整理/秦珍子 制圖/董怡璇

大道至簡

　　“大道至簡”指越普遍、越根本的道理、原則或方法其實越是淺易簡便。“大道”指的是自然、社會的普遍法則以及人們對待自然、治理社會的根本原則，“簡”即淺易、簡明、簡便。它用于治國理政及社會管理等方面，主要有兩層含義：其一，越普遍、越根本的道理就應該越簡明淺易，便于人們掌握并付諸實施；其二，“大道”并不是遠離人世的某種高高在上的原理，它的道理、功用就蘊含在人們的倫常日用之中。只要透過紛繁的表層現象，尋流討源，就可以抓住事物的本質和規律，以簡馭繁。

Great Truth in Simple Words

　　This term means that the most popular and most fundamental truths, principles, and methodologies tend to be expressed in simple words and are easy to understand. "Dadao" means great truth, or universally applicable laws governing nature and society, or the fundamental principles for people to follow in treating nature and governing society. The Chinese character "jian" means simple, concise, and easy. The term is often used to describe the governance of a state and management of society. It has two primary meanings. First, it means that the most popular and fundamental truths should be expressed in simple words so that ordinary people can easily understand and put them into practice. Second, "dadao" is not something separate and far away from reality. Rather, it is a practical ethical principle which is easy for people to follow in their daily lives. As long as one sees through the seemingly complicated superficialities and traces the source of things, one will be able to grasp the fundamental truths, discover the basic rules, and comprehend them in spite of the complexity.

引例

　　博文約禮，由至著入至簡，故可使不得叛而去。（張載《正蒙·中正》）（博通文獻知識，用禮約束自己，由最顯明之處入手而達到最簡單易行的境地，就可使自己不背離中正之道。）

　　He is able to keep himself to the right path if he has an excellent command of extensive literary knowledge, constrains himself with ritual propriety, and starts from the most obvious point to arrive at the most convenient situation. (Zhang Zai: Enlightenment Through Confucian Teachings)