本文之目的，在於補充《天主教社會訓導彙編》關於社會思想四個原則的缺點，即，雖然強調原則彼此之間的和諧，其實，未提供任何哲學模式使這四個原則真能成為一體。面對中國古典哲學所談的倫理美德：仁、義、禮、智，朱熹面臨如此問題。靠著中國哲學三種核心隱喻：水、植及理，朱熹解決此難題，肯定傳統的價值並將此傳統合而為和諧的體系。本文試用同樣方式，使天主教社會思想的原則能形成合理的體系。

The purpose of this essay is to remedy a deficiency in the philosophical thinking of the Compendium of the Social Teaching of the Church. The Compendium presents four principles but fails to bind them together or fully articulate them as a whole. At the same time, the Compendium insists that they should be so bound and articulated. Zhu Xi faced a similar problem with the legacy of four moral terms: ren, yi, li and zhi provided by the Chinese tradition. His solution to this problem draws on the three basic metaphors of Chinese philosophy: water, plant growth and li (pattern or principle). These metaphors enabled him to both reaffirm tradition and bind it into a more pleasing metaphysical whole. I have borrowed his same method to bring harmony and unity to the principles of Catholic social teaching.