In his commentary Zhu made a great effort to interpret the "Analects" by using theories elaborated in the other Four Books, something that He Yan had not done. Zhu attempted to give an added coherence and unity to the message of the "Analects", demonstrating that the individual books of the Confucian canon gave meaning to the whole, just as the whole of the canon gave meaning to its parts. In his preface, Zhu Xi stated, ""Analects" and the "Mencius" are the most important works for students pursuing the Way [... The words of the "Analects" are all inclusive; what they teach is nothing but the essentials of preserving the mind and cultivating [one's] nature."