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The Great Learning · 9 of 11

Commentary Chapter VIII: Cultivating the Person and Regulating the Family

1.What is meant by “The regulation of one’s family depends on the cultivation of his person,” is this:—men are partial where they feel affection and love; partial where they despise and dislike; partial where they stand in awe and reverence; partial where they feel sorrow and compassion; partial where they are arrogant and rude. Thus it is that there are few men in the world who love and at the same time know the bad qualities of the object of their love, or who hate and yet know the excellences of the object of their hatred.

2.Hence it is said, in the common adage, “A man does not know the wickedness of his son; he does not know the richness of his growing corn.”

3.This is what is meant by saying that if the person be not cultivated, a man cannot regulate his family.

[Zhu Xi’s editorial note]

The above eighth chapter of commentary explains cultivating the person and regulating the family.

Echoes elsewhere

The Ethics of Confucius · Confucianismas only a larger household, having all its ethical principles founded on those of the primary unit. The Foundation of Government. "This is meant by 'To rightly govern the state, it The Doctrine of the Mean · Confucianismhow to govern other men, he knows how to govern the kingdom with all its states and families. "All who have the government of the kingdom with its states and families have nine sta Tao, The Great Luminant · Taoismon death or likes to get wounded; it is the sure reward and the certain punishment that move him. Therefore, when the ruler looks on those below as sons, then those below look on t The Ethics of Confucius · Confucianismin respect to rearing of children; for of this it is said in "The Great Learning" (c. ix., v. 2): "If a mother is really anxious to do so, though she may not hit precisely the want