Theory of Equilibrium and Harmony

It is a theory advocated by Confucianism, which can be found in The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong): "When the feelings such as pleasure, anger, sorrow and joy are not stirred, the mind may be said to be in the state of equilibrium. When those feelings have been stirred to a proper degree, the mind may be said to be in the state of harmony. This equilibrium is the nature of all humans, and this harmony is the universal path they all should pursue. When the states of equilibrium and harmony are achieved, a happy order will prevail throughout the world, and all things will be nourished and flourish."

According to this theory, when all the emotions and desires of a person are satisfied to a proper degree, he or she will have a harmonious and healthy mind; when the emotions and desires of all the people in a society are satisfied to a proper degree, harmony, stability and a good order will ensue in the society. This state of inner peace and harmony constitutes the essential characteristics of humanity and society. 

“中和說(shuō)”

中和說(shuō)，是儒家倡導(dǎo)的哲學(xué)觀(guān)念，見(jiàn)于《中庸》，所謂“喜怒哀樂(lè)之未發(fā)謂之中，發(fā)而皆中節(jié)謂之和；中也者，天下之大本也，和也者，天下之達(dá)道也。致中和，天地位焉，萬(wàn)物育焉”，意思是說(shuō)，喜怒哀樂(lè)沒(méi)有表現(xiàn)出來(lái)的時(shí)候，叫作“中”；喜怒哀樂(lè)的情感表現(xiàn)出來(lái)以后能夠適中且有節(jié)度，叫作“和”。“中”是人人都有的本性，“和”是大家都應(yīng)當(dāng)遵循的原則，達(dá)到“中和”的狀態(tài)，天地便各在其位，萬(wàn)物便可以生長(zhǎng)繁衍了。

“中和說(shuō)”認(rèn)為，一個(gè)人的情感和欲望都滿(mǎn)足并且控制在恰當(dāng)?shù)南薅壬?，他的精神就達(dá)到和諧和健康。一個(gè)社會(huì)中各式各樣人的情感和欲望都滿(mǎn)足和表現(xiàn)到恰當(dāng)?shù)南薅?，這個(gè)社會(huì)的內(nèi)部就達(dá)到和諧、安定而有秩序。這種平和、和諧就是人自身以及社會(huì)的本質(zhì)特征。