“In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate luminous virtue throughout the world first governed their states well;
those who wished to govern their states well first put their families in order;
those who wished to put their families in order first cultivated their own persons;
those who wished to cultivate their persons first rectified their minds;
those who wished to rectify their minds first made their intentions sincere;
those who wished to make their intentions sincere first extended their knowledge;
and the extension of knowledge lies in investigating things.”
“When things are investigated, knowledge becomes complete.
When knowledge is complete, intentions become sincere.
When intentions are sincere, the mind becomes rectified.
When the mind is rectified, the person is cultivated.
When the person is cultivated, the family is regulated.
When the family is regulated, the state is well governed.
When the state is well governed, peace prevails throughout the world.From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all must regard self-cultivation as the root.
If the root is disordered, it is impossible for the branches to be in order. It has never happened that one gives priority to what is secondary while neglecting what is essential!
This is what is meant by “knowing the root” – this is the ultimate knowledge.”
古之欲明明德於天下者，先治其國；欲治其國者，先齊其家；欲齊其家者，先修其身；欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先誠其意；欲誠其意者，先致其知，致知在格物。物格而後知至，知至而後意誠，意誠而後心正，心正而後身修，身修而後家齊，家齊而後國治，國治而後天下平。自天子以至於庶人，壹是皆以修身為本。其本亂而末治者否矣，其所厚者薄，而其所薄者厚，未之有也！此謂知本，此謂知之至也。
Note
This passage from The Great Learning systematically articulates the Confucian path of “inner sageliness and outer kingliness,” forming the famous “Eight Steps” of The Great Learning: investigation of things, extension of knowledge, sincerity of intention, rectification of the mind, cultivation of the self, regulation of the family, governance of the state, and pacification of the world.
At its core is the principle that moral self-cultivation is the foundation of all social and political order. “Investigating things to extend knowledge” serves as the starting point – understanding the principles inherent in all things to attain genuine insight. “Sincerity of intention” and “rectification of the mind” demand purity of inner motivation and mental focus. Only after achieving inner moral perfection (self-cultivation) can one properly influence the family, govern the state, and ultimately bring peace to the world.
The text explicitly states, “From the Son of Heaven down to the common people, all must regard self-cultivation as the root,” highlighting the universality and egalitarian ethos of Confucian ethics – regardless of social status, everyone must begin with self-cultivation. The concluding warning – “It has never happened that one prioritizes the trivial while neglecting the essential!” – emphasizes that reversing the proper order of priorities inevitably leads to failure. This is not merely a methodological guideline but a profound affirmation of moral ontology: the primacy of ethical selfhood as the basis of cosmic and social harmony.
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