Confucius said: I want to talk about Xia Li, but the current Qi Kingdom is no longer enough to verify it. I want to learn Yin Li, and there is still a part of the current Song Kingdom. I want to learn the weekly rite, which is the ritual that is used today, so I follow the weekly rite. If the people who claim to be the kings of the world do three important things well, they will probably be able to make fewer mistakes. Although the previous set of rules of the Zhou Dynasty was very good, there was no way to verify it, and if there was no way to verify it, the people would not believe it, and if the people did not believe it, they would not follow it; Although the set of rules of the saint in the lower position is very good, his status is not respected, and if the status is not respected, the people will not believe, and the people will not follow it if they do not believe.

Therefore, the way for a gentleman to govern the world should be to start from himself first, and then seek verification among the people, to examine the three kings without mistakes, to establish between heaven and earth without rebellion, to ask ghosts and gods without doubt, and to wait until the saints come out after a hundred generations will not be able to mention a different thing. Ask the ghosts and gods without questioning, and after a hundred generations, when the saints come out, they will not be able to disagree. Asking about ghosts and gods without questioning is understanding the principles of heaven; After a hundred generations, when the saint comes out, he can't disagree, this is understanding human feelings. Therefore, any action of a gentleman will be regarded as a model for the world by later generations, any action of a gentleman will be regarded as the law of the world by later generations, and any speech of a gentleman will be regarded as a model by later generations. If you are far away from a gentleman, you will have admiration; If you are close to a gentleman, you will not get tired. The Book of Songs says: No one hates it there, and no one hates it here. From morning to dark, he never slackened, and praised the good name. There is no gentleman who has not become famous in the world early after doing this.

From a distance, Confucius inherited Tang Yao and Yu Shun; From a close distance, Confucius imitated King Wen and King Wu; The upper part is based on the time, and the lower part is based on the geography. For example, the heavens cover everything, and the earth bears everything; For example, the alternation of the four seasons, such as the rotation of the sun and the moon. All things grow together without interfering with each other, and various laws run in parallel without conflicting with each other. The small German river is endless, and the great German is thick, which is the reason why heaven and earth are great.

Only the greatest saint in the world can be wise and wise, enough to reign over the world; Generous and gentle, enough to contain all things; Strong and resolute, enough to decide everything; Dignified and upright, enough to be respected; Clearly organized, scrutinized and discerned, it is enough to distinguish right from wrong. The virtue of the saint is broad and profound, and it will come out in time. Its breadth is like the sky, and its profundity is like the abyss. As soon as he appeared, the people were respected; When he spoke, the people were convinced; When he moved, the people were pleased.

Therefore, his fame not only resounded in the land of China, but also spread to the distant places inhabited by ethnic minorities. Where the car and ship can go, where the footprints of people can go; As long as it is the place covered by the sky, the place where the earth bears, the place where the sun and the moon shine, and the place where the frost and dew fall; All flesh beings respect him and are close to him, so the virtues of saints can be compared with heaven. Only the most sincere people in the world can straighten out the outline of governing the world, establish the foundation of the world, and understand the principle of heaven and earth to cultivate all things. Does it depend on anything else to do this? His kindness is so sincere! The wisdom is so deep, the virtue is like the sky, and it is mighty! Who can understand him if he were not a man who was originally wise and wise, and who knew the heavens and the earth?

The "Book of Songs" says: Wearing a brocade dress and covering a single coat. This is a pattern that hates brocade clothes that is too eye-catching. Therefore, the way of a gentleman is not very conspicuous at first, but it becomes more and more obvious over time; The way of the villain, at the beginning, was dazzling, but after a long time, it gradually died out. The way of a gentleman, seemingly thin but mellow, never tiresome, simple and literary, gentle and organized, from near to know the distance, tracing the stream and knowing the source, seeing and knowing the subtle, so that it can be said that it can be said to touch the door to enter the virtue of the sage. The Book of Songs says: Although it is hidden underwater, it is still clearly seen. Therefore, a gentleman should self-reflect and have a clear conscience, and his ambition will not be compromised. The unattainable thing of a gentleman is probably that he can be strict with himself even in places that people can't see!

The Book of Songs says: Seeing that you are alone indoors, you can still do things worthy of the gods. Therefore, a gentleman can be respectable without acting, and convincing without speaking. The "Book of Songs" says: Jin Shengyu vibrates the people quietly, and no one fights in the peaceful world. Therefore the gentleman did not need to be rewarded, and the people were encouraged; There is no need to be angry, and the people will feel more majestic than punishment. The Book of Songs says: How bright is the virtue of King Wen, the princes of the Quartet must follow it. Therefore, a gentleman's honesty and respect can make the world peaceful. The "Book of Songs" says: I am dedicated to King Wen of Mingde, and he never speaks harshly. Confucius said: It is the best policy to educate the people with sharp words. The Book of Songs says: Virtue is as light as a feather. There is a comparison of hair, that is, there are traces to be found; As for the creation of all things in the Heavens, people can neither hear nor smell its voice, and that is the supreme realm!

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"The Mean" is the 31st article of the "Book of Rites", and before the Song Dynasty, it was asserted that it was written by Zisi. The Mean is a Confucian classic that has been circulated for more than 2,000 years and occupies an important position in Confucianism.

The theme of the golden mean is to educate people to consciously carry out self-cultivation, self-supervision, self-education, and self-improvement, and cultivate themselves into ideal personalities to achieve the ideal personality, to achieve the highest goodness, the most benevolent, the most sincere, the most Tao, the most virtuous, the most holy, and the ideal person of the outer and inner ways, and to create a realm of "achieving neutrality, heaven and earth will return to their place, and all things will grow and develop".

What God has given people is sex, following nature is the Tao, and following the Tao to cultivate oneself is teaching. It succinctly reveals that the core of the idea of the golden mean is self-education. What God has given to man is sex, which means that man's nature is good. Following nature is the way, which means that the way of people's self-education is to do things according to people's good nature. To follow the Tao to cultivate oneself is to teach, which means that self-education is to cultivate according to the principles of humanity.