Three-Character Classic st.27-30, attrib. Wang Yinglin

[lnhammer]

27.
Confucius’ Analects
Is twenty chapters long:
His various disciples
Recorded his wise words.

论语者
二十篇
群弟子
记善言

28.
The dialogues of Mencius
Are set in seven chapters:
Morality’s expounded,
What’s kind and right explained.

孟子者
七篇止
讲道德
说仁义

29.
The Doctrine of the Mean
Was scribed by Zisi’s brush:
The mean does not diverge,
The doctrine doesn’t change.

作中庸
子思笔
中不偏
庸不易

30.
The book of The Great Learning
Was written by Zhengzi:
From cultivating order
Proceeds a peaceful realm.

作大学
乃曾子
自修齐
至平治

• 27: Analects is a collection of Confucius’ teachings compiled after his death by his students. • 28: Mencius is a collection of the conversations with the Confucian philosopher Mencius. • 29: Zisi was a grandson and student of Confucius. The Doctrine of the Mean is a chapter of Classic of Rites (see st.35-36). • 30: Zhengzi was another student of Confucius, and The Great Learning is also a chapter of Classic of Rites. “Cultivating order” (修齐) is shorthand for “cultivating one’s moral character and ordering one’s household.”

---L.

Comments

[sartorias]

Interesting what was said about the famous books.

[lnhammer]

Yup -- not always the summary I would have chosen.