English Translation Consultants

Translation Consultants: Thomas Maher J.D. Lawyer/Professor; Kathleen Maher, Ph.D. Psychology; Joe Kovar, Editorial Writer; Dean Drouin, Consultant; Michael Block, Management; Stuart Hamby, Writer; James Schwab, Director/Consultant; James Hwang, Engineer; Lawrence Hwang, Management; Bill Verret, Banker/Realtor; Jennifer Yu, Engineer; Billy Cheung, Engineer; Alexander Aaron, Consultant; Dennis Tai, EngineerAsst. Researcher: Violet Wu; Daniel Liu; Alice Ou; Wendy Han; April Lin; Cathy Schwab; Frances Lai; Vincent Lee; Suh Hwang

The World of Da-Tong

Confucius’ Ideal of a Commonwealth State* – a Great Utopia
Li-Yun-Da-Tong (Li-Yun-Dah-Torng) Section, the Record of Rites, Book 9, by Confucius (BC551~479)

When the Great Dao (Tao, perfect order) prevails, the world is like a Commonwealth State shared by all, not a dictatorship. Virtuous, worthy, wise and capable people are chosen as leaders. Honesty and trust are promoted, and good neighborliness cultivated. All people respect and love their own parents and children, as well as the parents and children of others. The aged are cared for until death; adults are employed in jobs that make full use of their abilities; and children are nourished, educated, and fostered. Widows and widowers, orphans and the old without children, the disabled and the diseased are all well taken care of. Every man and woman has an appropriate role to play in society and in the family. They hate to see resources lying idle or cast away, yet they do not necessarily keep them for themselves. They hate not to make use of their abilities, yet they do not necessarily work for their own self-interest. Thus intrigues and conspiracies do not arise, and thievery and robbery do not occur; therefore doors need never be locked. This is the ideal world – a perfect world of equality, fraternity, harmony, welfare, and justice. This is the world called “Da-Tong (Dah-Torng)”.
* This is the state “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.

Translation Compiled By: Shih-Ming Hwang 黃世明
English Translation Consultants: show/hide
Thomas Maher J.D. Lawyer/Professor; Kathleen Maher, Ph.D. Psychology; Joe Kovar, Editorial Writer; Dean Drouin, Consultant; Michael Block, Management; Stuart Hamby, Writer; James Schwab, Director/Consultant; James Hwang, Engineer; Lawrence Hwang, Management; Bill Verret, Banker/Realtor; Jennifer Yu, Engineer; Billy Cheung, Engineer; Alexander Aaron, Consultant; Dennis Tai, EngineerAsst. Researcher: Violet Wu; Daniel Liu; Alice Ou; Wendy Han; April Lin; Cathy Schwab; Frances Lai; Vincent Lee; Suh Hwang

禮運大同篇 白話註解

當大道施行之時代，天下國家是大家的，為大家所共有、共治、共享，不是專制私有的；選任賢德且有能力的人來擔任領導者，人人都講求誠實信用，邦族鄉鄰之間彼此修好，和諧、合作、和平；於是人們不只親愛自己的父母至親，不只愛護自己的兒女子弟，也敬愛別人的父母及慈護別人的子女；使老年人獲得安享天年到終老，壯年人都能貢獻才智能力，兒童們皆有良好的養育、教育與培育；鰥夫、寡婦、孤兒、獨老無子的人、以及殘廢、疾病的人，皆能有足夠的照顧和供養；男的各有適當的職份工作，女的各有適合的家庭歸宿；那時人們厭惡將貨物資源廢棄於地上，也不見得只為了自己才護置它；人們嫌惡自己有能力卻不肯出力，也不見得只為了自己才願出力；所以，就沒有謀財害命的陰謀發生，也沒有偷竊強盜的亂象出現，是故，門戶也不用上鎖防範壞人，這就是所謂的大同世界 (是一個平等、博愛、和諧、有福利互助的正義社會)。

美國洛杉磯　贊化書院　黃世明註解

May 12, 2002 母親節獻禮