Study On Wang Anshi's Yixue

The main works of Wang An-shi's Yi learning is Yi Jie, which has 14 volumes (its version named Yi Yi in Xining period, 20 volumes). In Lin Chuan Wen Ji, there are some pieces of writings as Yi Xiang Lun Jie, Gua Ming Jie, Yi Fan Lun, Jiu Gua Lun, He Tu Luo Shu Yi (another version, the writer is Lu Dian), Da Ren Lun and Zhi Yi Lun. They formed Wang An-shi's Yi learning system with Yi Jie.Wang An-shi wrote his Yi Jie about in the period of Song Renzong's Baoyuan to Jiayou (1038-1063) for more than 20 years. To the period of Xining, Wang An-shi had rewritten Yi Jie many times and renamed the rewrite Yi Yi. From then, the old edition Yi Jie and the new edition Yi Yi had been spread meantime. About to the period of Qianlong of Qing Dynasty, Wang An-shi's Yi Jie was lost. The writer of Jing Gong Yi Jie Gou Chen collected the 265 pieces survivings of the missing writings he found in some books into the book. Although all of the writings are about one tenth of the original Yi Jie, yet they are the most important in the researching work to Wang An-shi's Yi learning.Wang An-shi insisted the theory that "Ren Geng San Shen"(there are three sages in human history) and considered that Zhou Yi was finished by Fu Xi, Wen Wang and Kong Zi. But he didn't have blind faith in sages. He showed his dissatisfied to Xu Gua Zhuan and Za Gua Zhuan of Zhou Yi by written Yi Xiang Lun Jie and Gua Ming Jie. His position on "Yong Jiu" also reflected his style on study that created things new and original but spoke on good grounds.In the researching work to Yi, Wang An-shi not only paid attention to following the developing of principles in Wang Pi's Zhou Yi Zhu, but also to the explanations of words in ancient books to the Han school of classical philology. He did not like the Confucian scholars who researched Zhou Yi only from words to words. He explained words concisely and comprehensively, simply and unsophisticatedly. He used neither the trivially and copiously quote authoritative works ways of the Hans nor Hu Yuan's in the vernacular in Zhou Yi Kou Yi. But he created a new idea, did further captions and developings to the principles in Zhou Yi on the basis of solid explanations of words in ancient books.In the researching work to Yi, Wang An-shi attached importance to "Guan Xiang", which differentiated Cheng Yi who didn't pay attention to the way of inside and outside Gua. Wang An-shi was deeply affected in his old age by his special mode of thinkingformed in his early researchings to Yi. He used his way of "Guan Xiang" in writing Zi , Shuo, and used the way of "Hui Yi" to explain Chinese characters instead of the six ways of the structure of Chinese characters like pictography, etc.Wang An-shi's Yi learning has solid scientific skills. Cheng Yi had said: "Before researching Yi, must read it over. Only read works of Wang Pi, Hu Xiang Sheng and Wang Jie-pu, and make it link up from the beginning to the end. The explanations to Yi of others are nothing to recommendand but wasted your hard work." Zhu Xi had ever said: "Yi is Jing Gong's old works, but very wonderful. San Jing Yi (Shi, Shu, Zhou Li) written later isn't good." It showed that Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi who were known by Confucian school of idealist philosophy of the Song and Ming Dynasties approved roughly to Wang An-shi's research way on Yi lie and its basical academic value. Of course they took exception to Wang An-shi's views on political and world in Yi Tie, and closely questioned others. Jing Gong Xin Xue is a new Jing learning schools with a considerable complete system created by Wang An-shi and his disciples.They went together with Jing Gong Xin Xue from forming, developing, maturing, flourishing to declining that Yi Jie as its basis and starting point and Yi Yi as its important part which formed the scientific theory at the height of power and splendour of the developing. Affirmatively, Jing Gong Xin Xue is constructed by Yi Jie or Yi Yi, Lao Zi Zhu, Huai Nan Za Shuo, San Jing Yi and Zi Shuo.Zhou Yi has a special philosophy framework and intension in the Confuci...