修己以安百姓

xiū jǐ yǐ ān bǎixìng

quotation

Meanings

1 cultivate oneself in order to bring peace to the people
2 (fig.) the Confucian ideal of governance: inner self-cultivation is the root of outer public order
3 (lit.) cultivate self so-as-to pacify hundred surnames

Characters

in order to (classical)

安

ān

to pacify / bring peace to

surname (百姓 = the people)

Examples

真正的领导者应有修己以安百姓的胸怀。

Zhēnzhèng de lǐngdǎozhě yīngyǒu xiūjǐyǐ'ānbǎixìng de xiōnghuái.

A true leader should hold the aspiration to 'cultivate oneself so as to bring peace to the people.'

儒家讲修己以安百姓，从自身做起。

Rújiā jiǎng xiūjǐyǐ'ānbǎixìng, cóng zìshēn zuò qǐ.

Confucianism teaches 'self-cultivation in order to bring peace to the people,' starting with oneself.

Tips

history

From 《论语·宪问》(Analects, Xian Wen, Confucius, c. 500 BCE). Zilu asks Confucius what a junzi (gentleman) is. Confucius answers in three ascending steps: 修己以敬 (cultivate oneself in reverence), 修己以安人 (cultivate oneself to bring peace to others), 修己以安百姓 (cultivate oneself to bring peace to all the people — even Yao and Shun found this hard). A seed of the later 大学 'self-cultivation → ordering the state' (修身→治国) framework.

usage

以 here = 'in order to / so as to,' a classical purpose connector. 百姓 literally 'the hundred surnames' = the common people. Referenced in public-service ethics writing and speeches.

Stroke Order

修 xiū

己 jǐ

以 yǐ

安 ān

百 bǎi

姓 xìng