone looks up to you." People who rule the country must be cautious, and if they make mistakes, they will be punished by the world. The people were killed. "The Book of Songs" says: "When the Yin Dynasty did not lose its people, it could cooperate with the will of God.
We should take the fall of the Yin Dynasty as a lesson. The destiny of heaven is not easy to come by." This means that it is hard to win the people. If you gain the support of the people, you will gain the country; if you lose the support of the people, you will lose the country. Therefore, a gentleman should cultivate his virtue carefully. Only with virtue can we gain the people, with the people can we have a country, with the country can we have wealth, and only with wealth can we enjoy it.
Virtue is the foundation and wealth is the end. If you put the cart before the horse, people will fight and rob each other.
Therefore, if wealth is gathered in the hands of the king, the people will be scattered; if wealth is dispersed to the people, the people will gather around the king.
So if you speak unreasonable words to others, others will also speak unreasonable words to you. The wealth obtained through unreasonable methods will also be taken away by others through unreasonable methods. "Kang Gao" says: "The destiny is not consistent." If you have good virtues, you will get the destiny, and if you have bad virtues, you will lose the destiny.
The "Book of Chu" says: "The Chu State has nothing that can be treasured, but only its virtues." The uncle said: "The exiles have nothing that can be treasured, but only their beloved relatives." Treat it as a treasure. "
"The Oath of Qin" says: "If there is such a minister, although he has no talent, he is honest and generous, and can tolerate others' talents as he himself does; If someone has both ability and political integrity, he sincerely likes him, not just in words. If he can retain this person, he will be able to protect my descendants.
How beneficial it is to the people. , I am jealous and disgusted; if someone has both virtue and talent, I will prevent him from displaying his talents. He cannot protect my descendants. This kind of person is really dangerous. "Only a benevolent person can avoid this kind of jealousy. Wise people were exiled and driven to remote areas so that they could not stay in the center of the country.
This is called only benevolent people can love and hate others. To see a wise man but not recommend him, to recommend him but not to use him as soon as possible is a sign of neglect. It is a mistake to see bad people but not abandon them, and to abandon them but not exile them to a distant place. To like what others dislike and hate what others like is contrary to human nature, and disaster will inevitably befall him.
Therefore, all the noble virtues of a gentleman can only be obtained by being loyal and honest, and will be lost by arrogance and wantonness. The principle of getting rich is as follows: more people produce wealth and fewer people consume it; work quickly and use it slowly, so that you can stay rich forever. A virtuous person will give up money to cultivate his character, while an unvirtuous person will give up his life to seek wealth.
There is no one in the upper position who loves kindness but those in the lower position do not love loyalty; there is no one who loves loyalty but cannot complete his career; there is no person in the treasury who does not ultimately belong to the king. Mencius Xianzi said: "A person who owns a cart and four horses should not care about the wealth of a chicken and a pig; the family of a high official does not raise cattle and sheep; a person who owns a hundred carriages should not raise retainers who amass wealth.
It is better to have thief-like retainers than to have retainers who amass people's wealth." This means that the country should not regard wealth as interests, but should regard benevolence and righteousness as interests. Those who are in charge of national affairs are only committed to the accumulation of wealth. This must be the opinion of a villain.
If you think this approach is good and villains are used to serve the country, then disasters will come together. Even if there are virtuous ministers, it will not help! This means that the country should not regard financial gains as interests, but should regard benevolence and righteousness as interests.
This article comes from the extended information of the Spring and Autumn Period Zeng's "Book of Rites·The University"
Writing background:
"The University" is an article that discusses Confucian self-cultivation and national peace. The essay "The Thoughts of the World" was originally the 42nd chapter of "The Book of Rites of Xiao Dai". According to legend, it was written by Zeng Zi. It is actually a Confucian work of the Qin and Han Dynasties. It is an important work discussing educational theory in ancient China.
After Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi of the Northern Song Dynasty tried their best to respect it, Zhu Xi of the Southern Song Dynasty also wrote "Great Learning Chapters", which was eventually called the "Four Books" together with "The Doctrine of the Mean", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius". After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, "The Great Learning" became the official school textbook and a required reading for imperial examinations, which had a great impact on ancient Chinese education.
"The University" focuses on the important relationship between improving personal cultivation, cultivating good moral character, and governing the country and the world. The central idea can be summarized as "cultivating oneself to bring peace to the people", and it is based on the three principles of "clear virtue, being close to the people, and striving for perfection" and the eight items of "investigating things, seeking knowledge, sincerity, righteousness, self-cultivation, ordering the family, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world". " as the theme.
The outlook on life proposed in "The Great Learning" is inextricably linked to Confucianism, and is basically a further expansion of the Confucian outlook on life. This outlook on life requires paying attention to personal cultivation and embracing positive goals. This cultivation and requirement is based on Confucian ethics as its main connotation.
The Three Cardinal Guidelines and Eight Eyes have class characteristics. "Mingde" and "Supreme Goodness" are the political requirements and ethical standards of feudalism for the monarch; the eight items such as "Studying Things" and "Zhizhi" are in cultivation The issue requires integration with the political ideas and ethical thoughts in the Three Programs.
About the author:
Zengzi (505 BC - 435 BC), surnamed Si, Zeng, given name Shen (shēn), courtesy name Ziyu, Nanwu of the state of Lu A native of Chengcheng (now Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province). A thinker in the late Spring and Autumn Period, one of the disciples of Confucius in his later years, an important representative of the Confucian school, and a descendant of Xia Yu.
Advocating the Confucian thought with "filial piety, forgiveness, loyalty and trust" as the core, the political outlook of "cultivating Qi Zhi Ping", the cultivation outlook of "introspection and being cautious about independence", and the filial piety outlook of "taking filial piety as the foundation" still have its characteristics today. Extremely valuable social significance and practical value. Zengzi participated in the compilation of "The Analects of Confucius" and wrote "The Great Learning", "The Classic of Filial Piety", "Zengzi Ten Chapters" and other works.
He died in the sixth year of King Kao of Zhou Dynasty (435 BC) at the age of seventy-one. Zengzi occupies an important position in the history of the development of Confucianism. Later generations revered him as the "Zongsheng" and became one of the four concubines who were entitled to enjoy the Confucius Temple, second only to the "Fusheng" Yan Yuan.