Man’s body is like a small cosmos. So long as his joy and anger are not excessive, and his love and hatred are not lopsided, there will be order and harmony.
In the universe, heaven and earth arc the mother and father. For a spirit of benevolence and harmony to prevail in the universe, there must be no hatred or resentment among people, and no calamities or dangers among living beings.
吾身一小天地也，使喜怒不愆，好恶有则，便是变理的功夫；天地一大父母也，使民无怨咨，物无氛疹，亦是敦睦的气象。
Notes
The essence of harmony lies in “order”: individuals temper emotions through principles; heaven and earth nurture all beings through cosmic laws; rulers stabilize society through benevolent governance.
Leave a Reply