The Master said:
“I can speak of the rites of the Xia dynasty, but the state of Qi provides insufficient evidence.
I studied the rites of the Yin dynasty; remnants still exist in the state of Song.
I studied the rites of the Zhou dynasty – they are in use today – so I follow the Zhou.”
To rule the world well, one must attend to three essential foundations –
with these, one will surely commit few errors!
The ways of antiquity, though good, lack sufficient evidence;
without evidence, they cannot gain trust;
without trust, the people will not follow.
The teachings of contemporaries, though sound, come from those of low status;
without authority, they cannot gain trust;
without trust, the people will not follow.
Therefore, the Way of the gentleman:
is rooted in his own person,
verified by the common people,
tested against the Three Kings (Yu, Tang, Wen/Wu) and found without error,
established upon Heaven and Earth without contradiction,
interrogated by spirits and ghosts without doubt,
and awaits the judgment of sages a hundred generations hence without perplexity.
To face spirits and ghosts without doubt is to understand Heaven;
to await future sages without perplexity is to understand humanity.
Thus, when the gentleman acts, his conduct becomes the guiding path for all under heaven through the ages;
when he behaves, his actions become the standard for the world;
when he speaks, his words become the norm for generations.
From afar, people look up to him with hope;
up close, they never grow weary of him.
The Book of Odes says:
“There, no one hates him; here, no one tires of him.
May he strive day and night, to preserve his noble fame forever!”
Never has a gentleman gained early renown throughout the world without embodying this way.
子曰：「吾說夏禮，杞不足徵也。吾學殷禮，有宋存焉；吾學周禮，今用之，吾從周。」
王天下有三重焉，其寡過矣乎！
上焉者雖善無徵，無徵不信，不信民弗從；
下焉者雖善不尊，不尊不信，不信民弗從。
故君子之道本諸身，徵諸庶民，考諸三王而不繆，建諸天地而不悖，質諸鬼神而無疑，百世以俟聖人而不惑。
質諸鬼神而無疑，知天也；百世以俟聖人而不惑，知人也。
是故君子動而世為天下道，行而世為天下法，言而世為天下則。
遠之則有望，近之則不厭。
《詩》曰：「在彼無惡，在此無射；庶幾夙夜，以永終譽！」
君子未有不如此而蚤有譽於天下者也。
Note
This chapter from the Doctrine of the Mean uses Confucius’s attitude toward the rites of the Three Dynasties to introduce the core Confucian methodology of governance – the “threefold foundation” – and systematically articulates six criteria by which the gentleman’s words and deeds must be tested. It reveals Confucianism’s integrated wisdom combining historical rationality, empirical verification, and cosmic-human resonance.
First, “I follow the Zhou” is not blind revivalism but a choice grounded in verifiability and practical applicability. The Xia rites lack evidence; the Yin rites are fragmentary; only the Zhou rites are “in use today,” making them learnable, applicable, and transmissible. This shows that while Confucianism respects tradition, it prioritizes the empirical basis and contemporary efficacy of institutions.
The “threefold foundation for ruling the world,” though not explicitly listed, can be inferred from context as: historical continuity (the Three Kings), popular validation (the common people), and transcendent grounding (Heaven, Earth, spirits). Together, they form a multidimensional framework for political legitimacy: one must not sever ties with history (“no evidence > no trust”), ignore public sentiment (“people won’t follow”), or violate cosmic principles (“contradict Heaven and Earth”).
Most profound is the sixfold test of the gentleman’s Way:
- “Rooted in oneself” emphasizes authentic moral practice;
- “Verified by the people” reflects the spirit of people-centered governance;
- “Tested against the Three Kings” affirms historical continuity;
- “Established upon Heaven and Earth”, “interrogated by spirits” elevate human order to a cosmic dimension;
- “Awaiting sages of a hundred generations” introduces a transgenerational moral accountability mechanism – true righteousness must withstand the ultimate judgment of time.
As Zhu Xi notes in his Commentary: “This chapter presents the grand structure of the Way, which must integrate essence and function, unify inner and outer, and connect past and present.” Thus, the Confucian Way is not an abstract doctrine but a living practice that unifies self-cultivation, social recognition, historical transmission, and cosmic principle.
The closing quote from the Book of Odes (Book of Poetry) highlights the enduring appeal of the gentleman’s virtue – “revered from afar, never tiresome up close” – rooted precisely in the internal consistency and external credibility built through these six validations. True renown, therefore, arises not from power or eloquence, but naturally from the harmony between one’s conduct and Heavenly Principle, human hearts, and historical truth.
Leave a Reply