Study On The Text Of The Great Learning

The Great Learning is one of the most influential classic of Confucius School in both Chinese Historical Thoughts and cultural history, yet certain argumentations on this text's writing completion, school belonging and other thought category explanations have not settle down till today. This thesis is one of the above studies on the completion issue and "Ko Wu" explanation of The Great Learning and advancement on this field.On the study of this text's writing completion, basing on the three principles of The Great Learning's thought logic, documentations, and historical situation, characteristic of The Great Learning's systematic and wholeness, this thesis points out that the date of this text's completion should be between late of War States but before foundation of West Han Dynasty; this thesis holds that The Great Learning should belong to the Xun School. Xun's critical revised and even comprehensive thoughts of Mencius, Confucius' ideal outline to cater the historical situation of late War States and might be the spiritual outline of Xun's thoughts of ritual. A basics way of elucidating The Great Learning is based on its current text and by referring to similar documents. In addition to this rule, characteristics of pre-Qin Confucianism were considered in this article when the author criticized former elucidation of "Ko Wu". A novel perspective in understanding "Ko Wu" is given. "Ko Wu" is a ritual practice and "Ko" can be interpreted as "Zhi" for that "Zhi " means contacting things personally and directly. On the other hand, the action of "Ko" requires "having Ko", which means practices should be consistent with the ritual spirit. Taken together, "Ko Wu" is a process of continuous hardening by self-discipline and is a prerequisite to improve the state of one's life.