Abstract
The Confucian tradition concerned not so much at constructing philosophical theories than at cultivating the person and living a moral life. During the Song-Ming periods, this learning on cultivation of the person was widely characterized as the learning of gongfu 工夫 (or 功夫, aka. Kung fu). Since gongfu is what the Confucian learning is all about and the term permeates all of ZHU Xi’s writings, it should not be taken merely as one part of ZHU Xi’s teachings next to other parts, but as a leading cord with which to grasp Zhu’s entire system. Only in grasping this cord can we see clearly why ZHU Xi selected the Four Books as the most fundamental works of the Confucian tradition, what he meant by the cosmic principle (li 理), and where he differs from other influential thinkers of his time.
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- 1.
This came from 8.4 of the Analects, where Master Zeng is quoted saying “There are three things that people of high station (junzi 君子) should consider particularly important in their pursuit of the Way: in showing their deportment and manner, they keep away from rudeness and impertinence; in regulating their countenance, they keep close to trustworthiness; and in using their words and tones, they stay far from vulgarity and impropriety.”
- 2.
This record may not be reliable, since next to the passage the recorder Hu Yong 胡泳 put a note, saying that it is obtained from another person named Wen Qing 文卿. This kind of note is not seen in the other passages. The note indicates that even the recorder was not sure that the story is true. The point of quoting this here, however, is not dependent on whether it is true or not. It is rather to show that Lu and Wang’s view was conceived to resemble that of Gaozi.
- 3.
This may actually be Huang’s teacher Liu Zongzhou’s 劉宗周 (1578–1645) view, since the title of this book is “Mencius Explained by My Master.”
- 4.
- 5.
The expression “making oneself sincere” comes from the book of Zhongyong where it says, “Sincerity is the Way of heaven. To be sincere is the way of human” (chapter 20).
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Ni, P. (2020). Moral Cultivation: Gongfu – Cultivation of the Person. 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_20
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