http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Learning
The Great Learning (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: D Xu)[1] was one of the "Four Books" in Confucianism. The Great Learning had come from a chapter in the Classic of Rites which formed one of the Five Classics. It consists of a short main text attributed to the teachings of Confucius and then ten commentary chapters accredited to one of Confucius' disciples, Zengzi. The ideals of the book were supposedly Confucius's; however the text was written after his death. The "Four Books" were selected by the neo-Confucian Zhu Xi during the Song Dynasty as a foundational introduction to Confucianism and examinations for the state civil service in China.
Contents
1 Writing and Influence 2 Principal Teachings 3 Meaning of "Investigation of Things" 4 The Main Text 5 The Great Learning and Education in China 6 Impact on the Education in China 6.1 Effects on the Education in Modern China 7 Impact on Chinese Politics 8 Textual Significance 9 Works cited 10 References 11 External links
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Such critics such as Lu Xiangshan and Wang Yangming later disliked the great learning because of the stress on scholarship rather than action. 6/4/2013 5:30 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Learning
Such critics such as Lu Xiangshan and Wang Yangming later disliked the great learning because of the stress on scholarship rather than action. Wang Yangming rejected Zhu Xi's changes and returned the text to the original, from the Classic of Rites. During the Han dynasty the Great Learning rose to prominence, and the Classic of Rites had to be re-organized by Dai De and Dai Shang. The Dais divided the book into five sections. This included the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Evolution of Rites, the Yili, and the "Etiquette and Rites" . There is a popular commentary by philosopher Zhang written by his disciples. Han Yu and Li Ao both used The Great Learning. Li Ao incorporated a lot of Buddhist and Taoist ideas into his work. Zi Si Confucius's grandson is said to have taught Mencius and written the Doctrine of the Mean. He may also have written the beginning of the Great Learning. Ma Yung edited the Great Learning in the Han dynasty, giving his views of the general meaning.[4]
Principal Teachings
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Achieving a state of balance and refining one's moral self such that it is a reflection of the Way (Tao). Ample rest and reflection such that one achieves peace of mind. When one is calm and reflected, the Way will be revealed to them. Setting priorities and knowing what is important is essential in one's quest for moral refinement, for it allows one to focus on that which is of the greatest importance and that which is in line with the Way as outlined in Confucian teachings. One must bring his affairs and relationships into order and harmony. If one hopes to attain order in the state, he must first bring his own family and personal life into order through self-cultivation and the expansion of one's knowledge and the "investigation of things." Each and every man is capable of learning and self-cultivation regardless of social, economic or political status. This, in turn, means that success in learning is the result of the effort of the individual as opposed to an inability to learn. 6/4/2013 5:30 AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Learning
that success in learning is the result of the effort of the individual as opposed to an inability to learn. One must treat education as an intricate and interrelated system where one must strive for balance. No one aspect of learning is isolated from the other and failure to cultivate a single aspect of one's learning will lead to the failure of learning as a whole.
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The ancients who wished to illustrate illustrious virtue throughout the world, first ordered well their own States. Wishing to order well their Reproduction of a rendition of "Great States, they first regulated Learning" by Yuan calligrapher Zhao their families. Mengfu at the Taiwan Confucian Temple in Tainan, Taiwan. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost of their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things. Things being investigated, knowledge became complete. Their knowledge being complete, their thoughts were sincere. Their thoughts being sincere, their hearts were then rectified. Their hearts being rectified, their persons were cultivated. Their persons being cultivated, their families were regulated.
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