The Four Books is a recognized Confucian classic. Originally, it was not a book, but a general term consisting of two books, The Analects of Confucius and Mencius, and two articles, The Doctrine of the Mean. Edited and engraved by Zhu, a great scholar in the Southern Song Dynasty, it has been widely circulated so far.
As Confucian classics, the Four Books not only preserved the thoughts and wisdom of Confucian sages, but also reflected the evolution of early Confucianism. It contains the core content of Confucianism, and it is also the concentrated embodiment of Confucian epistemology and methods. Therefore, it had a far-reaching influence in the history of China's thought. Among them, there is no lack of excellent ideological essence, which is the crystallization of countless China sages' thoughts. Up to now, it still has its profound educational significance and enlightening value, and it can be called the essence of national culture with a long history.
Needless to say, the four books are also mixed with the ideological limitations of some ancestors, which have become the burden of building socialist political civilization and spiritual civilization today and undoubtedly need to be sublated. Therefore, we should study and understand appropriately with a scientific attitude of eliminating evil and preserving good, make the past serve the present and shine the wisdom of our predecessors in today's society.
University in the Four Books: University was originally an article in the Book of Rites, which was never published separately before the Southern Song Dynasty. It is said that it was written by Zeng Shen, a disciple of Confucius (505-434 BC). From the Tang Dynasty, Han Yu and Li Ao maintained orthodoxy and praised universities (and the golden mean) to the Northern Song Dynasty, Cheng Er praised and publicized them in various ways, and even called them "universities", which was Kong's suicide note. Later, in the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu inherited the thought of Cheng Er, and compared The Great Learning in The Book of Rites with The Analects of Confucius and Mencius. Zhu and Cheng Yi, another famous scholar in Song Dynasty, believed that Da Xue was a suicide note left by Confucius and his disciples, and an introductory reading of Confucianism. Therefore, Zhu listed it as the first of the "four books".
The Doctrine of the Mean: The Doctrine of the Mean was originally one of The Book of Rites, which was never published separately before the Southern Song Dynasty. It is generally believed that it was written by Confucius' grandson Zi Si (483-402 BC), and the Confucius family in history books called Zi Si the golden mean. From the Tang Dynasty when Han Yu and Li Ao praised the golden mean (and universities), to the Northern Song Dynasty when Cheng Er praised and publicized the golden mean in various ways, and even thought that the golden mean was "a way to teach the mind through Confucius", and then Zhu inherited Cheng Er's thought in the Southern Song Dynasty, so he took it out and compared it with The Analects of Confucius and Mencius. Judging from the basic viewpoints of The Doctrine of the Mean and Mencius, they are basically the same. However, the existing The Doctrine of the Mean was revised by Confucian scholars in Qin Dynasty, which was written roughly shortly after Qin unified the whole country. So every article is different from "University". It does not take the first two words of justice as the title, but the central content of the article as the title.
The Analects of Confucius: The Analects of Confucius is a book that records the words and deeds of Confucius and his students. Confucius (55 BC/KLOC-0 BC/-479 BC), named Zhong Ni, was born in the Spring and Autumn Period (now Qufu, Shandong). The founder of Confucianism, the most famous thinker, politician and educator in ancient China, had a far-reaching influence on the development of China's ideology and culture. The Analects of Confucius was written in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and was recorded by Confucius' students and their retranslators. The Analects of Confucius is a book that records the words and deeds of Confucius and his students. The Analects of Confucius covers many aspects such as philosophy, politics, economy, education, literature and art, and is the most important classic of Confucianism. In terms of expression, The Analects of Confucius is a model for recording prose, with concise language and vivid images. In terms of arrangement, The Analects has no strict compiling style, each article is a chapter, and each chapter is a chapter. Articles and chapters are not closely related, but are roughly classified and repeated chapters appear. By the Han Dynasty, there were three editions of The Analects of Confucius (20), The Analects of Confucius (22) and The Analects of Classical Chinese (2 1). At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zheng Xuan compiled and annotated a new book based on The Analects of Lu with reference to The Analects of Qi and The Analects of Ancient Chinese. After Zheng Xuan's annotations were circulated, The Analects of Confucius and The Analects of China Ancient Literature gradually disappeared. The later editions of The Analects of Confucius mainly include: The Analects of Confucius by Wei in the Three Kingdoms Period, On Shu Shu by Liang Huang Kan in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, The Analects of Confucius by Zhu, The Analects of Confucius by Liu Baonan in the Qing Dynasty, etc.
Four Books of Mencius: Mencius is a book that records the words and deeds of Mencius and his students. Mencius (about 372- 289 BC) was born in Zou (now southeast of Zou County, Shandong Province) in the middle of the Warring States Period, not far from Qufu, the hometown of Confucius. He is a famous thinker, politician, educator and the successor of Confucius' theory. By the time of filial piety in the Southern Song Dynasty, four books compiled by Zhu were included in Mencius, which officially raised Mencius to a very high position. After the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, it became the content of the imperial examination and was a must-read for scholars.
Mencius is a book that records the words and deeds of Mencius and his students. Like Confucius, Mencius once led students to travel to Wei, Qi, Song, Lu, Teng, Xue and other countries, and once served as a guest minister. Because his political views were not as important as those of Confucius, he returned to his hometown to call his disciples to give lectures, and wrote a book with Zhang Wan and other students, saying, "Preface a poem book, understand Zhong Ni's meaning, and write seven pieces of Mencius." (Historical Records Biography of Mencius and Xun Qing) Zhao Qi compared Mencius with The Analects of Confucius in Mencius' copybook, and thought that Mencius was "imitating a saint". Therefore, although the History of Literature and Art of Han Dynasty only regards Mencius as a sub-book, in the eyes of Han people, it has actually been regarded as a "biography" book to assist the classics. Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty named The Analects of Confucius, The Book of Filial Piety, Mencius and Er Ya as "Biographers". At the end of the Five Dynasties, Meng Changjun, the master of the post-Shu Dynasty, ordered people to carve stones on eleven classics such as Mencius, which may be the beginning of Mencius' being included in the Classics. By the time of filial piety in the Southern Song Dynasty, the four books compiled by Zhu were included in Mencius, which officially raised Mencius to a very high position!
Ceng Zi (505 ~ 436 BC), surnamed Zeng, was born in Nanwucheng (now Jiaxiang County, Shandong Province) at the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. Born in 505 BC (the 15th year of Zhou Dynasty, the 5th year of Lu Dinggong), died in 435 BC (the 5th year of Zhou Gaowang, the 32nd year), was born in Donglu, and moved to Wucheng. At the age of sixteen, he became a teacher of Confucius. He is diligent and studious, and his biography is quite famous Actively carry forward Confucianism and spread Confucianism. Kong Ji (Zi Zisi), the grandson of Confucius, studied in the Senate and passed it on to Mencius. Therefore, Zeng Shen inherited Confucius' way and inspired Mencius School, which not only inherited Confucius' Confucianism, but also developed and made achievements. His political view of self-cultivation, self-restraint, filial piety-oriented and self-cultivation have influenced China for more than two thousand years, and still have valuable social significance and practical value, which is rich ideological and moral nutrition for building a harmonious society today. Zeng Shen is the main inheritor and disseminator of Confucius' theory and occupies an important position in Confucian culture. Zeng Shen finally entered the hall of great Confucianism with his achievements, and was called the five great saints together with Confucius, Mencius, Yan Zi (Yan Hui) and Zi Si.
Ceng Zi is quiet, steady, cautious and humble, and is famous for his filial piety. Qi wanted to hire him as Qing, but resigned because he was filial to his parents at home. He once put forward the idea of "being cautious in the end (carefully handling parents' funerals), pursuing the future (sincerely remembering ancestors) and respecting people's virtue (paying attention to people's moral cultivation)". I also put forward the cultivation method of "I save three times a day" (The Analects of Confucius Learning), that is, "Are you unfaithful to others? "Making friends is not credible? Can't you learn? "
His works include Confucian classics such as The University and The Book of Filial Piety, and later Confucianism honored him as a "saint". In the 27th year of Tang Kaiyuan (739), "Bao Bo" was posthumously sealed. In Song Dynasty, Dazhong Fu was given two years (1009), and Long Hou was sealed (a work with flaws and hills). During the period from the early Yuan Dynasty to Shunzhi, he was named "Guo Longguo Zongshenggong". Ming Jiajing changed his name to "Zongsheng" in nine years. There are Zengzi Temple and Ceng Lin (Ceng Zi's Tomb) in the south of Jiaxiang County, Jining City, Shandong Province.
Zeng's descendants all regard Zeng Shen as the founder of the mountain.