Although Daxue and The Doctrine of the Mean are only two books in The Book of Rites, they are important classics of Confucianism. After Zhu in the Southern Song Dynasty combined them with The Analects of Confucius and Mencius into four books, their position became more prominent. They are not only popular books of Confucian classics, but also representative works of Confucian classics. The Great Learning is said to have been written by Confucius' disciple Zeng Shen, and The Doctrine of the Mean is said to have been written by Zi Si. In fact, they are all works in the Qin and Han dynasties, and they are all products of Confucianism's absorption of Yi-ology.

First, about "universities"

University, that is, the study of adults, talks about the truth of self-cultivation, keeping the family in order, governing the country and leveling the world. The Book of Songs and the Book of Changes are cited throughout the thesis, but the two words are not found in the last chapter, but their ideological context comes from the Book of Changes and the Book of Changes, which is a combination of learning from Confucianism and enriching Confucianism with the thoughts of the Book of Changes. The opening of "University" wrote: "The way of" University "is clear in morality, close to the people, and ends with perfection. Zhi Zhi then has a decision, then he can be quiet, then he can be quiet, then he can be safe, then he can think about it, and then he can get it. Things have a beginning and an end, and things have a beginning. Knowing the order is a shortcut. "

This is the summary and program of the full text of University. What is the university about? Three tasks, or three procedures: to be virtuous, to love (new) people and to achieve social perfection. How to accomplish it, we must have it first, and list several levels that people can't confuse in the process of thinking. The former is an end, and the latter is a method. The full text is centered on showing morality and promoting people to perfection, which is promoted layer by layer, with distinct levels and tight structure.

Second, about the doctrine of the mean.

The Doctrine of the Mean is another important classic of Confucianism. From the methodological point of view, its value far exceeds that of the University. Cheng Yi said, "This article was taught by Confucius, and I was afraid that it would be long and poor, so I wrote it in a book for Mencius. His book begins with a statement, interspersed with everything, and finally merged into one; If you let it go, it will be six rivers. If you roll, it will be hidden in the secret. Its taste is endless and practical. " Zi Si (483-402 BC), grandson of Confucius, was born in the early Warring States period. According to legend, The Doctrine of the Mean was written by Zisi. But as far as its content is concerned, this book can't be written before Yi Zhuan, at least it is a contemporary work. Moreover, the statement of "Confucius' mind method" is not exact, because Confucius did not have such a profound and systematic thought at that time. In order to bridge this contradiction, Zhu made a vague treatment of it in the preface to the doctrine of the mean, without mentioning Confucius, and pushed the origin of this "mind method" to Yao and Shun. Zhu Dui said, "What is the golden mean? Worried about the loss of Taoism, Zi devoted himself to the study of Taoism. Since ancient times, saints have achieved Heaven, and the spread of Taoism has its own source. In the classic, when you see it, it is' allow to hold the title', and Yao grants Shun. "People's hearts are only in danger, and people's hearts are only tiny, but they are only fine, leaving them in a daze." Shun also gave it to. Yao's one sentence is enough, and the beneficiaries of happiness are three sentences, so a clear sentence must be like this before it can be used. "