The statement that “the extension of knowledge lies in the investigation of things” means that if one wishes to extend one’s knowledge to the utmost, one must approach things and exhaust their principles.
For the human mind is inherently intelligent and possesses knowledge, while all things under heaven possess principles. However, because principles have not yet been fully exhausted, knowledge remains incomplete. Therefore, the initial teaching of the Great Learning requires scholars to approach all things in the world and, based on the principles they already know, strive to investigate them further, seeking to reach their ultimate limit.
After exerting effort for a long time, one will suddenly achieve a thorough understanding. Then, the superficial and subtle, the coarse and refined aspects of all things will be comprehended, and the entire substance and great function of one’s mind will be fully illuminated. This is called the investigation of things; this is called the perfection of knowledge.
Note
This passage is a famous commentary by Zhu Xi, in his Commentary on the Great Learning, on the concept of “Investigation of Things” (Gewu) from the Great Learning (Daxue). It represents the cornerstone of Neo-Confucian epistemology and moral psychology. It addresses the crucial link between “investigating things” and “extending knowledge”.
The Ontology of Principle (Li)
The text posits a rational universe where “all things under heaven possess principles” (li). In Zhu Xi’s philosophy, Li is the underlying pattern, reason, or moral law inherent in everything, from a blade of grass to complex human relationships. Simultaneously, the human mind is described as “inherently intelligent” (ling), meaning it has the innate capacity to recognize and resonate with these universal principles.
The Method of Cumulative Inquiry
Zhu Xi interprets “investigation” (ge) as “approaching” or “contacting” (ji). The method proposed is empirical and cumulative. Scholars are instructed to start with what they already know and incrementally investigate the principles of external things. This is not merely scientific observation but a moral inquiry—understanding the “why” and “how” of existence to understand one’s place within it.
The Phenomenon of Sudden Enlightenment
A key feature of this passage is the transition from gradual effort to sudden realization. The phrase “suddenly achieve a thorough understanding” (huoran guantong) suggests that while the process is gradual (“exerting effort for a long time”), the result is a holistic breakthrough. It implies that all individual principles are interconnected; understanding one deeply eventually leads to understanding the unity of all things.
The Unity of Mind and World
The ultimate goal is not just accumulating facts, but the illumination of the mind itself (“the entire substance and great function of one’s mind will be fully illuminated”). Zhu Xi argues that the mind and the principles of things are originally one. By investigating the external world, one is actually polishing the mirror of the mind, removing the dust of ignorance to reveal its original brightness. This bridges the gap between the subject (the knower) and the object (the known), leading to the perfection of moral wisdom.
所谓致知在格物者，言欲致吾之知，在即物而穷其理也。盖人心之灵莫不有知，而天下之物莫不有理，唯于理有未穷，故其知有不尽也，是以《大学》始教，必使学者即凡天下之物，莫不因其已知之理而益穷之，以求至乎其极。至于用力之久，而一旦豁然贯通焉，则众物之表里精粗无不到，而吾心之全体大用无不明矣。此谓物格，此谓知之至也。
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