Zengzi

ZENGZI (Chinese, 505–435 BCE)

Zengzi, also called Zeng Shen and Ziyu, was a disciple of Confucius. He later taught Zisi (Kong Ji), Confucius's grandson who wrote the Doctrine of the Mean. Zisi in turn taught Mencius, author of the Mencius. Thus Zengzi was the progenitor of a line of teachers and is still revered as one of the Four Sages of Confucianism (with Yan Hui, Confucius's favorite disciple; Zisi; and Mencius). He was later considered second only to Yan Hui amongst Confucius's students. He wrote ten books, including (possibly) The Great Learning.

• The Great Learning teaches the importance of: balance and refinement of the moral self; rest and reflection; knowing what is important; order and harmony; and well-roundedness in education.

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