禮運大同篇
周 孔子 ( 前551~前479 )

大道之行也，天下為公，
選賢與能，講信修睦。
故人不獨親其親，
不獨子其子，
使老有所終，壯有所用，
幼有所長，
鰥寡孤獨廢疾者，
皆有所養，
男有分，女有歸。
貨惡其棄於地也，
不必藏於己；
力惡其不出於身也，
不必為己。
是故謀閉而不興，
盜竊亂賊而不作，
故外戶而不閉。
是謂大同。

──《禮記》

The Conveyance of Rites
Confucius (551BCE - 479BCE, Zhou Dynasty)

When the Grand course was pursued, a public and common spirit
ruled all under the sky; they chose men of talents, virtue, and ability;
their words were sincere, and what they cultivated was harmony. Thus
men did not love their parents only, nor treat as children only their
own sons.

A competent provision was secured for the aged till their death,
employment for the able-bodied, and the means of growing up to the
young. They showed kindness and compassion to widows, orphans,
childless men, and those who were disabled by disease, so that they
were all sufficiently maintained.

Men had their proper work, and women had their homes. They
accumulated articles of value, disliking that they should be thrown
away upon the ground, but not wishing to keep them for their own
gratification. They labored with their strength, disliking that it should
not be exerted, but not exerting it only with a view to their own
advantage. In this way, selfish schemings were repressed and found
no development.

Robbers, filchers, and rebellious traitors did not show themselves,
and hence the outer doors remained open, and were not shut. This
was the period of what we call the Grand Union.

── from Liji (Book of Rites)