Abstract
This chapter surveys Zhu Xi’s influence in the Chinese intellectual histories of the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, and offers an introduction to the major criticisms of Zhu Xi provided by the most representative later Confucians in three stages: (1) Ming Confucians’ criticisms of his way of selfcultivation and moral psychology (represented by Wang Yangming), (2) Ming–Qing Confucians’ criticisms of his “dualistic” metaphysics of li–qi (represented by Wang Fuzhi), and (3) Dai Zhen and Qing Confucians’ criticisms of Zhu Xi’s ethics and of ideological misuses of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
For a summary of historic events concerning how Zhu Xi has been iconized by the following dynasties after the Southern Song Cf. Shu (2003:1113–14). For a very brief description of the rise and decline of Zhu Xi’s influence in later Chinese Confucians, cf. Chan (1963: 591–92). Although Zhu Xi’s doctrine was designated as orthodoxy, as Tillman observes, “Having an official orthodoxy did not prevent the government either from employing officials associated with other Confucian schools or from drawing upon other religious traditions and folk beliefs to sustain public order” (Tillman 1992: 8).
- 2.
Zhu Xi himself was a keen reformer of education and had established or revived a great number of private academies. During the hard time of political persecution, Zhu’s teachings were preserved and spread among the private academies. Cf. de Bary et al. (1999: 737, 755–57).
- 3.
- 4.
This biography could be found in Zhu (2002, vol. 27: 534–67).
- 5.
For a brief account of how Zhen and Wei promulgated Zhu Xi’s thought, see Hou et al. (1984: [1] 608–9, 615–18).
- 6.
The majority of Zhu Xi’s statements stress the inseparability of li and qi in the real world. For instance, he states, “In the world there is no qi without li, nor any li without qi” (Zhu 1986: 2). However, a few statements, in conveying the view that li and qi are conceptually separable, seem to suggest that they are actually separable. For instance, he says, “before there were Heaven and Earth, there had been such a li” (Zhu 1986: 1). Chen’s chronological study of Zhu Xi’s texts shows that Zhu Xi’s final conclusion was not the view “li is prior to qi,” but the view that they are inseparable but li is “logically prior to” qi. Cf. Chen L. (2000: 75–99).
- 7.
- 8.
Cf. Huang Z. (1985: [5] 78).
- 9.
For a detailed account of how Wang Yangming revised his “Preface of the Ancient Edition of the Great Learning” and how he used it to argue against Zhu Xi’s view that knowledge should precede action, cf. Zheng (2018). In this paper, I argue that both Wang Yangming’s earlier doctrine of “the unity of knowing and doing” and his later doctrine of liangzhi (original knowledge of the good) are a response to Zhu Xi’s puzzle of sincerity and self-deception.
- 10.
Cf. Chan Wing-tsit’s note on the Preface to ChuHsi’s [ZhuXi] Final Conclusions Arrived at Late in Life in Wang Y. (1963: 263–64).
- 11.
For a brief history of the chronological study of Zhu Xi and how it was motivated by the debates between Zhu Xi’s school and the Lu–Wang School, cf. Zhang X. (2000: 384).
- 12.
References
Chan, Wing-tsit. 1963. A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Chen, Chun 陳淳. 1986. Neo-Confucian Terms Explained 北溪字義. Translated by Chan Wing-tsit. New York: Columbia University Press. (A concise exposition of the philosophical terms used by the author’s master, Zhu Xi.)
Chen, Lai 陳來. 2000. Research on ZhuXi’s Philosophy 朱子哲學研究. Shanghai 上海: Huadong Shifan Daxue Chubanshe 華東師範大學出版社. (A comprehensive research on Zhu Xi’s philosophy, based on his study of the chronology of Zhu Xi’s text.)
———. 2004. Interpretation and Reconstruction: The Spirit of WangChuanshan’s Philosophy 詮釋與重建:王船山的哲學精神. Beijing 北京: Peking University Press 北京大學出版社. (A study that stresses Wang Fuzhi’s continuation, rather than criticism, of the tradition of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism.)
Chen, Xianzhang 陳獻章. 1987. Works of ChenXianzhang 陳獻章集. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
Cheng, Chung-yi (Zheng, Zongyi) 鄭宗義. 2000. The Transformation of Confucianism Between Ming and Qing Dynasty: From LiuJishan to DaiDongyuan 明清儒學轉型探析:從劉蕺山到戴東原. Hong Kong 香港: Zhongwen Daxue Chubanshe 中文大學出版社. (A study of the monistic tendency from late Ming to Qing period as a response to the School of Wang Yangming in metaphysics, ethics and methodology of scholarship.)
Cheng, Hao 程顥, and Cheng Yi 程頤. 2004. Works of the Two Cheng Brothers 二程集. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
Chin, Ann-ping, and Mansfield Freeman, trans. 1990. TaiChen on Mencius: Explorations in Words and Meanings. New Haven/London: Yale University Press.
Dai, Zhen 戴震. 1991. Complete Works of DaiZhen 戴震全集, vol. 1. Beijing 北京: Tsinghua University Press 清華大學出版社.
de Bary, Wm. Theodore, and Irene Bloom, eds. 1999. Sources of Chinese Tradition. 2nd edition. New York: Columbia University Press.
Duan, Yucai 段玉裁. 1981. Commentary on Explication of Written Characters 說文解字注. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社. (An extremely important classic for the etymological study of Chinese characters.)
Hou, Wailu 侯外廬, Qiu Hansheng 邱漢生, and Zhang Qizhi 張豈之, eds. 1984. A History of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism. Beijing 北京: Renmen Chubanshe 人民出版社. (A detailed study of the whole span of the history of later Confucianism by a group of scholars lead by Hou Wailu, who represented the approach of research on Neo-Confucianism from the perspective of Marxist historical materialism.)
Huang, Yong. 2017. “Knowing-that, Knowing-how, or Knowing-to?: Wang Yangming’s Conception of Moral Knowledge (Liangzhi).” Journal of Philosophical Research 42: 65–94.
Huang, Zongxi 黃宗羲. 1985. Scholarly Records of Ming Confucians 明儒學案. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
———. 1992. Scholarly Records of Song–Yuan Confucians (Part IV) 宋元學案(四). In Complete Works of Huang Zongxi (6 vols.) 黃宗羲全集(第六冊). Hangzhou 杭州: Zhejiang Guji Chubanshe 浙江古籍出版社.
Jiao, Xun 焦循. 1936. Collected Works of JiaoXun 雕菰集. Shanghai 上海: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館.
Li, Zhi 李贄. 2000. Collected Works of LiZhi 李贄文集. Beijing 北京: Shehui Kexue Wenxian Chubanshe 社會科學文獻出版社.
Liu, Jeeloo. 2010. “Wang Fuzhi’s Philosophy of Principle (Li) Inherent in Qi,” In John Makeham, ed., Dao Companion to Neo-Confucian Philosophy (355–380). Dordrecht: Springer.
Liu, Shu-hsien 劉述先. 1986. A Study of HuangZongxi’s Learning of the Heart/mind 黃宗羲心學的定位. Taipei 臺北: Yunchen Wenhua Gongsi 允晨文化公司. (A research on Huang Zongxi that treats him as a follower of Wang Yangming, and as the last master of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism.)
———. 1995. The Development and Completion of ZhuXi’s Philosophical Thought 朱子哲學思想的發展與完成. Taipei 臺北: Taiwan Xuesheng Shuju 臺灣學生書局. (A detailed research on the development of Zhu Xi’s thought, drawing on Mou Zongsan’s philosophical insight and Qian Mu’s chronological study of Zhu Xi.)
Lu, Jiuyuan. 1980. Works of LuJiuyuan 陸九淵集. Beijing北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
Luo, Qinshun 羅欽順. 1990. Knowledge Painfully Acquired 困知記. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
Mou, Zongsan 牟宗三. 1968. Metaphysical Mind and Metaphysical Nature 心體與性體. Taipei 臺北: Zhengzhong Shuju 正中書局. (An influential research on Neo-Confucianism from Zhou Dunyi to Zhu Xi, famous both for his comparative study between Kant and Confucianism, and for his uncharitable critique of Zhu Xi’s alleged distortion of the philosophical spirit of Mencius and his Northern Song masters.)
Qian, Mu 錢穆. 1994. New Learning Record of ZhuXi 朱子新學案. Taipei 臺北: Lianjing Chuban Shiye Gongsi 聯經出版事業公司. (A research on Zhu Xi with extensive quotations of Zhu Xi’s text sorted by topics and key terms.)
———. 1997. A History of Chinese Scholarship of the Last Three Hundred Years 中國近三百年學術史. Beijing 北京: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館. (An influential research on the intellectual history from late Ming to late Qing period, very useful for scholars who are interested in the relationships and interactions among neo-Confucians and their intellectual background.)
———. 1998. An Outline of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism 宋明理學概述. Taipei 臺北: Lianjing Chuban Shiye Gongsi 聯經出版事業公司. (A very concise introduction to Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism.)
Shu, Jingnan 束景南. 2003. Biography of Master Zhu 朱子大傳. Beijing 北京: Shangwu Yinshuguan 商務印書館. (the most comprehensive and detailed biography of Zhu Xi, drawing not only on the text of traditional compilation of Zhu Xi’s work, but also on historical local records, clarifying a number of misunderstandings.)
Tang Chun-i (Tang, Junyi) 唐君毅. 1970. “The Development of the Concept of Moral Mind from Wang Yang-ming to Wang Chi.” In Wm. Theodore de Bary, ed., Self and Society in Ming Thought (93–119). New York/London: Columbia University Press.
———. 1984. On Chinese Philosophy: Tracing Teaching to its Source 中國哲學原論:原教篇. Taipei臺北: Xuesheng shuju 學生書局. (a research on the history of Neo-Confucian thought from early Song to Qing. Compared with Mou’s harsh criticism of Zhu, Tang’s interpretation of Zhu is much more sympathetic and faithful to him. Among other similar books on this history, this book is perhaps one of the most profound in philosophical insight.)
Tillman, Hoyt C. 1992. Confucian Discourse and ChuHsi’s Ascendancy. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. (An important monograph that must be consulted for anyone who are interested in Zhu Xi’s contemporaries and their interaction with Zhu Xi.)
Tiwald, Justin. 2011. “Dai Zhen’s Defense of Self-interest.” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, Supplement to 38: 29–45.
Tiwald, Justin, and Bryan W. Van Norden, eds. 2014. Readings in Later Chinese Philosophy: Han Dynasty to the 20th Century, Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company.
Wang, Fuzhi 王夫之. 1988–1996. Complete Works of Chuanshan (WangFuzhi) 船山全書. Changsha 長沙: Yuelu Shushe 岳麓書社.
Wang, Yangming 王陽明. 1963. Instructions for Practical Living and Other Neo-Confucian Writings. Translated and Edited by Chan Wing-tsit. New York/London, Columbia University Press.
———. 2010. Complete Works of WangYangming 王陽明全集. Hangzhou 杭州: Zhejiang Guji Chubanshe 浙江古籍出版社.
———. 2011. Complete Works of WangYangming 王陽明全集. Shanghai 上海: Shanghai Guji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.
Wu, Genyou 吳根友. 2004. The Genesis of the Modern Views of Values in China: from LiZhi to DaiZhen 中國現代價值觀的初生歷程——從李贄到戴震. Wuhan 武漢: Wuhan Daxue Chubanshe 武漢大學出版社. (A research on the emergence of new values in Ming–Qing period in China, which could serve as a foundation for China to embrace some key values of modernization.)
Xiao, Jiefu 蕭萐父, and Xu Sumin 許蘇民. 2002. Critical Biography of WangFuzhi 王夫之評傳. Nanjing 南京: Nanjing University Press 南京大學出版社. (This is not just a biography, but also a systematic research on Wang Fuzhi’s philosophy.)
Xue, Xuan 薛瑄. 2015. Reading Notes of Master XueWenqing 薛文清公讀書錄. In Complete Works of Xue Xuan 薛瑄全集. Taiyuan 太原: Sanjin Chubanshe 三晉出版社.
Yan, Yuan 顏元. 1987. Works of YanYuan 顏元集. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局
Yü, Ying-shih 余英時. 2000. On DaiZhen and ZhangXuecheng 論戴震與章學誠. Beijing 北京: Sanlian Shudian 三聯書店. (A research that especially focuses on Dai’s and Zhang’s methodologies and their self-images as Confucian scholars.)
Zhang, Dainian 張岱年. 1978a. “On Zhang Zai’s Thoughts and Works” 關於張載的思想和著作. In Works of ZhangZai 張載集 (1–18). (A materialist interpretation of Zhang Zai.)
Zhang, Xuezhi 張學智. 2000. History of Philosophy in the Ming Dynasty 明代哲學史. Beijing 北京: Beijing Daxue Chubanshe 北京大學出版社. (A systematic research on this history that provides readers with both a good overview of this history and detailed explications of each thinkers.)
Zhang, Zai 張載. 1978b. Works of ZhangZai 張載集. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
Zheng, Zemian. 2015a. “Dai Zhen’s Criticism and Misunderstanding of Zhu Xi’s Moral Theory.” Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 14: 433–449.
———. 2015b. “Self-Deception, Sincerity (Cheng), and Zhu Xi’s Last Word.” International Philosophical Quarterly 55.3:219–236.
———. 2018. “An Alternative Way of Confucian Sincerity: Wang Yangming’s ‘Unity of Knowing and Doing’ as a Response to Zhu Xi’s Puzzle of Self-Deception.” Philosophy East and West, 68(4): 1345–1368. (this paper, together with the previous paper on Zhu Xi’s view of self-deception, presents a new story to explain the transition of Neo-Confucianism from Zhu Xi to Wang Yangming, a story that focuses on the question of how sincerity is possible.)
Zhu, Xi 朱熹. 1983. Commentary on the Four Books 四書章句集注. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
———. 1986. Classified Conversations of ZhuXi 朱子語類. Beijing 北京: Zhonghua Shuju 中華書局.
———. 2002. Complete Works of Master Zhu 朱子全書. Shanghai 上海: Anhui Jiaoyu Chubanshe 安徽教育出版社 and Shanghai Guji Chubanshe 上海古籍出版社.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Zheng, Z. (2020). Zhu Xi and Later Neo-Confucians. In: Ng, Kc., Huang, Y. (eds) Dao Companion to ZHUXi’s Philosophy. Dao Companions to Chinese Philosophy, vol 13. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29175-4_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29175-4_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-29174-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-29175-4
eBook Packages: Religion and PhilosophyPhilosophy and Religion (R0)