Self-completion Leads to HumanityThe Philosophical Significance of “Zhi” in The Chapter of the Great Learning

In“The Great Learning”, philosophers interpreted the“supreme goodness”as the boundary of the world, and they associated“zhi”with people’s cognitive activities and practical activities. As the master of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism, Zhu Xi regarded “zhi” as the principle of heaven of“supreme goodness”. Zhu Xi advocated knowing “zhi” through the way of knowing“jiwuqiongli”. And he advocated the realization of “zhi” through the practice of “xiuqizhiping”,to be more specific,“xingren”. In this process, people’s exploration and practice of “zhi”unfolds into a process of“to be yourself”and“let things be”.