Zhong Yong 中庸 (Chung Yung) A Chapter in Li Ji 禮記 (Li Chi) Through Zhu Xi 朱熹 (Chu His), became one of the “Four Books” The most “metaphysical” work in the Confucian classics

Translations of Zhong Yong 中庸 “The Doctrine of the Mean” (W-T Chan, and James Legge, ) “Centrality and Commonality” (Tu Weiming) “Focusing the Familiar” (Roger Ames and David Hall)

Zhong 中 (Chung) Central, the mean, Central, the mean, Equilibrium Equilibrium Inside Inside Yong 庸 (Yung) Ordinary, the familiar Ordinary, the familiar Constant Constant Yong 用 – practice Yong 用 – practice Cheng 誠 (Ch’eng) Sincerity / true to oneself / nothing to hide or be shame of /genuine Sincerity / true to oneself / nothing to hide or be shame of /genuine Reality Reality Cheng 成 – completion, consummation Cheng 成 – completion, consummation

Xing 性 (human nature) -- What heaven imparts to human -- To follow the human nature is called the Way Zhong 中 (Chung) -- A state before the feelings/responses are aroused -- the foundation/root of everything He 和 (Harmony) -- all feelings attain the due measure and hit the target/the proper point -- the universal path, the Tao, or the Way Jiao 教 (Education) -- Cultivate the Way is called education -- Cultivate the Way is called education

The Way of Heaven (20) – naturally sincere, hits on the target without effort, self consummation and able to consummate everything (25, 24) The Way of human being – To try to be sincere – choose the good and holds fast to it [Compare with Mencius 4A12, p.74] Sages – those who have become heavenly through human effort – able to hit the right target all the time, in everyday affairs Xing (human nature) (21) – reach understanding/enlightenment from being sincere – reach understanding/enlightenment from being sincere Jiao (education) – reach sincerity from understanding/enlightenment – reach sincerity from understanding/enlightenment The Unity of heaven and human 天人合一 (22) – to be sincere – fully develop one’s own nature – fully develop the nature of others and of things – can form a trinity with heaven and earth

Aristotle’s “mean” and the Confucian “zhongyong” Aristotle’s “mean” and the Confucian “zhongyong” 1. Zhong also means “the mean” 2. Yong is the practice of the mean constantly in ordinary life 3. virtue as disposition (hexis, a firm and stable character) to hit the mean (not a skill – (1) not performed reluctantly, more tied to the agent as a person, and (2) not neutral in doing good or bad but always enables the person to do the good). Become second nature (connected to the notion of wu wei) Confucius – able to follow the heart’s will without overstepping the line (the Analects, 2.4). “acts out of ren-yi, rather than just practicing ren- yi” (Mencius, 4B19). Hit upon what is right without effort and apprehends without thinking. …” (Zhongyong 20, p. 107) 5. Does the Confucian account have a telos – built-in end? 6. Aristotle’s emphasis on contemplation (concerned with universal truth and necessary knowledge) 7. How to build one’s virtue? Confucian emphasis on xiao 孝 (filial piety), as the root; Aristotle’s emphasis on law (is it similar to li – ritual propriety?)

Daily One-minute Paper Daily One-minute Paper 1. What is the big point you learned in class today? 1. What is the big point you learned in class today? 2. What is the main, unanswered question you leave class with today? 2. What is the main, unanswered question you leave class with today?