1、The Four Books,The Four Books,The Four Books and The Five Classics were the canonical works of the Confucian culture in the feudal society in ancient China. The Four Books refers to:The Great Learning The Doctrine of the Mean The Analects (of Confucius), or Confucian Analects The Works of Mencius.,H
2、ow to learn the Four Books?,“先读大学， 以定其规模； 次读论 语， 以定其根本； 次读孟子， 以观其发越； 次读中庸， 以求古人微妙处”。 朱熹,大学,治学之道,The Great Learning,The Great Learning is in fact an essay in The Book of Rites. It is about the cultivation of ones moral character and the wisdoms of governing a country during the “daxue” (or great lear
3、ning or higher education) period of ancient China.,The Great Learning,The authorship of the book is not clear. It is assumed that it is the work of, one of Confucius disciples, or that the disciple got it from Confucius. That is why Zhu Xi regarded, in a short commentary called Daxue Zhangjv, the fi
4、rst part of the book as the Canon, and the rest of the book explaining the canon as Commentaries, which are further divided into 10 parts.,The Great Learning,大学之道， 在明明德， 在亲民， 在止于至善。,大学,为人君，止于仁； 为人臣，止于敬； 为人子，止于 孝； 为人父，止于慈； 与国人交，止于信。传第三章,The Great Learning,古之欲明明德于天下者， 先治其国； 欲治其国者，先齐其家； 欲齐其家者，先修其身； 欲修其
5、身者，先正其心； 欲正其心者，先诚其意； 欲诚其意者，先致其知； 致知在格物。,The Great Learning,物格而后知至， 知至而后意诚， 意诚而后心正， 心正而后身修， 身修而后家齐， 家齐而后国治， 国治而后天下平。,论语,为人之道,The Analects,The Confucian Analects or The Analects is a collection of the sayings and teachings of Confucius and his disciples. It was complied in the early Warring States Per
6、iod, over 70 years after the death of Confucius, from the notes that his disciples made according to the answers the Master gave to their questions.,The Analects,Benevolence embodies the ethical system of Confucius. “The benevolent love others.” Benevolence is in fact the moral codes regarding self-
7、cultivation and interpersonal relationship. It, in the eyes of Confucius, is the noblest character and moral state embracing and commanding all virtues. Benevolence, in the book of Analects by Confucius, includes modesty, leniency, faithfulness, resourcefulness, kindness, bravery, wisdom, and honest
8、y with slowness of speech, loyalty, tolerance, studiousness, etc.,国人不可不知的5句论语经典,1.子曰：“学而时习之，不亦说乎？有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？人不知而不愠，不亦君子 乎？” (卷一 学而第一 ),国人不可不知的5句论语经典,2. 司马牛忧曰：“人皆有兄弟，我独亡。”子夏曰：“商闻之矣：死生有命，富贵在天。 君子敬而无失，与人恭而有礼。四海之内，皆兄弟也。君子何患乎无兄弟也？” (卷六 颜渊第十二 ),国人不可不知的5句论语经典,3. 仲弓问仁。子曰：“出门如见大宾，使民如承大祭。己所不欲，勿施于人。在邦无怨， 在家无怨
9、。”仲弓曰：“雍虽不敏，请事斯语矣。” (卷六 颜渊第十二),国人不可不知的5句论语经典,4.有子曰：“礼之用，和为贵。先王之道斯为美，小大由之。有所不行，知和而和，不以 礼节之，亦不可行也。” (卷一 学而第一),国人不可不知的5句论语经典,5.“子贡问政”。子曰：“足兵、足食、民信之矣” 。 “自古皆有死，民无信不立”。（论语颜渊篇）,中庸,处世之道,Doctrine of the mean,By the mean, Confucius meant that all things connected with man should strike the proper, and should
10、nt go beyond or fall short of it.,中庸之道,1.或曰：“以德抱怨何如？”(论语.宪问篇) 子曰：“何以报德？” “以直报怨，以德报德”。 2.子贡问：“师与商也孰贤？”子曰：“师也过，商也不及。”曰：“ 然则师愈与？”子曰：“过犹不及。” (论语.先进篇) 3.子游曰：“事君数，斯辱矣；朋友数，斯疏矣。”（论语.里仁篇）,The Doctrine of the Mean,The Doctrine of the Mean is another essay in The Book of Rites. It is about the Confucian philos
11、ophy of life. According to the Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty, while The Great Learning is a gateway to perfect virtue, The Doctrine of the Mean teaches the ways of the world. The Mean, a typical Confucian concept, is composed of two Chinese characters. Zhong means neither too many nor too few, neither too much nor too little; and yong means neither outstanding nor common.,The Doctrine of the Mean,喜怒哀乐之未发， 谓之中； 发而皆中节， 谓之和。 中也者， 天下之大本也； 和也者， 天下之达道也。 致中和， 天地位焉， 万物育焉。,中庸之道,阐旧邦以辅新命； 极高明而道中庸。 冯友兰,
