Doctrine of the Mean Chapter 29. Virtue and Position in Harmony

The Master said:
“Foolish yet fond of acting on one’s own judgment;
lowly yet fond of exercising sole authority;
living in the present age, yet opposing its established Way by blindly reverting to antiquity –
such a person will surely bring disaster upon himself.”

Only the Son of Heaven may deliberate on rites, establish institutions, and standardize written forms.
Today, throughout the realm,
chariots share the same gauge,
writing uses the same script,
and conduct follows the same ethical norms.

Thus, even if one holds the sovereign position but lacks supreme virtue,
one dares not compose new rites and music;
even if one possesses supreme virtue but lacks the sovereign position,
one equally dares not compose new rites and music.

子曰：「愚而好自用，賤而好自專，生乎今之世，反古之道。如此者，災及其身者也。」
非天子，不議禮，不制度，不考文。
今天下車同軌，書同文，行同倫。
雖有其位，苟無其德，不敢作禮樂焉；
雖有其德，苟無其位，亦不敢作禮樂焉。

Note

This chapter from the Doctrine of the Mean encapsulates the Confucian attitude of profound caution toward the highest cultural authority – the creation of rites and music – and emphasizes the political-philosophical principle of harmony between virtue and position, while critiquing ahistorical and self-aggrandizing revivalism (blind revivalism).

First, Confucius sharply criticizes three types of people: the foolish who act on personal whim, the lowly who usurp authority, and those who, living in the present, reject contemporary norms in favor of rigid revivalism. This is not opposition to learning from antiquity, but a rejection of disregarding historical conditions and lacking proper qualifications while attempting to overturn established order through individual will. As Zhu Xi explains in his Commentary on the Doctrine of the Mean: “The foolish do not understand principle; the lowly hold no legitimate authority – yet they force ancient ways upon the present, thus inviting calamity.” Confucianism respects tradition but prioritizes timely adaptation and gradual, context-sensitive practice.

Second, “Only the Son of Heaven may deliberate on rites…” establishes the sacredness and authority of ritual institutions. Rites and music are not mere ceremonies but foundational systems for social order and moral education. Only the Son of Heaven – recognized as bearing the Mandate of Heaven and commanding universal assent – has the legitimacy to institute reforms. This reflects Confucianism’s deep understanding of political legitimacy: institutional change requires both rightful position and moral excellence (de, or virtue).

The phrase “chariots share the same gauge, writing uses the same script, conduct follows the same ethics” depicts the ideal of a unified realm – a classical Confucian vision of cosmic-political order prominent since the Qin-Han unification. It implies that a stable foundation already exists, making radical innovation unnecessary. Against this backdrop, the insistence that neither “position without virtue” nor “virtue without position” suffices to create rites underscores Confucianism’s commitment to dual constraints on power: moral and institutional.

Notably, although Confucians revere the Duke of Zhou for establishing rites and music, they recognize this was a unique historical achievement by one who possessed both sagehood and sovereignty. Later figures – even someone like Confucius, whose virtue “equaled Heaven and Earth” – could only “transmit, not create”.

“I have transmitted what was taught to me without making up anything of my own. I have been faithful to and loved the Ancients. In these respects, I make bold to think, not even our old Peng can have excelled me.”(Analects 7.1)

This self-restraint embodies the Confucian spirit of reverence for institutions, respect for history, and opposition to usurpation.

Thus, this chapter addresses not only ritual authority but more profoundly expresses Confucian reflections on the boundaries of political action, responsibilities of cultural transmission, and proper role orientation of the individual.