四书(sshū)
《论语》《孟子》《大学》《中庸》等四部儒家经典的合称。《大学》《中庸》原是《礼记》中的两篇，在唐代以前，并没有引起人们的特别重视。随着唐宋以来儒学的复兴，《大学》《中庸》经过唐代韩愈、李翱的表彰，宋代二程、朱熹的推崇，被赋予了新的意义，其地位逐渐提升，与《论语》《孟子》并列，合称四书。朱熹所著《四书章句集注》确立了四书的经典地位。四书成为了宋明理学家创建、阐发自身思想的重要素材，对后世儒学的发展产生了深远影响。
Four Books
This term refers collectively to the four Confucian classics: The Analects, Mencius, The Great Learning, and The Doctrine of the Mean. The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean originally were two sections of The Book of Rites, but before the Tang Dynasty they did not attract much attention. Following the revival of Confucianism which began in the Tang and Song dynasties, through the advocacy of Han Yu and Li Ao of the Tang Dynasty, the Cheng brothers (Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi) and Zhu Xi of the Song Dynasty, The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean were given new meaning. Their standing was gradually elevated, and they were regarded just as important as The Analects and Mencius. The four were then collectively known as the Four Books. Commentaries on the Four Books, written by Zhu Xi, established the dominant position of the Four Books, which formed the foundation for the neo-Confucian scholars of the Song and Ming dynasties. The Four Books became the source from which the neo-Confucian scholars drew inspiration to further their learning, and thus exerted a profound influence on the development of Confucianism.
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【引例】
如《大学》《中庸》《语》《孟》四书，道理粲然。(《朱子语类》卷十四)
The principles in the Four Books, i.e., The Great Learning, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Analects, andMencius, are illuminating and easy to follow. (Classified Conversations of Master Zhu Xi)