The Doctrine of the Mean is one of the classics of Chinese Confucianism. It was originally the 31st chapter of the Book of Rites and was said to be written by Kong Ji (Zisi) during the Warring States Period. Its content affirms that the Doctrine of the Mean is the highest standard of moral behavior, regards “sincerity” as the ontology of the world, and believes that “utmost sincerity” reaches the highest realm of life. It also proposes the learning process and cognitive method of “learning extensively, questioning carefully, thinking carefully, distinguishing clearly, and practicing diligently”. In the Song Dynasty, it was extracted from the Book of Rites and combined with The Great Learning, The Analects of Confucius, and Mencius to form the “Four Books”. After the Song and Yuan Dynasties, it became an official textbook for schools and a must-read for the imperial examinations, which had a great influence on ancient Chinese education.
《中庸》是中国儒家经典之一，原是《礼记》第三十一篇，相传为战国时期孔伋（子思）所作。其内容肯定“中庸”是道德行为的最高标准，把“诚”看成是世界的本体，认为“至诚”则达到人生的最高境界，并提出“博学之，审问之，慎思之，明辨之，笃行之”的学习过程和认识方法。宋代从《礼记》中抽出，与《大学》《论语》《孟子》合为“四书”。宋元以后，成为学校官定的教科书和科举考试的必读书，对中国古代教育产生了极大的影响。
中庸·三十二
唯天下至圣，为能聪明睿知，足以有临也；宽裕温柔，足以有容也；发强刚毅，足以有执也；齐庄中正，足以有敬也；文理密察，足以有别也。溥博渊泉，而时出之。溥博如天，渊泉如渊。见而民莫不敬，言而民莫不信，行而民莫不说。是以声名洋溢乎中国，施及蛮貊，舟车所至，人力所通，天之所覆，地之所载，日月所照，霜露所坠，凡有血气者，莫不尊亲，故曰配天。
XXXII
It is only he in this world who is possessed of absolute truth that can order and adjust the great relations of human society, fix the fundamental principles of morality, and understand the laws of creation of the Universe.
Now where does such a man derive his power and knowledge except from himself? How all-absorbing his humanity! How unfathomable the depth of his mind! How infinitely grand and vast his divine nature! Who can understand such a nature except he who is gifted with the most perfect intelligence and endowed with the highest divine qualities of nature and mind?
