Friends of the Zhike Study Society, good evening. Today I will communicate with you about the Confucian “Three Guiding Principles and Eight Items.”
I am Song Shiqiang, General Manager of Shenzhen Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd. Our company is a leader in the BeiDou ecosystem (www.kinghelm.net). Another project is silicon carbide power devices, and we are well-known experts in the silicon carbide industry (www.slkoric.com).
Song Shiqiang, General Manager of Kinghelm Electronics
First, I will talk about the influence of Confucianism on our lives. When I was young, there was a Feng clan in our production team. Among my peers were people named Feng Yunshen and Feng Wushen, friends who grew up playing naked together. In the older generation there were Feng Huaxiu and Feng Quanxiu, who lived right next to my home. In the younger generation there were Feng Qilong, Feng Qilin, and others. Only later did I learn that the generational ranking in their names came from a sentence: “Rectify the mind, cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.” Their names were taken according to this line. Still later, when I grew up, I learned that this sentence comes from the Confucian classic The Book of Rites · The Great Learning. Today I will begin from here.
The way of the Great Learning lies in manifesting bright virtue, in renewing (or loving) the people, and in resting in the highest good.Only after investigating things can knowledge be extended; after knowledge is extended, intentions become sincere; after intentions are sincere, the mind becomes rectified; after the mind is rectified, the self is cultivated; after the self is cultivated, the family is regulated; after the family is regulated, the state is well governed; after the state is well governed, there is peace under Heaven.
This is what later Confucians revered as the classic “Three Guiding Principles and Eight Items.”
Let us first discuss the Three Guiding Principles. The Three Guiding Principles means three fundamental guidelines (distinct from the Three Bonds and Five Constants: Three Bonds—ruler guides subject, father guides son, husband guides wife; Five Constants—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness).
The way of the Great Learning lies in manifesting bright virtue, in loving the people, and in resting in the highest good.
Here, “Great Learning” refers to the great knowledge of governing the state and stabilizing the nation. In the past, one could only enter the Great Learning at the age of fifteen, with the prerequisite of a certain cultural foundation, studying ethics, politics, philosophy, and other learning aimed at “exhausting principles, rectifying the mind, cultivating oneself, and governing others.” It was education for literati who had the opportunity to accomplish great affairs, so the requirements were high. “Way” means method. The method lies in advocating and promoting upright and honorable virtue and governance, widely drawing close to the people and respecting public opinion (also educating and transforming the people so that they continually progress), and pursuing the highest goodness and perfection without end, taking the utmost good as the goal of striving.
“Manifest bright virtue”: the first “manifest” is a verb meaning to advocate, promote, and carry forward; the second “bright” means upright, open, fair, and enlightened. “Virtue” refers to moral character, virtuous governance, and social ethos.
“Loving (or renewing) the people”: “love” means to draw close to, observe, and respect; “people” means the masses, extended to public opinion and public sentiment. Another interpretation, based on bamboo slips unearthed from Chu tombs of the Spring and Autumn period, is that “love” should be read as “renew,” meaning to renew the people—encouraging learning, abandoning the old and embracing the new, and ultimately reaching the most perfect state.
“The highest good” means the supreme state of goodness and beauty. “Resting” means to stop or settle. “Resting in” means to maintain when the goal is reached. “Resting in the highest good” means taking the highest good as the goal of striving.
Next are the Eight Items, namely: investigation of things, extension of knowledge, sincerity of intention, rectification of the mind, cultivation of the self, regulation of the family, governance of the state, and bringing peace to the world.
These are both the steps designed to achieve the Three Guiding Principles and the ladder of personal cultivation presented by Confucianism.
We should also note a very useful saying here: “Things have roots and branches; affairs have beginnings and ends.” One must grasp the essence of things to avoid going astray. To make it easier for people to understand, The Great Learning also arranged its content carefully—starting from the goal and then explaining the methods. If the root is disturbed, it is impossible to govern the family, clan, state, or world well. Confusing priorities and putting the cart before the horse while expecting success is also impossible.
Only after investigating things can knowledge be extended; after knowledge is extended, intentions become sincere; after intentions are sincere, the mind becomes rectified; after the mind is rectified, the self is cultivated; after the self is cultivated, the family is regulated; after the family is regulated, the state is well governed; after the state is well governed, there is peace under Heaven.
All of Confucian doctrine essentially unfolds along these Three Guiding Principles and Eight Items. Grasping them is equivalent to holding a key that opens the gate to Confucianism. Following this ladder step by step, you will enter the hall and appreciate the profound meaning of the Confucian classics. In fact, it includes two major aspects: “inner cultivation” and “outer governance.” The first four stages—investigation of things, extension of knowledge, sincerity of intention, rectification of the mind—belong to inner cultivation. The last three—regulating the family, governing the state, bringing peace to the world—belong to outer governance. The middle step, cultivation of the self, is the pivot linking the two. Connected with the former, it means perfecting oneself; connected with the latter, it means benefiting the world. This is the same principle later described as “inner sagehood and outer kingship.”
To promote upright virtue in the world, one must first govern one’s state well; to govern the state well, one must first manage one’s family and clan; to manage the family well, one must cultivate one’s character; to cultivate one’s character, one must rectify one’s mind; to rectify the mind, one must make one’s intentions sincere; to make intentions sincere, one must acquire knowledge; and the way to acquire knowledge is through understanding and studying all things.
Investigation of things means increasing knowledge through studying all phenomena. This is a process of learning, research, reflection, and accumulation. It is said that Wang Yangming once split bamboo for days and nights without sleep to study it, stopping only when his body could no longer endure.
Extension of knowledge: only after studying things can knowledge be obtained. With knowledge, one can use what one has learned to serve society.
Sincerity of intention: after acquiring knowledge, intentions can become sincere. It also requires a serious attitude toward people and affairs. Only seriousness enables one to accomplish things. Today’s advocacy of the craftsman spirit follows the same principle—treating one’s products with care and respect leads to good products, and the same applies to dealing with people.
Rectification of the mind: only when intentions are sincere can the mind be upright. I believe this stage involves establishing one’s outlook on life and values, and cultivating a vast, upright spirit. From my experience, to accomplish great things one must be supported by righteousness and moral strength to withstand right and wrong and many obstacles. In Wen Tianxiang’s Song of Righteousness, he wrote that he endured immense suffering in a small prison cell because he possessed righteousness—rooted in profound national integrity and lofty patriotism.
Wen Tianxiang’s “Song of Righteousness”
At this point, I would like to mention the concept of the gentleman’s vigilance in solitude. This means that even without supervision or constraints, one can strictly demand oneself. The prerequisite is mastering self-reflection. As Zengzi said, with a clear conscience one can go anywhere under Heaven without fear, because he examined himself daily.
For more than two thousand years, generation after generation of Chinese intellectuals have followed the principle “cultivate oneself in obscurity, benefit the world when in prominence,” laying their life journey on this ladder.
Regulating the family: only after cultivating character can one manage the family and clan well. The most important principle within the family is filial piety and fraternal respect. Filial piety means gratitude, respect, and support for parents and elders. Fraternal respect refers to harmony and affection among siblings, as well as harmonious relations among peers and friends. Zeng Guofan is an excellent example in this regard—he was very strict with his family. I also have such examples: when choosing partners or friends, how they treat parents, siblings, and friends is one of my evaluation standards. This afternoon, while preparing this manuscript, a friend from Huaqiangbei visited—Mr. Chen Haisheng of Meilong Electronics. His business is very successful; he is a leader in the industry, responsible to his family and employees, strict with himself and lenient with others—also a very positive example.
Governing the state: in ancient times, states were feudal territories of various lords and relatively small, unlike modern nations. Once the preceding steps are handled well, governing the state poses no problem. This reminds me of the saying, “When one’s own conduct is upright, orders are unnecessary,” and also “Those who follow the Way gain much support; those who lose it gain little.” The same principle applies to running a company and leading a team.
Bringing peace to the world: at that time “the world” referred to the lands of the Zhou king and surrounding influential regions such as Chu and Nanyue. It also embodied the ancient sage ideal of establishing virtue and achievement—“inner sagehood and outer kingship.”
What has been discussed above is not merely a set of theories or stages of personal cultivation, but a life ladder with strong practical significance. It has shaped the character and psychology of generations of Chinese intellectuals and still exerts a subtle influence on us today. Whether you realize it or not, the concepts of investigation, knowledge, sincerity, rectitude, cultivation, family regulation, governance, and peace quietly influence your thinking and actions. Ultimately, one finds that the life journey of the Chinese people unfolds along this Confucian ladder—this is the great power of culture and the source of our nation’s enduring vitality and unity. Although traditional culture suffered severe damage from the Reform Movement of 1898 to the May Fourth Movement and later the Cultural Revolution, culture possesses the ability to heal and restore itself. With promotion by social elites and cultural feedback from East and South Asian countries, our traditional culture will surely revive, and problems such as toxic milk powder, counterfeit medicines, and fake alcohol will greatly decrease.
In addition to the Three Bonds and Five Constants, there are also the Four Cardinal Principles and Eight Virtues, which can likewise be discussed numerically. We will talk about them next time if there is an opportunity. I will end today’s lecture with a line of Tang poetry: “Looking back at where the arrows struck the eagles, for a thousand miles the evening clouds lie flat.” Thank you all!
Note: This article is compiled from a speech by Mr. Song Shiqiang, General Manager of Shenzhen Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd.
About the Author
Mr. Song Shiqiang serves as a popular science lecturer for the China Institute of Electronics and is a member of the Electronic Information Expert Database of the China Association for Science and Technology. He is also a columnist specializing in popular science writing and an expert in Huaqiangbei business research.
Mr. Song has invested in and operates two companies in Shenzhen: Slkor Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (www.slkoric.com) and Kinghelm Electronics Co., Ltd. (www.kinghelm.net). The brands "SLKOR" and "Kinghelm" have garnered international recognition and a strong reputation.
Kinghelm, with its motto "Connecting the World," began by developing antennas for Beidou and GPS systems. The company has since expanded its product line to include microwave antennas, RF cables, and electrical signal connectors, embracing the era of intelligent connectivity where everything is interconnected.
Slkor, on the other hand, focuses on the research and development of power devices, sensors, and other semiconductor products. Together, these two companies provide services to over 20,000 customers worldwide.
Mr. Song has consistently shown a keen interest in and conducted in-depth research on Huaqiangbei, actively advocating for its development. His research articles on Huaqiangbei, including "Research on Huaqiangbei," "The Transformation and Development of Huaqiangbei," and "A Refutation of Bloomberg's News on Huaqiangbei," have been reposted by major media outlets such as the People's Daily App, Xinhua News Agency, Associated Press, and Yahoo News.
With extensive experience in the electronics industry, Mr. Song enjoys widespread recognition and influence in the semiconductor and Beidou navigation fields. He has been tirelessly working to foster a more favorable business environment in Huaqiangbei, aspiring to establish it as a prominent emblem of China's Reform and Opening-up and a distinguished hallmark of Shenzhen's rapidly thriving economy.
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