Lecture 14: Idealist Neo-Confucianism Flashcards
Name two philosophers of the Idealist Neo-Confucianism and their works.
- Lu Xiangshan, author of the Complete Works of Lu Xiangshan (Xiangshan quanji), in the South Song Dynasty.
- Wang Yangming, author of Inquiry on the Great Learning (Daxue Wen) and Instruction for Practical Living (Chuanxilu), in the Ming Dynasty.
In what sense are these philosophers called “idealist”?
They were “idealists” in the sense that for them Mind was the Ultimate Reality, identifying human mind with cosmic mind, and seeing this as the source of all value and knowledge (mainly moral knowledge and therefore value-laden).
Explain Lu Xiangshan’s idea of the Mind.
Lu Xiangshan identified human Original Mind with all other minds and the cosmic mind, thus he claimed an idealist monism that Mind was universal, transcendental, and cosmic. His moral interpretation of Mind led to a moral metaphysics.
- “The four directions upward and downward constitute the spatial continuum (yu). What has gone by in the past and what is to come in the future constitute the temporal continuum (zhou). The universe is my mind and my mind is the universe. Sages who appeared ten of thousands of generations ago shared this mind. Sages who will appear ten of thousands of generations to come, will share this mind, too. They will share this principle. Over the four seas sages appear. They share this mind; they share this principle.” (SB, pp. 579-580)
Explain Lu Xiangshan’s idea of “principle” and discuss whether there is any ambiguity in its meaning.
Lu’s concept of “principle” was not as clear as his concept of “mind.” He used sometimes “principle” to denote moral principles, such as the ethical and axiological norms, like ren and yi; sometimes to denote the regularities of things. In any case, principle should be put into practice, and was not for the pleasure of theoretical speculation only.
- “There is of course concrete principle in the universe. What is precious in learning lies in understanding principle. If it is understood, concrete action and concrete accomplishments will naturally result.” (SB, p. 579)
Explain Lu Xiangshan’s priority of honoring one’s moral virtue over studying and learning and his major difference with Zhu Xi.
- “From this it is clear that Zhu Xi wants to avoid two defects (failure to honor the moral nature and failure to practice) and combine the two merits (following the path of studying and inquiry and practicing one’s beliefs). I do not believe this to be possible. If one does not know how to honor his moral virtue, how can he talk about following the path of study and inquiry.” (SB, p. 582)
- “My learning is different from that of others [mainly Zhu Xi] in the fact that with me every word comes spontaneously from myself. Although I have uttered ten of thousands of words, they are expression of what is in me, and nothing more has been added. Recently someone has commented of me that aside from Mencius’ saying,” First build up the nobler part of your nature,” I had nothing cleverer. When I heard this, I say, “Very true, indeed.”
Explain what Wang Yangming means by “mind is principle”.
“If the highest good is to be sought only in the mind, I am afraid not all principles of things in the world will be covered. The Teacher said, ‘The mind is principle. Is there any affair in the world outside of the mind? Is there any principle outside of the mind?’ I said, ‘In filial piety in serving one’s parents, in loyalty in serving one’s ruler, in faithfulness in intercourse with friends, or in humanity in governing the people, there are many principles [that] should not be left unexamined.’ The Teacher said with a sigh, ‘This idea has been obscuring the mind of people for a long time, in the matter of serving one’s parents, one cannot seek for the filial piety in the parents. In serving one’s ruler, one cannot seek for the principle of royalty in the ruler. They are all in the mind, that is all, for the mind and principle are identical. When the mind is free from the obscuration of selfish desires, it is the embodiment of the principle of nature. The main thing for the mind is to make an effort to get rid of selfish human desires and to preserve the principle of nature.’”
Explain what Wang Yangming mean by “realization of one’s inner knowledge”.
Principle is a moral norm existing already in our mind, or came from our mind. We know them before all experience, kind of innate knowledge to be realized through human moral effort, Wang called it “realization of innate knowledge.”
What is the relation between knowledge and action according to Wang Yangming?
“I did not understand the Teacher’s doctrine of the unity of knowledge and action and debated it back and forth. I took the matter to the teacher, who said, ‘Give an example and let me see.’ I said, ‘For example, there are people who know that parents should be served with filial piety and elder brothers with respect but could not put these things into practice. This shows that knowledge and action are clearly two different things.’ The Teacher said, ‘The knowledge you refer to are already separated by selfish desires and are no longer knowledge and action in their original substance. There have never been people who know but do not act. Those who are supposed to know but do not act simply do not yet know. I have said that knowledge is the direction for action and action the effort of knowledge, and that knowledge is the beginning of action and action the completion of knowledge. If this is understood, then when only knowledge is mentioned, action is included, and when action is mentioned, knowledge is included.’”
Explain the philosophical meaning of Wang Yangming’s “Four Aphorisms” taught in the last few years of his life.
- The first aphorism means the mind, the absolute origin of all good, in its static substance, in its centrality and impartiality, transcends all limitations of relative good and evil. But its intention is motivated to response to all things good and evil. In thus responding, mind is the agent of all innate knowledge and it illuminates all events and knows they are good or evil.
- The investigation of things leading to achieve virtue consists of realizing the good and removing the evil, so as to implement that which is known already in one’s innate knowledge.
What, according to Fung Yu-lan, is the difference between Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming? Is his comments right in saying that Zhu Xi’s li is external?
Wang Yang-ming’s misunderstanding of Zhu Xi’s “investigation of things,” rather than an illustration of the inefficacy of the latter’s views. To investigate principle through the sensible world, we must use the method of the investigation of things. Wang Yang-ming, however, uses meditation, which is for the investigation of the mind, not the investigation of external things, and so he misunderstands Zhu Xi.
What does Fung mean when he says that Neo-Confucianists more consistently adhere to the fundamental ideas of Daoism and Buddhism than do the Daoists and Buddhists themselves? Do you have any comments on what he says?
- Fung claims that “the introduction of Buddhism stimulated the foundation of religious Daoism.” However, this is not correct; religious Daoism has multiple origins.
- First, it is a response to shamanism, especially in Sichuan province, by Chang Tao-lin.
- Second, there is interaction with Buddhism. This is evident from the fact that the Ling Pao (Lingbao) Scriptures were much influenced by the Buddhist Sutras.
- Last, there is interaction with Confucianism. Wang Chong’s critique of Confucian ritual led to the separation of Daoist ritual with the Confucian tradition.
