MMC Motto

Integrity and Self-Strengthening

Academic Excellence and Innovation

Integrity: The Great Learning states: “What the Great Learning teaches, is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence.” Integrity refers to the pursuit of virtue. “The Master said: ‘The superior man advances in virtue, and cultivates all the sphere of his duty. His leal-heartedness and good faith are the way by which he advances in virtue.” (I Ching: Qian: Commentary on the Text). It emphasises that virtuous individuals uphold loyalty and integrity while continuously improving their moral character.

Self-Strengthening: I Ching: Qian: Xiang states: “Heaven, in its motion, gives the idea of strength. The superior man, in accordance with this, nerves himself to ceaseless activity.” A person of virtue should embody the resilience and perseverance of nature, continuously strengthening themselves and never ceasing in their pursuit of excellence. As noted in The Doctrine of the Mean, “One must show himself impulsive, energetic, firm, and enduring, fitted to maintain a firm hold.”

Academic Excellence: The Doctrine of the Mean teaches: “He who attains to sincerity is he who chooses what is good, and firmly holds it fast. To this attainment there are requisite the extensive study of what is good, accurate inquiry about it, careful reflection on it, the clear discrimination of it, and the earnest practice of it.” Extensive learning is essential to human growth, as The Analects: Zi Zhang further states: “There are learning extensively, and having a firm and sincere aim; inquiring with earnestness, and reflecting with self-application – virtue is in such a course.”

Innovation: The Book of Rites records: “If we can improve ourselves in one day, we should do so every day, and keep building on improvement,” reads the inscription on the bathtub of Tang, founder of the Shang Dynasty.’” Likewise, I Ching: Xi Ci I declares: “The daily renovation which it produces is what is meant by the abundance of its virtue.” Throughout history, innovation has been the driving force of human progress, and thus, the ultimate purpose of higher education lies in fostering innovation.