*4.3. Chengshi*

From the character *shi*, with its structure of a room full of wealth, was later derived the meanings of substantialness, actuality, truthfulness, and reality (An 2004, pp. 121–22; Mcleod 2018, pp. 145–50). With its close connection to *shi* in sacrificial ritual, *cheng* also derived similar meanings of substantialness, realness, and truthfulness, and was often combined with *shi* to form the compound *chengshi*, denoting the meanings of realness and honesty. In the Confucian classics as well as other classics, *cheng* is frequently used as an adverb to denote the meaning of "really" or "truly." Xunzi used the term *chengneng* 䃐㜭 to refer to "true talent" (Wang 1988, 11.209, 218). In the statement of the *Zhongyong* ѝᓨ (Doctrine of the Mean) that "*cheng* is the beginning and ending of things, while without *cheng* there is not a thing" 䃐㘵⢙ѻ㍲, н䃐❑⢙ (Zheng and Kong 2000, 53.1694a), *cheng* connotes the substantiality and actuality of things. In his *Lunheng* 䄆㺑 (Doctrines Weighed), Wang Chong ⦻ݵ) 27–ca. 97 CE) frequently used the compound "shicheng" ሖ䃐, which is the same as "chengshi," to denote the meaning of sincere truth (Huang 1990, 13.609, 19.815, 24.1003; Mcleod 2018).
