The Doctrine of the Mean 中庸

The Doctrine of the Mean (Chinese: 中庸, Pinyin: Zhōngyōng, Korean: 중용, Japanese: 中庸, Vietnamese: Trung Dung) is one of the Four Books (四書) of Confucianism. It consists of 33 chapters attributed to Zisi (子思), the only grandson of Confucius, with interspersed notes by Zhu Xi.

Zhu Xi's master, Cheng Yi, says, "Being without inclination to either side is called Zhong; admitting of no change is called Yong. By Zhong is denoted the correct course to be pursued by all under heaven; by Yong is denoted the fixed principle regulating all under heaven. This work contains the law of the mind, which was handed down from one to another, in the Confucian school, till Zisi, fearing lest in the course of time errors should arise about it, committed it to writing, and delivered it to Mencius. The book first speaks of one principle; it next spreads this out, and embraces all things; finally, it returns and gathers them all up under the one principle. Unroll it, and it fills the universe; roll it up, and it retires and lies hid in mysteriousness. The relish of it is inexhaustible. The whole of it is solid learning. When the skillful reader has explored it with delight till he has apprehended it, he may carry it into practice all his life, and will find that it cannot be exhausted." Scottish translator James Legge was a Hong Kong missionary, Nonconformist pastor of the English Union Church, and the first professor of Chinese studies at Oxford University. Cover: Queen Mother of the West Visits Confucius by cartoonist Robin Bougie (2025), released by him into the public domain.