Formation And Development Of Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism Thoughts

To conduct the research to the forming and evolution process of Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism thoughts, its significance lies in absorbing the research results of Zhu xi -study, grasping Zhu Xi's thoughts comprehensively, and then making the description and appraisal on Neo-Confucianism history of Song Dynasty.Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism thoughts process may divide into three dispositions on the whole: the theory of temperament, the cosm-ontology and the Confucian orthodoxy. These three are inheritance and development relations. Youth Zhu Xi was infected deeply by inner cultivation and exterior action which was scholar-officials' spirit in Song Dynasty, so the theory of Inner-Cultivation was the focal point of youth Zhu Xi's Confucianism thoughts at that time . Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism thoughts were initiated by his father Zhu Song, grown in Liu Ping-shan's private school study. Under the influence of the Southern Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism Inner cultivation, Zhu Xi explored the Inner cultivation ways by the Buddhism and Daoism circuitous road, but the outlook on life and the thoughts goal were still decided in Confucianism.At the beginning of the 24-years-old, Zhu Xi learned for Li Tong, so he started to experience a hard period of study on Neo-Confucianism, and gradually "self-satisfied" in this process, in the end he traced to the metaphysics of Brothers Cheng. the guidance of "li-yi-fen-shu"(one principle, many manifestations)that Li Tong had taught consolidated rationalism in Zhu Xi's spirit, and caused him turn from the consistent between New-Confucianism and Buddhism to the "self-satisfied" and creative ways for the Inner cultivation of the Confucianism spirit. "Become aware in the period of Tong -An" caused Zhu Xi to realize the differences between the integrity of Brothers Cheng's philosophy and the one-sidedness in the Southern Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism development. In the discussion of "adenoid consistent" Zhu Xi had chosen the way of learning from classics to the rational freedom. Because of the basic difference between Li Tong's inner cultivation way of "mind and reason as one" and understanding of li-yi-fen-shu"(one principle, many manifestations), Li and Zhu skipped road at the last unavoidably. the influence of Li Tong's thought made Zhu Xi start to speculate the real spirit of Confucianism and given ontological criticize to Buddhism and Taoism, the significance of new way of Zhu Xi's thought laid in the academic foundation for "the Confucian orthodoxy" and the direction of Neo-Confucianism reconstruction.The question of "neutralization and harmony" is not only a critique to the Buddhism, but also a critique to the inner cultivation heresy schools in Neo-Confucianism of Song dynasty, this question is also Zhu Xi's crystallization of exploration for the ways of inner cultivation for a long time. In 1166 Zhu Xi established the theory of "former neutralization and harmony", and in 1169 the former theory was changed into a newly one. essentially "the former neutralization and harmony" links up the two categories of Mind and Nature ,which is a usage of Brothers Cheng's theory "oneness of existence and function ", as well as it was influenced by the Hu Xiang school of Neo-Confucianism in Song Dynasty. The new theory of "neutralization and harmony" is an outstanding theorical creation to Zhu Xi, essentially it was a new theory achievement of a complete analysis of the subject's moral ability under the integration of "oneness of existence and function"and "li-yi-fen-shu"(one principle, many manifestations). It follows the incultivation principle "first self-control, second observed the knowledge", and explored a main route of academic and moral cultivation in his life.It was a cosmology-ontology philosophy demonstration of New-Confucianism to make the first draft "interpretations of the article "Tai ji Tu Shuo"(which was written by Zhou Dun-yi) when Zhu Xi was 41 years old, in this article Zhu Xi thought that to-be and ought-to-be should not be divided according to the theory "oneness of existence and function", and Zhu Xi's philosophy world outlook appeared clearly. The article "West Inscription interpretation "proved the tradition concept of "synchronizing nature and man". The articles "benevolence interpretation" and "the Neo-Confucianism inner cultivation innotation" are the answers for Neo-Confucianism problem discussed such as the theory of cultivation and the realm of life. In 1177 "The Four Books" showed that Zhu Xi completed the new task of transformation between Neo-Confucianism and Confucian classics, and also showed Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucianism ideology matured.The meeting between Zhu Xi and Lu Jiu-yuan happened at the Goose Lake" in 1175, and the controversy of righteousness and benefit happened between Zhu Xi and Chen Liang, these debates stimulated Zhu Xi to pay highlight on the Confucian orthodoxy in his late years. The discussion that happened between Zhu Xi and Lu Jiu-yuan showed the difference of insight and gradual realization, and the difference led great interfluves of political philosophy of the two thinkers. The debate between Zhu Xi and Chen Liang was about philosophy theory of the moral motive and the historical effect, fundamentally Chen Liang's thoughts had the great challenge to Zhu Xi's . At the same time , Zhu Xi paid more attention to the problem of "li" and "qi" in order to underline the significance of the ethical principles, but on the other hand it strengthened feudal Confucianism durance in Chinese history.In Zhu Xi's late years, the inner cultivation pattern was still under the cultivation principle "first self-control, second observed the knowledge", simultaneously Zhu Xi given prominence to respectness and deepening "ge-wu-qiong-li", the outstanding achievement in his late years was the supplement of the book DA XUE and the philosophical analysis between the "ultimate good" and "good". In DA XUE ZHANG JU, Zhu xi expressed his political philosophy and responded the theory of Inner cultivation and exterior action what was hovering overhead the intelligentsia of Song Dynasty.The forming process of Zhu Xi's thoughts has two major characteristics: First, individual thought forming interacted with social ideological trend each other; second, the thought developping process presents distinct dialectical features. Significance of Zhu Xi's thought lies in two aspects: on the positive view: it has completed the theory reconstruction task of Song Dynasty's Confucianism revival. And push forward the historical trend of populace .rationalism in moral cultivation had the universal philosophy significance. Looking from the negative side, that To-be and Ought -to -be was not divided in philosophy was the biggest error in his philosophical world viewpoint, and the political view of Inner cultivation and exterior action had serious historical negative effect, his Confucian orthodoxy idea was a reason of exhaustion of ideological creation in later Chinese feudal society.