This sentence comes from the pre-Qin "University".

Original paragraph:

The way of university is to be moral, to be close to the people and to stop at 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 start and end, and things end. If you know the order, you will find a shortcut.

Translation:

The purpose of "university" is to carry forward noble virtues, care for people and reach the highest state of perfection. Only when you know that you want to achieve the state of "perfection" can you set goals. Only by setting a goal can we be quiet, stable and not chaotic. Only by being stable and not chaotic can we have thoughts and thoughts, and we can achieve "supreme goodness."

Everything has a root and an end, and everything has an end and a beginning. Knowing their order is not far from the purpose of the university.

Literary appreciation:

"University" highly summarized Confucianism and put forward three items, namely, "Ming De, being close to the people, and stopping at perfection", which was called the "three programs" of the university by Confucianism in the Song Dynasty. This summary reveals the basic spirit of Confucianism very accurately, and also tells the main idea of "university".

"University" talks about the knowledge of governing the country and leveling the world, but according to Confucius' thought, it does not talk about the matter, but puts the promotion of people's spiritual and moral cultivation in the first place. The purpose of "Ming Ming De" is to carry forward one's inner virtue and inspire the readers to improve their consciousness, instead of restraining themselves with some external and fixed moral standards.

"Being close to the people", that is, "being new to the people", should not only consciously cultivate one's morality, but also strive to improve the moral quality of all citizens. In Confucianism's view, this is to lay a spiritual foundation for the great cause of governing the country and leveling the world. To "stop at perfection" means to improve one's moral quality and social governance to the most perfect level, and never stop until the ideal level is reached. In fact, it is an infinite process of ascension.