“On the difficult practice of the mean in ordinary life: teachings from the Zhongyong 中庸 ”

The Zhongyong 中庸 is one of the most interesting, profound and controversial Chinese classical texts. The title has been rendered in so many ways that it is clear that there has never been unanimity of understanding and interpretation of this brief philosophical work, neither among Chinese nor among Western scholars. It is a composite document divided into 33 brief sections or pericopes (zhang 章) reflecting a multi-layered origin. During the Han dynasty it was included as a chpater into the Liji 禮記 (Record of Rites) and centuries later the commentator Zhu Xi 朱熹 (1130-1200) promoted it as one of the Sishu 四書 (Four Books). The paper examines the genesis of the work, the meaning of the title and the value of time in the practice of the mean.