The translation of the text "University" in college Chinese and the reasoning methods and practical significance of the article

Full text translation of "The Great Learning"

The Pursuit of the Three Cardinal Guidelines and Eight Purposes

Original text

The way of a great university (1) lies in the clear virtue ( 2), in being close to the people (3), in pursuing the ultimate good. Knowing Zhi (4) will lead to concentration; concentration will lead to tranquility; tranquility will lead to tranquility; tranquility will then lead to thinking; worrying will then lead to attainment (5). Things have a beginning and an end, and things have an end and a beginning. If you know the order of things, you will be able to take the shortcut. In ancient times, if you want to bring enlightenment and virtue to the world, you must first govern your country; if you want to govern your country, you must first regulate your family (6); if you want to regulate your family, you must first cultivate your body (7); if you want to cultivate your body, you must first rectify it. If you want to rectify your mind, you must first be sincere in your intentions; if you want to be sincere in your intentions, you must first gain knowledge (8); to gain knowledge is to investigate things (9). After knowing things well, you will know them; after knowing them well, you will be sincere; after your thoughts are sincere, your mind will be right; if your mind is right, you will cultivate your body; if you cultivate your body, you will have a harmonious family; if your family is harmonious, then the country will be governed; if the country is governed, then the world will be peaceful. From the emperor to the common people (10), everything is based on self-cultivation (11). If it is originally chaotic and has not been cured, then it is wrong (12). What is thick is thin, and what is thin is thick (13), which is not what it is (14)!

Notes

(1) The way of the university: the purpose of the university. The word "university" has two meanings in ancient times: one is the meaning of "eruditeness"; the other is "adult learning" compared to primary school. In ancient times, eight-year-olds went to elementary school and learned basic cultural knowledge and etiquette such as "sweeping and sweeping, responding to advances and retreats, etiquette, music, archery, and numbers"; fifteen-year-olds went to college to learn ethics, politics, philosophy, etc. knowledge. Therefore, the latter meaning is actually similar to the former meaning, and it also means "erudite". The original meaning of "Tao" is road, which can be extended to laws, principles, etc. In ancient Chinese philosophy and politics, it also refers to the origin and individuality of all things in the universe, a certain political outlook or ideological system, etc., in different contexts. different meanings. (2) Ming Ming De: The first "Ming" is used as a verb, which means to make it clear, that is, "to make it clear", which means to carry forward and carry forward. The latter "ming" is used as an adjective, and Mingde is an upright character. (3) Closeness to the people: According to the following "biography" article, "closeness" should mean "new", which means innovation, abandoning the old and seeking the new. Being close to the people, that is, the new people, enables people to abandon the old and pursue the new, to abandon evil and do good. (4) Zhizhi: Know where the goal is. (5) Get: Harvest. (6) Qi Qijia: Manage your own family or family well, so that the family or family is harmonious, prosperous and prosperous. (7) Cultivation of one’s body: Cultivation of one’s own character. (8) To gain knowledge: to enable oneself to acquire knowledge. (9) Observation of things: Understanding and studying all things. . (10) Common people: refers to common people. (11) One is: all. Ben: Basically. (12) End: relative to the original meaning, it refers to the end of branches and branches. (13) What is thick is thin: what should be taken seriously is not taken seriously. What is thin is thick: what should not be valued should be valued. (14) What is not there: that is, what is not there. There is no such reason (things, practices, etc.).

Translation

The purpose of the university is to promote upright moral character, to make people abandon the old and pursue the new, and to make people reach the most perfect state. Only when you know the state you should reach can you have firm ambitions; only with firm ambitions can you be calm and not impatient; only by being calm and not impatient can you have peace of mind; only by having peace of mind can you think about Zhou Xiang; only by thinking about Zhou Xiang can you gain something. Everything has a root and an end, everything has a beginning and an end. If you understand this fundamental truth, you will be close to the law of development of things. In ancient times, those who wanted to promote upright moral character in the world must first govern their own country; if they wanted to govern their country well, they must first manage their own family and clan; if they wanted to manage their own family and clan well, they must first manage their own family and clan. Cultivate your own character; if you want to cultivate your own character, you must first correct your mind; if you want to correct your mind, you must first make your thoughts sincere; if you want to make your thoughts sincere, you must first make yourself knowledgeable ; The way to obtain knowledge is to understand and study everything.

Only by understanding and studying all things can we acquire knowledge; only by acquiring knowledge can our thoughts be sincere; only by sincere thoughts can we have a correct mind; only by having a correct mind can we cultivate our character; only by cultivating our character can we manage our families and families well; manage our families and families well. Only after the family can we govern the country well; after we govern the country well can the world be peaceful. From the head of state to the common people, everyone must cultivate character as the foundation. If this foundation is disturbed, it will be impossible to govern the family, family, country, and world well. It is also impossible to do things well without prioritizing and putting the cart before the horse!

Interpretation

What is shown here is the pursuit of the Three Cardinal Guidelines and Eight Purposes of Confucianism. The so-called three cardinal principles refer to virtue, new people, and the ultimate good in stopping children. It is not only the programmatic purpose of "The Great Learning", but also the goal of Confucianism's "establishing religion throughout the world". The so-called eight eyes refer to investigating things, attaining knowledge, sincerity, correct mind, self-cultivation, managing the family, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. It is not only the prerequisites designed to achieve the "Three Cardinal Guides", but also the life learning ladder shown to us by Confucianism. Looking at the Four Books and Five Classics, we find that all Confucian doctrines are actually developed according to these three cardinal guides and eight eyes. Therefore, if you grasp these three cardinal principles and eight principles, you are equivalent to grasping the key to the door of Confucianism. Follow this learning path step by step, and you will gain access to the classics of cowardice. As far as the ladder itself is concerned, it actually includes two major aspects: "internal cultivation" and "external governance": the first four levels of "investigating things, improving knowledge, sincerity, and rectifying the mind" are "internal cultivation"; the last three levels "organizing the family, "Governing the country and bringing peace to the world" is "external governance". The "cultivation" link in the middle is the hub that connects the two aspects of "yearly cultivation" and "external treatment". It is connected with the previous "internal cultivation" project and is "self-cultivation"; it is connected with the following "internal cultivation" project. The projects of "external governance" are connected together to "benefit the world". For more than two thousand years, generations of Chinese intellectuals have laid the course of their lives on this ladder. Therefore, it is essentially not just a series of theoretical learning steps, but a life pursuit path with a strong practical color. It has shaped the personality psychology of generations of Chinese intellectuals

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and it still plays a subtle role in us today. Regardless of whether you are conscious or not, whether you are positive or negative, the concepts of "character, sincerity, integrity, cultivation, alignment, governance, and peace" are always implicitly or explicitly influencing your thoughts and influencing your actions. , so that you finally find that your life journey is just unfolding near or far on this Confucian learning ladder. In fact, as Chinese intellectuals, how many of them are wild cranes and reclusive masters who have truly become Buddhists? After all, they are still nine scholars out of ten, that's all.

Promote the bright moral character

Original text

"Kang Gao" (1) says: "Keep Ming De." (2) "Dajia" (3) It says: "Consider (讠 is) Heaven's clear destiny." (4) "Emperor's Code" (5) says: "Keep Ming Jun Virtue." (6) It's all self-evident. (7)

　　　　　　　　　　　　 (Biography 1)

Notes

(1) Kang Hao: An article in "Shang Shu·Zhou Shu". "Shangshu" is a compilation of ancient historical documents and articles recounting ancient deeds. It is one of the "Five Classics" and is called the "Book of Books". The whole book is divided into four parts: "Yu Shu", "Xia Shu", "Shang Shu" and "Zhou Shu". (2) Gram: Yes. (3) Dajia: That is "Taijia", an article in "Shangshu·Shangshu". (4) Gu: missing. Yes: this. Mingming: bright nature. (5) Emperor's Code: namely "Yao Code", an article in "Shang Shu·Yu Shu". (6) Ke Ming Jun De: The original sentence of "Yao Dian" is "K Ming Jun De". Jun: Similar to "Jun", meaning big, noble, etc. (7) All: All, referring to the sentences quoted above.

Translation

"Kang Gao" said: "Be able to promote bright moral character.

"Taijia" said: "Never forget this bright talent given by God." "Yao Dian" said: "It can promote noble moral character." "These all mean that we should promote upright moral character.

Interpretation

This is the first chapter of "Biography", which is about "the way of university" in "Jing". The sentence "virtue" is cited to illustrate that the promotion of upright moral character in human nature has been emphasized since the era of Xia, Shang, Zhou and the Five Emperors. There are books as evidence, and it is not the product of our today's ingenuity and innovation. The "Three Character Classic" says: " In the beginning, human beings are inherently good by nature; their natures are similar, but their habits are far apart; if they are not taught, their natures will change. "That is to say, human nature is inherently good, but it is the acquired environment and education that lead to different changes, from which many evil qualities arise. Therefore, the Confucian sages emphasized the role of acquired environment and education , in the first chapter of "The Great Learning", which is the first of the "Four Books and Five Classics", it is clearly stated that the purpose of the "Great Learning" is to promote the upright moral character of human nature and enable people to reach the most perfect state. From our perspective today, " "In Ming Ming De" is to strengthen moral self-improvement, discover and promote