Practical knowledge of managing state affairs
This idea was put forth by Wang Fuzhi (1619-1692), Huang Zongxi (1610-1695) and Gu Yanwu, all thinkers of the 17th century. They held that scholarly studies should be geared to meeting current needs, and be of practical value to state governance and social management. While interpreting ancient classics, scholars should expound their views on the social and political issues of their day, solve practical problems, strengthen governance, improve people's lives, and promote social reform.
This view emphasizes the political value of knowledge and the social responsibilities of scholars, and reflects the pragmatic character of traditional Chinese intellectuals.
In his speech at the opening of the International Conference Commemorating the 2,565th Anniversary of Confucius' Birth and the Fifth Congress of the International Confucian Association, Xi Jinping said: Confucianism and other schools of thought in ancient China all advocated that study should be of substantive practical value in educating the people, so that edification of individuals and society could be incorporated into state governance to achieve complementary effects.
經世致用
“經世致用”一詞由明清之際思想家王夫之、黃宗羲、顧炎武等提出，指學習、征引古人的文章和行事，應以治事、救世為急務。“經世”即治理國家和社會事務，“致用”即發揮實際效用。這一理念倡導學術研究要關注現實，通過解釋古代典籍來闡發社會政治見解，解決社會實際問題，以增進國家治理能力，實現民生安定、社會改良。其強調知識的政治價值和知識分子的現實擔當，體現了中國傳統知識分子講求效用、專注務實的思想特點。
2014年9月，習近平在紀念孔子誕辰2565周年國際學術研討會暨國際儒學聯合會第五屆會員大會開幕式上指出，儒家思想和中國歷史上存在的其他學說都堅持經世致用原則，注重發揮文以化人的教化功能，探索把對個人、社會的教化同對國家的治理結合起來，達到相輔相成、相互促進的目的。
