The Great Learning The Doctrine of the Mean
Chinese Classics with modern Chinese and English translation
Translated into modern Chinese by Fu Yunlong
Translated into English by He Zuokang
Published by Sinolingua, Beijing, 1996
Paperback, 8 inch x 5.5 inch
ISBN 7800521451

The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean, together with the Analects of Confucius and Mencius, comprise the Four Books, the most important Confucian classics which have spread far and wide as the essentials of traditional Chinese culture.

The Great Learning is the first of the Four books which were selected by Zhu Xi in the Song Dynasty as a foundational introduction to Confucianism. It was originally one chapter in Li Ji (the Classic of Rites).

The book consists of a short main text, attributed to Confucius and nine commentaries chapters by Zeng Zi, one of Confucius' disciples. Its importance is illustrated by Zeng Zi's foreword that this is the gateway of learning.

The main text reads

The Way of the great learning is to rid oneself of selfish desires and develop further one's inherent virtues. One should not only develop his own inherent virtues further, but should encourage all persons to do so also. Only then is it possible to reach the acme of perfection. (...)

In ancient times, one who intended to carry forward all the inherent virtues in the world and to rid them of material desires had to first rule his state well.
To rule his state well, he had to first educate his family.
To educate his family, he had first to cultivate himself.
To cultivate himself, he had first to set his heart right.
To set his heart right, he had first to be sincere and honest.
To be sincere and honest, he had first to perfect his knowledge and the perfection of his knowledge depended on his investigation of things.

It is only when one is able to investigate things that knowledge can be perfected.
It is only when one's knowledge is perfect that one can be sincere and honest.
It is only when one is honest and sincere that he can set his heart right.
It is only when the heart is set right that a man can educate his family.
It is only when his family is educated that he can rule the state.
It is only when the state is ruled that the world can be governed well.
From emperor to the common people, self-cultivation is the base. (...)

The Great Learning is significant because it expresses many themes of Chinese philosophy and political thinking has therefore been extremely influential both in classical and modern Chinese thought.

Government, self cultivation and investigation of things are linked. It links together individual action in the form of self-cultivation with higher goals such as ultimate world peace as well as linking together the spiritual and the material. In addition, by defining the path of learning (dao) in governmental and social terms, the Great Learning both links the spiritual with the practical, and creates a vision of dao that is radically different than that presented by Daoism. In particular, the Great Learning sets Confucianism as being this-worldly rather than other-worldly. Finally, the Great Learning also creates a conservative politics discourse. Instead of basing its authority on an external deity, the Great Learning bases its authority on the practices of ancient kings.

The text also sets up a number of controversies that have underlain Chinese philosophy and political thinking. For example, one major controversy has been to define exactly the investigation of things. What things are to be investigated and how has been one of the crucial issues of Chinese philosophy.

The Doctrine of the Mean is one of the Four Books, part of the Confucian canonical scriptures.

Like the Great Learning, it is now part of the Records of Rites. It is said to be a composition by Confucius' grandson Kong Ji, called Zisi.

The purpose of this small, 23-chapter book is to demonstrate the usefulness of a golden way to gain perfect virtue. It focuses on the "way" that is prescribed by a heavenly mandate not only to the ruler but to everyone. To follow these heavenly instructions by learning and teaching will automatically result in a Confucian virtue. Because Heaven has laid down what is the way to perfect virtue, it is not that difficult to follow the steps of the holy rulers of old if one only knows what is the right way.

The two books deal mainly with the principles and methods of self-cultivation, the education of one's family, the ruling of a state and the governance of a nation. After more than a thousand years, their major ideas are still inspiring and by no means out of date.

To help overseas readers understand and study Confucianism and traditional Chinese culture, Sinolingua published the Four Books with modern Chinese and English translations.