Abstract:
According to Confucianism, it is of vital importance for social leaders and elites to establish their perfect personalities. The Daxue, or Great Learning, proposes the “Three Principles,” i.e. , “to illustrate illustrious virtue,” “to love the people,” and “to rest in the highest excellence,” as well as the “Eight Particulars,” i.e., “to investigate things,” “to extend to the knowledge,” “to be sincere in the thought,”“to rectify the heart- mind,” “to do self- cultivation,” “to regulate the family,” “to govern the state well,” and “to bring peace throughout the world.” However, they are only the moral principles and the “framework” of practical knowledge （as Zhu Xi said）. It is later Confucian scholars＇ work to “fill up” or attach material to this theoretic “framework.” Zhen Dexiu of the Southern Song Dynasty and Qiu Jun of the Ming Dynasty finished the job with their Daxue yanyi and Daxue yanyi bu respectively. Acclaimed as the “Teachings for the Sovereigns,” these two books summarize the great achievements and experience of ancient administration, and are a “must read” for sovereigns and administrative officers of different levels.
Key words:
Zhen Dexiu; Qiu Jun; Daxue yanyi; Daxue yanyi bu; the way of self- cultivation; the way of rulership
