Read "University" first and establish its scale. Just like laying a foundation before building a house. "University" contains the outline of learning for others. The meaning of "university" is to teach adults, and adults are for learning. As a measure of "adult", it ranges from "honest and clean" to "nourishing qi and leveling the world". An "adult" not only cares about and understands everything in the world, but also awakens and examines every thought in his heart and cares about his country and the world. More importantly, adults connect everything, themselves and the world into an interrelated whole. Therefore, "university" not only shows a wide range of life contents including "everything-self-others", but also clarifies and points out the goals and priorities of life efforts. Therefore, Zhu stressed that the four books should be read in the university first, and the contents of the university can be used as bookshelves, and other books can be supplemented.
The second time in reading of the analects of confucius, establish the foundation. The Analects of Confucius is a record of Confucius' disciples' questions and answers, and Confucius' words are recorded in obscurity, which is the most cordial and credible. The essence of Confucianism is also included. Therefore, rereading the Analects of Confucius can help us understand and appreciate the sage's way of peace.
Read Mencius for the second time to stimulate its development. Mencius said, "I nourish my noble spirit." The writing style of Mencius is extremely magnificent, such as Mencius and Qiao Yue on Mount Tai. Confucianism originated from Confucius, and Mencius leveled its origin. Zhu took Mencius as the second Analects of Confucius, which inspired the lofty aspirations of scholars after the establishment of Dagenshu. For example, say, "A gentleman always tries to improve himself". Reading Mencius stimulates his development, which is to stimulate the diligent and healthy spirit of scholars.
Finally, read The Doctrine of the Mean and do your best. The book The Doctrine of the Mean is difficult to read and beginners ignore it. You need to read the other three books and understand the truth before you read them. In The Doctrine of the Mean, Zhu called it "Confucius teaches the heart", and "if it is allowed to develop, it will be hidden in the secret". Therefore, the doctrine of the mean is very precise and should be studied at the end.
The reading order of the Four Books not only contains Zhu's understanding of the contents of the Four Books, but also contains the profound meaning of Zhu's own education. Regarding the specific reading principles and methods of the Four Books, Zhu Zeng said:
Teach Confucius and Mencius. Confucius and Mencius are gone and can't speak. You must compare this heart with that of Confucius and Mencius, and turn Confucius and Mencius' heart into your own. When he had to say it himself, Confucius and Mencius nodded and said yes. It can be said that Confucius and Mencius can't talk and keep saying that they will go. If you say Mencius, you can't say Mencius, you can only say "Prince"!
Therefore, the most important principle of reading four books is to "manage your own heart". Readers need to care for Confucius and Mencius with their own hearts. Ancient books can't talk. If you let your own opinions and prejudices read them, you will only get your own opinions and prejudices in the end. Therefore, it is important to read the four books with an open mind, so that we can see the intentions of the ancients and appreciate their spiritual beauty.
Secondly, when reading the "Four Books", we must "immerse ourselves in one heart", and every book must be thoroughly read, and we must "read one book unfinished and the other unfinished". When reading the Analects of Confucius, there was no Mencius; Read the last paragraph, if there is no last paragraph. Otherwise, if you read here and miss there, you will be disturbed one after another.
Third, reading Mencius is different from reading the Analects of Confucius. The Analects of Confucius should be read coldly, while Mencius should be read carefully. Every word in The Analects of Confucius has its own meaning, which needs to be read word by word, memorized in the heart and thought carefully. The article in Mencius is a very long paragraph, which runs through from beginning to end and is familiar with the meaning of the text. It cannot be ignored word by word like reading the Analects.
Fourth, the words of the four saints have heavy implications and need to be read in depth. People usually only see the first superficial meaning, so they don't pursue the second meaning. Only by seeing the seams clearly and thinking deeply can we fully understand the meaning.
Finally, it is also extremely critical. Reading four books should be understood in plain life, in one's own mind and body, and practiced in one's own behavior. The four books are nothing more than a just life. The "reading" of the four books is not only "knowing" but also "doing". Therefore, in the first sentence of On the Genre of Reading Methods, Zhu said: "Reading is only the second thing for a scholar."