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Great Learning
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<p>The <i>Great Learning</i> or <i>Daxue</i> was one of the "<a href="/facts/Four_Books/NY6VKIY6">Four Books</a>" in Confucianism attributed to one of Confucius' disciples, <a href="/facts/Zengzi/IxMHzRSX">Zengzi</a>. The <i>Great Learning</i> had come from a chapter in the <i><a href="/facts/Book_of_Rites/KNxW9877">Book of Rites</a></i> which formed one of the <a href="/facts/Five_Classics/NY6VKIY6">Five Classics</a>. It consists of a short main text of the teachings of Confucius transcribed by Zengzi and then ten commentary chapters supposedly written by Zengzi. The ideals of the book were attributed to Confucius, but the text was written by Zengzi after his death. </p><p>The "Four Books" were selected by the <a href="/facts/Neo-Confucian/PCkHarML">neo-Confucian</a> <a href="/facts/Zhu_Xi/y36Wj3eY">Zhu Xi</a> during the <a href="/facts/Song_dynasty/FxV5bXS5">Song dynasty</a> as a foundational introduction to Confucianism. <a href="/facts/Imperial_examination/y4qmBl6V">Examinations for the state civil service</a> in China came to follow his lead. </p>