The Doctrine of the Mean
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Summary
Traditionally attributed to Kong Ji (Zisi), grandson of Confucius, during the Warring States period, The Doctrine of the Mean originally formed the thirty-first chapter of the Book of Rites. It was later compiled by the Song scholar Zhu Xi into the Four Books and became a core classic of Confucianism. Written in an argumentative style, the work systematically expounds Confucian philosophy of mind and nature and the art of conducting oneself, centering on ideas such as the mean, central harmony, and sincerity. It profoundly explains the unity of Heaven and humanity in the idea that what Heaven confers is called nature, following one's nature is called the Way, and cultivating the Way is called teaching, and it clarifies the essence of the mean as impartiality and neither excess nor deficiency. It sets out principles for self-cultivation such as being watchful over oneself when alone and fully realizing one's nature through utmost sincerity, and methods for study and practice such as studying extensively, inquiring earnestly, reflecting carefully, discerning clearly, and practicing earnestly. The language is concise and profound, the meaning subtle and penetrating, and the work covers a complete system of personal cultivation, social ethics, and state governance.
Editor's review
The Doctrine of the Mean is the most philosophically profound of the Four Books. This edition is based on Zhu Xi's annotated compilation and presents in full its theory of mind and nature and its wisdom for conducting oneself. Beginning with the line what Heaven confers is called nature, the work connects the Heavenly Way with human nature and then descends to the mean as impartiality and neither excess nor deficiency, subtle in meaning yet never removed from daily life. Doctrines such as being watchful over oneself when alone and fully realizing one's nature through utmost sincerity point to the work of inner cultivation, while studying extensively, inquiring earnestly, reflecting carefully, discerning clearly, and practicing earnestly provides a complete ladder for learning and practice that remains directly instructive today. The language is concise and profound, and some chapters require repeated chewing before their layers can be appreciated. It suits careful reading after some grounding in Confucianism, and also readers with a sustained interest in the philosophy of mind and nature and moral cultivation. It should be read slowly rather than quickly; where passages are abstract, readers may cross-check them against the annotations and their own experience, and need not strive to fully grasp them in one reading.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who have read the Great Learning or the Analects and wish to go further
- Thinkers interested in Confucian theories of mind and nature and moral philosophy
- Teachers and researchers seeking reference points for methods of study and self-cultivation
- Readers who enjoy close reading of short classics and are willing to chew over them repeatedly
Not a good fit for
- Readers new to Confucian classics who hope to start with light reading
- Those expecting plot-driven content or quick conclusions
- Those impatient with abstract discussion of meaning who want only practical maxims
Reading tips
- Read through Zhu Xi's annotations first to grasp the main point of each chapter, then reread the original without annotations to feel its tone
- Copy out one passage each on core concepts such as being watchful over oneself when alone, sincerity, and central harmony, and compare their usage
- Use studying extensively, inquiring earnestly, reflecting carefully, discerning clearly, and practicing earnestly as a method of reading and put it into practice as you go
- After finishing, write a short essay explaining in your own words why the mean is not compromise
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一章
- 第二章
- 第三章
- 第四章
- 第五章
- 第六章
- 第七章
- 第八章
- 第九章
- 第十章
- 第十一章
- 第十二章
- 第十三章
- 第十四章
- 第十五章
- 第十六章
- 第十七章
- 第十八章
- 第十九章
- 第二十章
- 第二十一章
- 第二十二章
- 第二十三章
- 第二十四章
- 第二十五章
- 第二十六章
- 第二十七章
- 第二十八章
- 第二十九章
- 第三十章
- 第三十一章
- 第三十二章
- 第三十三章
FAQ
Does the mean teach people to be good-natured compromisers who smooth things over?
No. The book emphasizes impartiality and neither excess nor deficiency, meaning grasping the appropriate degree rather than making unprincipled concessions. Zhu Xi's annotations also point out that the mean is the standard of just right, which requires a very high level of cultivation to achieve and is essentially different from the goody-goody smoothing over of differences.
Which is more suitable to read first, the Doctrine of the Mean or the Great Learning?
It is generally suggested to read the Great Learning first, because its structure is clear and its items distinct, making it easy to build a framework; the Doctrine of the Mean is more abstract in meaning, involving mind and nature and the Heavenly Way, and is smoother to read after some grounding in the Great Learning. Of course, if you are especially interested in the philosophy of mind and nature, you may also read the Doctrine of the Mean directly.
How should the concept of sincerity in the book be understood?
In the Doctrine of the Mean, sincerity is both a state of being true and without delusion and the realm that cultivation seeks. The book moves from sincerity as the Way of Heaven to sincerity as the Way of man, unifying innate truthfulness with acquired effort, and extends to fully realizing one's nature through utmost sincerity, that is, through the work of sincerity fully realizing one's own nature and the nature of all things.
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About the author
孔伋
Author
Kong Ji was a Confucian scholar in ancient China. His life, nationality and exact dates of birth and death are not clearly recorded in publicly available sources. Judging from the three works held in the library, his writings focus on Eastern philosophy. His representative works include Zhongyong (The Doctrine of the Mean), Zisizi and a modern Chinese edition of Zisizi. Zhongyong has long been regarded as an important Confucian classic; concise in wording and profound in meaning, it discusses the relationship between the Way of Heaven and human nature and has exerted a strong influence on later Confucianism. Zisizi preserves fragments of his thought and sayings, much of which concerns self-cultivation and the art of governance. Because public information is limited, the details of his life cannot be described at length, yet these few works already show his place in the transmission of Confucian thought. His style is calm and restrained, devoted to expounding principles rather than to narrative.
