The Doctrine of the Mean is another essay in The Book of Rites.
《中庸》是《礼记》里另一篇文章，讲的是儒家的处世哲学。
A sister chapter to The Great Learning，it is about the Confucian philosophy of life.
它与《大学》是互为表里的姊妹篇，
According to the Confucian scholars of the Song Dynasty, the Great Learning is a gateway to perfect virtue, and the Doctrine of the Mean teaches the ways of conducting things in the world.
宋儒说《大学》是“入德之门”，《中庸》是“传授心法”。
Zhongyong or the Mean, a typical Confucian concept, is composed of two Chinese characters：
“中庸”是儒家特有的概念，
Zhong means neither too many nor too few, neither too much nor too little；
“中”就是不过分，不欠缺；
and yong means neither outstanding nor common.
“庸”就是不突出，不失常。
Therefore, according to the Confucian scholars, whatever they do and whomever they happen to deal with, people should always adhere to this principle.
儒家认为对人对事应该本着这个原则去做，掌握最佳状态，恰到好处，适度而得体，
This is the spirit of the happy medium，
这就是“中庸之道”。
which is indeed the highest principle of Confucianism regarding the ways of life.
它是儒家为人处世的最高原则。
The book, written in the early Han Dynasty,
《中庸》是汉初人所作，
was said to be composed by Zisi, a grandson of Confucius',
但旧说认为是孔子的孙子子思所作，
and was later passed down to Mencius.
后来传给孟子。
Zhu Xi divided the book into 33 chapters.
朱熹把《中庸》分为三十三章，
The first chapter is Pandect and the rest of the chapters are all explanations of Pandect.
第一章是总论，其余各章从各个角度阐明总论。
According to the book, loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and love are all part of human nature.
《中庸》认为忠孝仁爱等伦理原则是人与生俱来的本性，
Everything will be fine provided people let nature take its own course.
人只要自然而然地按本性去做就行。
However, the fact is that not everybody can do so.
但事实上不是人人都做得到，
Therefore it is necessary for people to receive education, and try to perfect themselves,
所以还要教育、修养，严格要求自己。
if everyone makes strict demands on himself / herself, and does everything according to the Confucian rites,
一旦人人都修养到使自己的思想感情一表露出来就准确地合乎礼法的要求，
then the relations between the king and the minister, the father and the son will eventually be harmonized,
君臣父子等人伦关系就都摆正了，
and the society will go smoothly.
社会就可以正常运转。
This is what is called the “Confucian Way of the character cultivation”.
这就是所谓“孔门心法”，
Unfortunately this is not easily achieved in the real life.
但事实上是很难做到的。
As a result, a new concept cheng or sincerity is put forward in The Doctrine of the Mean,
为此，《中庸》又提出了“诚”的概念，
which is also considered as part of human nature.
认为“诚”也是人的天赋之一。
If people are always sincere, they will accomplish whatever they like and become saints in the end.
如果生而能保持“诚”的品格，就什么都能做得到，那就是圣人了。
For ordinary people, they should try to be sincere by cultivating themselves.
一般人来说则要“诚之”，
Only this can help them to be on the right track, that is, the golden mean.
即让他修养得“诚"起来，才能实行“中庸之道”。
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