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The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean

Confucius; Zengzi; Zisi

A LibriVox audio reading in English of two Confucian classics, the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean, texts linked to Confucius and his followers.

These classics are attributed to Confucius and his close followers, preserving his core teachings.

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Confucius, Zengzi, Zisi, The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean. LibriVox volunteer reading, read by Geoffrey Edwards.

About this source

What it is

This is a modern volunteer audio recording from LibriVox of two short Confucian texts: the Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean. These are two of the Four Books of Confucianism. The Great Learning's main text is traditionally attributed to Confucius, with commentary attributed to his disciple Zengzi. The Doctrine of the Mean is linked to Confucius's grandson Zisi.

Why it matters

These texts shaped how later generations understood Confucius's teachings on self-cultivation, ethics and government. They show how his ideas were preserved, organized and passed down by his students and descendants over centuries.

Look closer

  • Why might these teachings have been written down by disciples rather than Confucius himself?
  • What does it mean that these ideas were still being read and recorded centuries later, even as an audio recording today?
  • Is this recording the same as hearing Confucius speak? Why or why not?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Confucius on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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