Wu Cheng Neo Thought

Lixue, a rationalistic Confucian philosophy, known as Neo-Confucianism in the West, as Senglihak in Korea, originated in two-Song period, is the symbol of ancient China's Han culture and the humanistic philosophy peculiar to the East Lixue, from its very beginning, had always based its own philosophy on the theory of humanism and centered on the problem of man under discussion. The theory of Taiji (the Supreme Ultimate) and Renji (the Individual Ultimate) which was created by Zhou Dunyi was the prelude to the philosophy of humanism. Since then, the ancient China's philosophy of humanism had been developed step by step to its new height in accordance with the principle that "nature is nothing but reason"- the doctrinal system of Lixue, by those important figures, such as, Zhangzhai, Chenghao, Chengyi. and Zhuxi. On the other hand, during Song and Ming period, the ancient China's philosophy of humanism had been developed once again to its very height by Liu Jiuyuan and Wang Shouren respectively in accordance with the principle that "mind is nothing but reason"- the doctrinal system of Xinxue (the mind-based theory) Being inherited the tradition of both Zhu and Liu, Wucheng, a great Confucian scholar of Meng-Yuan period and an expert in both Lixue and Jingxue, had founded one of the greatest schools of Neo-Confocianism through his realistic approach of the day.Like Wucheng, Xuheng was also a principal representative of the Neo-Confucianism of Yuan. There has long been known as "Ncmwubeixu" (Wucheng was an academic authority in the South and Xuheng was also an academic authority but in the North). If we regard the school led by Xuheng as the orthodox, then the school led by Wucheng was no doubt a separate school. Although the Neo-Confucianism of Yuan led by Xuheng had based its philosophy on the tradition of Cheng-Zhu, its academic trend of development, however, was much more dependent on Wucheng, who inherited the philosophy of both Zhu and Liu.This dissertation consists of seven chapters excluding both introduction and conclusion. On the whole, it can be grouped also under four heads: The first part relates to the life of Wucheng, and his social and academic background. The second part probes into the origin of Wucheng's ideology. The third part elucidates his rationalistic thought. The last part discusses the impact of his rationalistic thought of philosophy.Wucheng's theory of rationalistic approach consists of the following five areas: Daotonglun (theory of tradition of the Way), Bentilun (ontology), Xinxinglun (theory of moral nature), Gongfiilun (theory of moral cultivation) and Jingxiiesixiang (theory of study of the classics).Since the minority Mongolian tribes occupied Central Plains of China, the traditional Chinese culture had confronted with the new crises Wucheng, as a Han scholar, had stressed much on the question of transmission of Confucian way in orderto create a new academic atmosphere. We can say that all of those efforts had made especially for rejuvenation of Lixue either academically or politically.As a scholar of Lime, Wucheng, of course, was very rich in knowledge of the tradition of Zhuxi, yet he had still absorbed the nutrition of Xinxue from the tradition of Liu Jiuyuan simultaneously without any sectarian bias. So, doctrinally, the ideology of Wucheng, of course, was involved with some aspects of Xinxue, Just as such involvement, a kind of variable trend occurred within Lixue of Yuan caused directly the further development of Lixue and paved the way for the rise of Xinxue in Ming Dynasty Therefore, we can say that Lixue of Yuan acted as an intermedium in the process of transformation of Lixue from Song to Ming.As a scholar of Jingxue, Wucheng had kept to the stand of the tradition of Zhuxi on one hand, and had commentated also the Five Classics positively in order to expound its true meaning on the other. Wucheng undoubtedly was rich in knowledge of both Lixue and Jingxue. He had accomplished a great deal in the field of Jingxue and had made it possible for...