1, University
Da Xue was originally an article in the Book of Rites, which had never been 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 praised universities (and the golden mean) to maintain orthodoxy, to the Northern Song Dynasty, Cheng Er praised and publicized them in various ways, and even called them universities.
Confucius' suicide note made him a beginner, and later Zhu inherited Cheng's thought in the Southern Song Dynasty, so he took Daxue out of The Book of Rites and juxtaposed it with The Analects of Confucius, Mencius and The Doctrine of the Mean, which became one of Zhu's four books when he wrote Notes to Four Books.
According to Zhu and Cheng Yi, another famous scholar in Song Dynasty, Daxue is 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".
2. The golden mean
It 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). In Historical Records, Confucius called Zisi the golden mean.
From the Tang Dynasty when Han Yu and Li Ao advocated the doctrine of the mean (and the university) to maintain orthodoxy, to the Northern Song Dynasty when Cheng Er advocated and publicized the doctrine of the mean in various ways, and even thought that the doctrine of the mean was "a way to teach the mind through Confucius", and then to the Southern Song Dynasty when Zhu inherited Cheng Er's thought, he took out The Book of Rites and compared it with The Analects of Confucius, Mencius and the University.
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". Instead of the two words beginning with justice as the topic, it is the summary of the article.
3. The Analects of Confucius
The Analects of Confucius is a book that records the words and deeds of Confucius and his students. Confucius (55 BC1-479), named Zhong Ni, was born in Qufu, Shandong Province in the Spring and Autumn Period. 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.
4. Mencius
Mencius is a book that records the words and deeds of Mencius and his students. Mencius (about 372- 289 BC), a famous jade son, was born in Zouguo (now southeast of Zoucheng, Shandong Province) in the middle of the Warring States Period, not far from Confucius' hometown Qufu. He is a famous thinker, politician, educator and the successor of Confucius' theory.
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.
Extended data
As long as we talk about the traditional culture of China, we must mention the "Four Books and Five Classics". "Four Books and Five Classics" is an important part of China's traditional culture, the core carrier of Confucianism and the treasure of China's historical and cultural ancient books. The Confucian classic "Four Books and Five Classics" is profound and has a very high position in the history of world cultural thought.
The "Four Books and Five Classics" recorded in detail the political, military, diplomatic and cultural historical materials in the most active period in the history of China's national ideological and cultural development, as well as the important philosophical thoughts of Confucius and Mencius that have influenced China culture for thousands of years. There is nothing else in the examination paper for selecting officials in the imperial examinations of past dynasties, but it must come from the "four books and five classics", which shows its importance to being an official and being a man.
The Four Books and Five Classics have an immeasurable influence on social norms, interpersonal communication and social culture. Today, the contents and philosophical thoughts contained in the Four Books and Five Classics still have positive significance and strong reference value for us modern people.