Tongshu

The Tongshu, or "Explanatory Text," is a significant work by the Chinese philosopher Zhou Dunyi (1017–1073). This treatise is considered a foundational text for Neo-Confucianism, a philosophical system that profoundly influenced Chinese thought for nearly a millennium.1

In the Tongshu, Zhou Dunyi reinterpreted and restated Confucian doctrines, laying the groundwork for the ethical principles of later Neo-Confucianism. He proposed that a sage, or superior person, should act according to virtues such as propriety, humanity, righteousness, wisdom, faithfulness, and tranquility. Zhou emphasized sincerity as the basis of moral character, enabling individuals to discern between good and evil and to achieve self-perfection. His integration of Confucian ethics with a metaphysical framework revitalized Neo-Confucianism and influenced subsequent thinkers like Zhu Xi.1