Four Books

¹ tiān 天: “Heaven, Nature”

“Does Heaven say anything? The four seasons run their course and all things are produced. Does Heaven say anything?” – Kongzi, Discourses 17:19, tr. Chan

Mnemonics: 天 = 大 + 一 (i.e. “great” + “one” on top, means the “one highest great”)

² lǐ 理: “organizing principle”

“The Western Inscription makes it clear that principle is one but its manifestations are many, but Mozi’s teachings involve two bases without differentiation.” – Cheng Yi, Complete Works of the Two Chengs, tr. Chan

³ qì 氣: “animated force” or “material force”

“The two animated forces of yin and yang form the substance of things and are everywhere.” – Chen Chun, Chen Chun’s Explanation of Terms 25:4, tr. Chan

⁴ mìng 命: “decree, destiny, fate”

“Destiny is what is endowed by Heaven and the nature is what things have received.” – Cheng Yi, Reflections on Things at Hand 1:7, tr. Chan

⁵ dào 道: “the Way”

“It is man that can make the Way great, and not the Way that can make man great.” – Kongzi, Discourses 15.29, tr. Chan

⁶ tàijí 太極: “Great Ultimate”

“The Great Ultimate through activity generates yang and through tranquillity generates yin.” – Zhou Dunyi, Chen Chun’s Explanation of Terms 18:5, tr. Chan

⁷ yīn 陰: “yin, negative cosmic force”

“Spring and summer belong to yang while autumn and winter belong to yin.” – Chen Chun, An Explanation of Terms in the Four Books 8:15, tr. Chan

⁸ yáng 陽: “yang, positive cosmic force”

“The successive movement of yin and yang constitutes the Way. What issues from the Way is good. That which realizes it is individual nature.” – Book of Changes, Appended Remarks 1:5, tr. Chan