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Doctrine of the Mean Chapter 3. The supreme yet elusive Mean: Rarity of sustained moral balance
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The Master said:“How supreme is the Doctrine of the Mean!Yet among the people, few have been able to practice it for long!”
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Doctrine of the Mean Chapter 2. Timely Centrality: True Meaning of Zhong Yong
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Confucius said:“The gentleman practices the Mean (zhong yong); the petty person opposes the Mean.The gentleman’s practice of the Mean means always maintains moderate –acting with appropriateness according to circumstances.The petty person’s so-called ‘Mean’ is merely recklessness and fearlessness –having no moral restraint or reverence.”
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Great Learning and Doctrine of the Mean: Dual Pillars of Confucian Self-Cultivation
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The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean, both integral to the Confucian “Four Books,” share a focus on “self-cultivation, family harmony, state governance, and universal peace” but diverge in philosophical emphasis, stylistic approach, and practical pathways, forming a complementary system of Confucian ethics.
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The Doctrine of the Mean: Confucian Wisdom for Balance and Harmony
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As one of the “Four Books” of Confucianism, The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong) stands as a profound guide to living in harmony with oneself, others, and the natural order. Attributed to Zisi, the grandson of Confucius, this text was originally a chapter in the Book of Rites before being elevated to a standalone…
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Great Learning Chapter 16. Righteousness over Revenue: Critique of Fiscal Exploitation
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Meng Xianzi said:“A family that keeps a team of four horses for chariots should not concern itself with raising chickens and pigs for profit;a household entitled to cut ice for ancestral rites should not raise cattle and sheep for gain;a state possessing a hundred war chariots should not employ ministers who amass wealth through…