Transcript Document

Song-ming NeoConfucianism
宋明理学
温海明
中国人民大学哲学院副教授
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Prof. Haiming Wen, School of Philosophy, Renmin
University of China
Han Yu and Li Ao
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Han Yu and Li Ao
Han Yu: ‘Tao, no the Tao of the Buddhist and
Taoist’
Li Ao: transmitted by scholars who did not
understand them
Origins of Neo-Confucianism
Confucianism
Buddhism and Taoism: through Ch’ainism
Taoist religion
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Prof. Haiming Wen, School of Philosophy, Renmin
University of China
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Shao Yung [1011-77]
The sixty-four hexagrams, times of the year
Yang: heat
Yin: cold
The solid Yang line moves up to the top until
it reaches it. Then the broken Yin lines
moves up
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Prof. Haiming Wen, School of Philosophy, Renmin
University of China
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Chang Tsai [1020-77]
Ch’i: gas or ether
Makes up all things
The supreme ultimate is Ch’i
Ch’i: wonder air
Rising , floating: Yang
Sinking, falling: Yin
No non being. Only Ch’I state of dispersion
Not a complete vacuum
Serve Ch’ien and K’un (heaven and earth) as ones parents
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Prof. Haiming Wen, School of Philosophy, Renmin
University of China
Cheng Hao
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Ch’eng Hao: oneness with all things is the main
virtue of jen (humanheartedness)
Righteousness, property, wisdom , faith
Keep in mind that one is orignily one with all things
“Never help to grow”
More of a metaphysical interpretation then
Mencius
Jen: takes heave and earth as one
Inner connection between all things
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Prof. Haiming Wen, School of Philosophy, Renmin
University of China
Zhu Xi and His Context
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Zhu Xi 1130-1200
Division of the Song Dynasty
Very prolific, wrote the Recorded Sayings
Cheng-Zhu school, or Li school
Influential book was Commentary
Li
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Li is the basic essence of an object
Object is the concrete manifestation of li
“As soon as a thing exists, the Li is inherent
in it”
Everything has its own li
Li is eternal, invention of ships and carts was
simply our discovery of those things’ li
Tai Ji – the Supreme Ultimate
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Just as there is a li of individual things, there
is a li for the totality and wholeness of
everything
The li is the qi of something, its ultimate
standard (Platonic ideal)
Tai Ji is the universe’s ultimate standard
It unites the li of heaven, earth, and all
things
Tai Ji resides in all things
Qi
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Qi is the material manifestation of things
Everything has both chi and li
Li is simply a vast, empty void
Qi brings things into existence and helps
produce them in physical reality
Neither one is prior to the other
Neither is the “first mover”
Nature and Mind
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Human nature is the li of humanity inherent in
all of us
The Li for all people is the same, the Qi makes
us different
Some of us have clear chi, others have bad chi
This is Zhu Xi’s theory of the origin of evil
Nature is abstract, mind is active, produces
things
Four constant virtues pertain to Li, belong to
nature, four beginnings are mind operations
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There is a li of statehood and governance
If followed, states prosper, if not followed,
disorder happens
It is always there, even if not appreciated
All successful statesmen followed li either
consciously or unconsciously
Spiritual Cultivation
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“Extension of knowledge through investigation
of things” and “attentiveness of the mind”
These are the ways the Supreme Ultimate can
be made clear within us
Investigate things and the li behind them will
become apparent
Sudden Enlightenment will come after study
Lu Jiu-yuan
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Lu-Wang School, or Mind School, started by
Cheng Hao and finished by Lu Jiu-yuan and
Wang Shou-ren
Lu’s story of enlightenment
Lu says “mind is Li” not “nature is Li”
Nature and mind are not different
Reality consists of one world: Mind
Wang Shou-ren and the Universe
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Wang Shou-ren (1472-1528) achieved
enlightenment suddenly and a new
understanding of the Great Learning
He reinterpreted it and systematized the
Mind school’s teachings
The world only has what we experience, no
abstract world of li
Mind is li and li only exists as long as the
mind exists
The Three Cords
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The Three Cords
Illustrious virtue is the heavenly nature
within all of us, sometimes obscured
Loving people is the function of recognizing
heaven, earth, everything’s unity
Resting in the highest good is exercising
intuitive knowledge and attaining the natural
mean
Intuitive Knowledge
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Intuitive knowledge is basic and natural
What we instinctively know to be “right” and
“wrong”
Don’t add anything to it to obscure it
Then you lose the highest good
Story of the thief in the house
Every man is potentially a sage
Rectification of Affairs
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Cultivation of self is putting intuitive
knowledge into daily practice
Rectification of affairs
Yi and wu
Great Learning is reduced to one idea:
extension of intuitive knowledge
Mind Attentiveness, Buddhism
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“Establishing the most important”
First recognize we all possess the universal,
original mind
One with the universe
Criticism of Buddhism: they believe the world is
empty
When in reality, it is filled with li
Buddhists really do have attachment of
phenomena
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Prof. Haiming Wen, School of Philosophy, Renmin
University of China