集…之大成
to bring together and crown (a whole tradition); to be the culmination of
Structure
主语 集 学派／领域 之大成 ｜ …的 集大成者
What it means
High praise: a person or work draws together all that is best in a tradition and completes it. From 孟子, who said 孔子 集大成, gathering everything into one great whole.
How it is built
Subject + 集 + school／field + 之大成; the person is the 集大成者: 朱熹集理学之大成 (Zhu Xi brought the School of Principle to its culmination).
When to use it
Written and formal, for thinkers, artists, books or buildings. 之 is the classical 的 of A 之 B (4-3). As a noun: 王阳明被看作心学的集大成者.
Watch out
Keep the fixed form with 之. ✗ 集理学的大成 ✓ 集理学之大成. Not for a mere pile of things: 这家超市集水果之大成 sounds absurd.
Examples
朱熹集理学之大成，他的学说影响了此后几百年的读书人。
Zhu Xi brought the School of Principle to its culmination, and his teaching shaped scholars for centuries afterwards.
王阳明继承并发展了陆九渊的思想，被看作心学的集大成者。
Wang Yangming took up and developed the thought of Lu Jiuyuan, and is regarded as the great synthesiser of the School of Mind.
这部词典集历代研究之大成，是学古汉语的人离不开的工具书。
This dictionary brings together the scholarship of every age and is an essential reference for anyone learning classical Chinese.
Learn this in Lesson 98 · HSK 6–7: 王阳明与知行合一 (Wang Yangming: knowing is doing)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
Open the lesson →