The world is for the public (天下為公) 翻譯 英譯 Translation - Vincent's Calligraphy

Vincent's Calligraphy
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Galleries and Translations > Poetry and Others  > The world is for the public (天下為公)
"The Nation Belongs to All Citizens" (天下為公)
45  X  27 cm
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The Nation Belongs to All Citizens (天下為公)
45  X  27cm  in Regular Script (書)

Remarks

(I)

"The Nation Belongs to All Citizens (天下為公)" originated from The Book of Rites - Conveyance of Rites"  (《禮記·禮運》):

子曰: " ." (1)
Confucius said, "The Nation Belongs to All Citizens."
(translated by KS Vincent Poon)

Confucius spoke these words to describe his ideal society wherein no clan monopolizes the nation. Successions of power are not hereditary, and whoever is able can be chosen for public office with no prejudice (3). Further, since Confucian values prevail, the people trust and love one another, and all can work to the best of their abilities (4). Confucius described this utopia as the "Great Unity (大同)" (5).


(II)

Dr Sun Yat Sen (孫中山, 1866-1925), Father of the Nation (國父), drew a parallel between his "Principle of Democracy (民權主義)" and "The Nation Belongs to All Citizens":

孔子說: "天下為公", 便是主張民權的大同世界. (6)
When Confucius said, "The Nation Belongs to All Citizens", he was advocating for a democratic world of Great Unity.
(translated by KS Vincent Poon)

Indeed, Sun found "The Nation Belongs to All Citizens" so appealing that he eventually wrote a calligraphy of it (7). Unfortunately, his dream of a democratic China did not come to fruition before his death. Despite this, inheriting Sun's ideals, today's Taiwan is rapidly becoming a democratic society that belongs to all its citizens.
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(1). 鄭玄 注,  孔穎達 疏,  《禮記注疏》, 禮運. Shanghai: 中華書局, 1936, p.2.
(2). Ibid..
(3). Ibid., pp.2-3..
(4). Ibid..
(5). Ibid..
(6). 孫中山, 《三民主義》, 民權主義第一講.  Shanghai: 上海春明書店, 1947, pp.48-49.
(7). 劉正成,《中國書法鑒賞大辭典》. Beijing: 大地出版社, 1989, p.1347.
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