On Shendu Of The Doctrine Of The Mean

Shendu(慎独) is an important concept in Confucianism classics, including the Doctrine of the Mean. There are also many discussions in other classic literatures.Traditionally, Shendu means to be careful, cautious, and prudent when alone, and to guard against oneself. This kind of standpoint is widely accepted by academic circles. However, with the unearthed materials on bamboo and silk, the academic circles started a new round of controversial discussions on the meanings of Shendu. Many scholars of past dynasties had explained Shendu. Recently people have found Shendu in materials on bamboo and silk. Modern scholars started to explain Shendu in materials on bamboo and silk. This article attempts to organize the understanding about Shendu, which covers the following aspects. First, Shendu is a way to improve morality. Second, Shendu is thought as the noumenon of nature. Third, the moral enlightenment function of Shendu is emphasized.According to the Doctrine of the Mean, the human nature comes from the God, but why can't people who do thing naturally achieve the the doctrine of the mean? Because the human nature from the God is frequently hoodwinked by desires, people need abstention from desires and also need Shendu, especially when alone. Shendu as a way to improve morality has a vital and irreplaceable role to realize the doctrine of the mean.Shendu is a way that must be adopted to implement The doctrine of the mean, and it is especially an embodiment of Honest in the Doctrine of the Mean.Honest is the noumenon of the divine order, which"most sincerely does not have rest"and exists without any absurd part. Therefore, if people want to accord with the God, they must accord with Honest, namely sincerity and verity without any deceit. To be honest, one cannot deceive oneself firstly. Without Shendu, one can only deceive others but is unable to hide deceit from oneself. Shendu is not to deceive oneself and to be serious and prudent with one's own thinking and behaviors.