《中国传统文化》英文版5.四书

1、The Four BooksThe 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 learning or hi

3、gher 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 first part o

4、f 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；欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先诚其意；欲诚其意者

5、，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 Period, over 70 years after the death o

6、f 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-cultivation and interpersonal relati

7、onship. 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 honesty with slowness of speech, loyalty,

8、tolerance, studiousness, etc. 国人不可不知的国人不可不知的5句句论语论语经典经典 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？” (卷一学而第一卷一学而第一 )国人不可不知的国人不可不知的5句句论语论语经典经典 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？” (卷六卷六颜渊第十二颜渊第十二 )国人不可不知的国人不可不知的5句句论语论语经典经典 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

9、邦无怨， 在家无怨。”仲弓曰：“雍虽不敏，请事斯语矣。” (卷六颜渊第十二卷六颜渊第十二)国人不可不知的国人不可不知的5句句论语论语经典经典 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。” (卷一学而第卷一学而第一一)国人不可不知的国人不可不知的5句句论语论语经典经典 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 m

10、an should strike the proper, and shouldnt 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 R

11、ites. It is about the Confucian philosophy 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 m