The meaning of Hengqu's four sentences is: Man's understanding of heaven and earth is the culture created, which can also be said to be the self-understanding of heaven and earth. This is to "establish a heart" for heaven and earth. Confucianism combines external and internal unity, heaven and man, conformity to nature and self-improvement and progress. It is not to continue the Chinese academic tradition in the general sense, but to continue the Confucian academic tradition. The supreme ruler should be a saint. The virtuous realize the kingly way.
Source: Zhang Zai's "Hengqu Quotations" establishes the mind for the heaven and the earth, establishes the destiny for the people, inherits the unique knowledge for the saints, and creates peace for all generations.
Vernacular interpretation:
1. "Establish a heart for heaven and earth." Heaven and earth have no heart, but humans have hearts. Human hearts are what enable people to be born with philanthropy and charity. The heart of a benevolent person, and the heart of a saint like Grand Duke Kuoran. In fact, the heart of compassion is the heart of being intolerant of others, which is Confucius's "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you, don't do to others", which is the starting point of benevolence. Mr. Ma Yifu summed it up by saying: "As a scholar, one must not seek benevolence but love benevolence and not be benevolent. Being able to do this is to establish a heart for the world."
2. "To establish a destiny for the people." ”, directly derived from Mencius’ thought of “establishing destiny”. Through self-cultivation and education, if one can finally reach a state where no matter how long or short a person's life is, he can maintain his own integrity and integrity, then this individual life can be said to have settled down and settled down.
3. "To carry on the unique learning to the saints", so the "going to the saints" are the ancient Confucianism represented by Confucius and Mencius; the "excellent learning" is the Taoism promoted by the ancient Confucian Confucianism and Mencius. As far as Confucianism is concerned, Confucius is certainly the master of all, but the masters of Lian, Luo, Guan, and Fujian in the Song Dynasty took the development of Confucianism to a whole new stage. The only ones who can truly carry forward the legacy of Confucius and Mencius are the Confucians of the Song Dynasty.
4. "To create peace for all generations" expresses the eternal political ideal of the Confucians of the Song Dynasty and also of the Confucians of the Song Dynasty. "Open" is called expectation. To "create peace for all generations" and realize the cultural ideal described in Zhang Zai's "Xi Ming", the people are harmonious and all are benevolent, so that the confused and ignorant modern people can return to the spiritual home of human beings who are straightforward and honest. Extended information
Writing background:
Zhang Zai was born in Chang'an (today's Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province) in the fourth year of Emperor Zhenzong's reign in the Song Dynasty. When he was young, he liked to discuss the art of war and published "Nine Articles of Bilateral Discussion". Befriend Fan Zhongyan and study the Six Classics of Confucianism. After passing the rank of Jinshi, he joined the army under the jurisdiction of Qizhou, was awarded the magistrate of Yunyan County, and moved to Zuo Lang and Chongwen Academy Shulang. After resigning and returning home, he gave lectures in Guanzhong and established a school of thought called "Guan Xue".
Zhang Zai was a Jinshi in the second year of Jiayou reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty. He was awarded the title of Chongwen Academy and learned about Taichang Liyuan. Later, his younger brother Zhang Jian, the supervisory censor, was demoted for opposing Wang Anshi's reform, and Hengqu resigned. After returning home, he focused on reading and teaching, and founded "Guan Xue", which became famous for a while.
When he was young, he read a lot of books and had great ambitions to become an official. However, with the encouragement of Fan Zhongyan, he devoted himself to academic research. After visiting Buddha and Lao Lao, he finally formed his own unique Confucianism.
Advocating "practical learning", emphasizing practical application in the world, and having a wide range of research, he has made unique achievements in natural sciences such as astronomy and calendar, as well as agriculture, military, and politics. Different from Er Cheng's "Luo School", Hengqu believes that the "origin" of the world is "Qi" rather than "Li". Through the concept of "Qi", Zhang Zai constructed a unique "monistic" philosophical system. "Feng Youlan evaluated it as Zhang Zai's major original contribution to Chinese philosophy.
About the author:
Zhang Zai, courtesy name Zihou, was born in Fengxiang County (now Hengzhou, Meixian County, Shaanxi Province). He was a thinker, educator and founder of Neo-Confucianism in the Northern Song Dynasty.
Song Shenzong died of illness in Lintong in the 10th year of Xining, at the age of fifty-eight. He was known as Mr. Hengqu and honored as Zhang Zi. , was honored as a sage and was enshrined in the 38th place in the west veranda of the Confucius Temple. Together with Zhou Dunyi, Shao Yong, Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao, they were collectively known as the "Five Sons of the Northern Song Dynasty"
He "established his heart for the world and his destiny for the people." The famous saying of "carrying on the unique knowledge of the past saints and creating peace for all generations" was called "Four Sentences of Hengqu" by contemporary philosopher Feng Youlan. Because of its conciseness and conciseness, it has been praised by generations. He is the author of "Zhengmeng", "Hengqu Yishuo" " and other writings remain in the world.