诚
Cheng (Sincerity)
Confucianism ·Cheng (诚) is a central Confucian virtue meaning sincerity, truthfulness, or authenticity. In the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong), cheng is described as the Way of Heaven — the principle that makes all things real and complete. For the noble person, cultivating cheng is the foundation of all moral development and the key to harmonizing inner nature with the cosmic order.
As Confucius taught through the Analects and as the Confucian tradition of self-cultivation holds, Cheng (Sincerity) represents a key concept that continues to inform philosophical thought and practice today.
What Are the Key Facts About Cheng (Sincerity)?
- Tradition: Confucianism
- Chinese: 诚
- Category:
- Definition: Cheng (诚) is a central Confucian virtue meaning sincerity, truthfulness, or authenticity.
What Concepts Are Related to Cheng (Sincerity)?
Doctrine of the Mean 中庸Related to
Cheng is central to the Doctrine of the Mean
Junzi 君子 Related to
The junzi cultivates cheng
Mencius 孟子 Related to
Mencius developed the concept of cheng
Ren 仁 Related to
Cheng complements ren as inner sincerity enables outer benevolence
Confucianism 儒家 Tradition Of
Core Confucian virtue
Wang Yangming 王阳明 Related to
Wang's teachings on sincerity and knowledge
Common Questions
cheng virtue confucius meaning chinese-meaning confucian sincerity vs greek honesty comparison cheng confucian sincerity meaning definition cheng sincerity doctrine of the mean explanationFurther Reading and Sources
For authoritative academic perspectives on Cheng (Sincerity), consult these external sources: