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基礎雜誌265期
38
Writing Gathering Field
文 薈 篇
The Great Unity
禮
運
大
同
The Great Unity is a utopian vision of the ideal world: a world of peace
and harmony, where prosperity and joy prevail. It was fi rst described in Li Yun
Da Tong by Confucius.
Li Yun refers to the path of propriety. When we walk this path, we begin
to understand right from wrong, and move from ignorance to enlightenment.
Da Tong, the Great Unity, refers the world as one big family where people
treat one another with love, honesty and mutual assistance. When such a world
becomes reality, all human beings will enjoy equality and freedom.
大道之行也 天下為公
When the Great Tao prevails, the world is a commonwealth shared by all.
選賢與能 講信修睦
They choose the virtuous and capable as leaders; they promote trust and
cultivate goodwill.
故人不獨親其親 不獨子其子
Thus, people do not regard only their own parents as parents, nor do they
regard only their own children as children.
使老有所終 壯有所用 幼有所長
The old are cared for until death, the adults are gainfully employed, and
Translated by Derek Lin
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the children are nurtured.
鰥、寡、孤、獨、廢疾者皆有所養
Widowers, widows, orphans, childless seniors, the disabled and diseased
are all taken care of.
男有分 女有歸
Men have their proper roles, and women have their families.
貨惡其棄於地也 不必藏於己
People hate to see a resource thrown away on the ground,but they do not
necessarily keep it for themselves.
力惡其不出於身也 不必為己
They hate to not do their own work, but they do not necessarily work for
themselves.
是故謀閉而不興 盜竊亂賊而不作
Therefore, conspiracies do not thrive; robberies, thefts and criminal
activities do not occur.
故外戶而不閉 是謂大同
Thus, people do not need to shut their doors when they go out.This is
called the Great Unity.