LA GRANDE ÉRUDITION—UN DES QUATRE LIVRES CONFUCIANISTES: ÉCRIT PAR TZENG TZE: UN DES MEILLEURS DISCIPLES DE CONFUCIUS

Abstract

This project aims to conduct the translation of Tzeng-Tze's The Great Learning from ancient Chinese into French in adherence to the following three principles: fidelity, fluency, and gracefulness. The three principal objectives are announced at the beginning of this work in the most straight-forward manner: "What the Great Learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtues; to love the people; and to rest in the highest excellence." These worthy objectives, followed by profound teachings on how to achieve them, render this work one of the four renowned Confucian classics. With the Great Harmony as the ultimate goal, spiritual guidance is given in a step-by-step fashion—with explanation and instructions for each—for the process of advancement. This process can be divided into two parts: Inner Sainthood and Outer Kingship; namely, the internal cultivation and the external practice.