It means: to preserve the justice in the heart and eliminate people's desires.

from: one of the important viewpoints of Zhu Xi's neo-Confucianism, but this famous saying was not invented by Zhu Xi.

For a long time, the idea of "keeping justice and destroying human desires" has been circulated as Zhu Xi's invention.

In fact, this concept has already appeared in the Book of Rites, in which it is said: "Those who make things human will destroy the laws of heaven and the desires of the poor. Therefore, there is a rebellious and deceitful heart, and there is a matter of fornication and chaos. " Here, the so-called "those who destroy justice and the poor desire" refers to those who do whatever they want without justice.

cheng said, "people are in danger because of their selfish desires. The mind is natural, so it is subtle. If you want to destroy your selfish desires, you will be clear. " Here, the so-called "destroying selfish desires makes heaven clear" means "preserving heaven and destroying human desires".

Later, Zhu Xi said: "Confucius said' self-denial and self-surrender', The Doctrine of the Mean said' to be neutral',' to respect virtue' and' to ask about learning', The University said' to be clear about virtue', and The Book said' People are afraid of danger, but the Tao is only subtle, but the essence is the only one', and the sages are allowed to grasp the truth.

Extended information:

Zhu Xi's theoretical system

Zhu Xi's philosophical system is based on Cheng Hao's theory of principle, and is formed by absorbing Zhou Dunyi's Taiji theory, Zhang Zai's theory of qi, and the thoughts of Buddhism and Taoism. The core category of this system is "reason", or "Tao" and "Tai Chi". Zhu Xi's so-called reason has several interrelated meanings.

Li is a metaphysical person who precedes natural and social phenomena. He believes that reason is more fundamental than qi, and logically reason precedes qi; At the same time, qi has the initiative to change, and reason cannot leave qi. He believes that everything has its own reason, and the reason of everything is one after all, which is "Tai Chi".

reason is the law of things.

reason is the basic principle of ethics. Zhu Xi, also known as Tai Chi, is the totality of the principles of all things in the world, that is, the principle of total truth. Tai Chi is just a word. Taiji includes the principle of everything, and everything can embody the whole Taiji separately.

This is that everyone has a Tai Chi and everything has a Tai Chi. Every person and thing takes abstract reason as the basis of its existence, and every person and thing has a complete reason, that is, reason is different.

reason is human nature. Zhu Xi, also known as Tai Chi, is the totality of the principles of the universe, that is, the principle of total truth. Qi is the second category in Zhu Xi's philosophical system after reason. It is physical, affectionate, tangible and traceable; It has the characteristics of cohesion and artificiality.

it is the material from which everything is molded. Everything in the world is the product of the unity of reason and material. Zhu Xi believes that the relationship between reason and gas has its main and secondary aspects. Reason is angry and resides in qi, which is primary, and qi is the guest and the back, which is secondary.