Virtue and Effort (The Chinese View of Self-Cultivation)

Author: Zhang Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-07-01
Features: Traditional Chinese philosophy focuses on life issues, particularly emphasizing moral self-cultivation, which is referred to as "self-cultivation" (). The Confucian classic The Great Learning summarizes human cultivation into eight stages: investigating things (), extending knowledge (), rectifying the mind (), sincere intention (), self-cultivation (), managing the family (), governing the state (), and bringing peace to the world (). The theory of self-cultivation in Chinese philosophy is a valuable cultural heritage that requires us to organize and inherit it. However, we must also recognize that with the development of the times, people's social lives have become increasingly complex. We need to provide new interpretations of traditional philosophy based on the realities of modern society. This book, guided by the idea of "making the old serve the new," explores the relationship between morality, self-cultivation, and social practice in "investigating things," studies the methods of acquiring knowledge in "extending knowledge," explains the regulation and sublimation of human desires in "rectifying the mind," and discusses the tempering of will qualities in "sincere intention." In "self-cultivation," it elaborates on the methods of nurturing ideals and improving personality, reflects on the modern value of traditional family virtues in "managing the family," introduces the professional ethics left by ancient thinkers in "governing the state," and explores the brilliance of humanity in "bringing peace to the world." These eight aspects form a complete system that can provide modern people living in a highly competitive market economy with a value system for stability and purpose, as well as a method to achieve a healthy and happy life.
Traditional Chinese philosophy focuses on life issues, particularly emphasizing moral self-cultivation, which is referred to as "self-cultivation" (). The Confucian classic The Great Learning summarizes human cultivation into eight stages: investigating things (), extending knowledge (), rectifying the mind (), sincere intention (), self-cultivation (), managing the family (), governing the state (), and bringing peace to the world (). The theory of self-cultivation in Chinese philosophy is a valuable cultural heritage that requires us to organize and inherit it. However, we must also recognize that with the development of the times, people's social lives have become increasingly complex. We need to provide new interpretations of traditional philosophy based on the realities of modern society. This book, guided by the idea of "making the old serve the new," explores the relationship between morality, self-cultivation, and social practice in "investigating things," studies the methods of acquiring knowledge in "extending knowledge," explains the regulation and sublimation of human desires in "rectifying the mind," and discusses the tempering of will qualities in "sincere intention." In "self-cultivation," it elaborates on the methods of nurturing ideals and improving personality, reflects on the modern value of traditional family virtues in "managing the family," introduces the professional ethics left by ancient thinkers in "governing the state," and explores the brilliance of humanity in "bringing peace to the world." These eight aspects form a complete system that can provide modern people living in a highly competitive market economy with a value system for stability and purpose, as well as a method to achieve a healthy and happy life.