Confucian Classics Study Of Hubei Province In The Ming Dynasty

Since the Qing Dynasty,the academia of history in China has established two major shared understandings in the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty.The first one is that the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty is worthless for the reason that it inherits the achievement of the study of Confucian Classics in the Song Dynasty,which is far less elaborate than the ones of the Han and Tang Dynasty.This understanding is based on the study of the book Overall Indexes of Four Categorical Cannons.The second understanding lies in that the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty is the harbinger of the one of the Qing Dynasty,which demonstrates continuity and inheritance.These two understandings reveal altogether some features and trends of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty,albeit they reach different conclusions and enjoy different criticisms.However,the understandings are not comprehensive especially when narrowed the scope to the designated area.Hence,this thesis is going to,focusing on Hubei province,present the local achievements of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty by synthesizing the works on the Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei and summarizing the provincial features of these works in order to contribute to the understanding of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty nationwide.The first chapter is the introduction.It discusses the external conditions of the development of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.The geographical positioning of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei is politically confirmed when the Huguang Province was administratively set in the Ming Dynasty and the city Wuhan became the major city in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.The culture of Hubei,which was prolongedly ignored by Central China,became one of the main streams of the academia in the Ming Dynasty,along with Jiajing emperor's reign during the middle Ming Dynasty.Huangzhou city became the cultural bases nationwide during the middle and late Ming Dynasty.The economy of Hubei prospered gradually since the Tang and Song Dynasty.In the Ming Dynasty,the East Hubei Economic Zone,which was centered in Hankou,financially aided the prosperity of Hubei culture.Culturally,a solid foundation of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei was laid by the rebuild of the education system of the Confucian Classics,the establishment of state-run school and the development of private-run college.In the second chapter,metrical study is conducted to analyze the works on the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.By looking into the Local Records of Hubei and cities in Hubei as well as the related masterpieces,the thesis draws an overall image of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei and keeps track of its development.A comprehensive and clear understanding on the academic preference,the characteristics of pursuing studies and regional features will be formed,in order to classify the stages of the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.The third Chapter analyzes the study of Yi Studies of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.It has a long history to study Zhouyi in Hubei since the Song Dynasty.Xiang Shi'an,Guo Pu and Zhu Zhen were the three masters on the study of Yi Studies in the Song Dynasty.There were various genres on the study of Yi Studies in Hubei,such as Chen Shiyuan's Yi Xiang Gou Jie and Hao Jing's Zhou Yi Wan Jie,Achievements on Xiangshu and argumentation had been made.The fourth Chapter analyzes the study of The Book of Songs of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.Hubei was one of the cultural centers in the Ming Dynasty and took the lead in literature.The literature masters included Li Xianfang,one of the Guangwuzi during the Literature Renaissance period,and members from School of Jingling and School of Gong'an.The study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei has a close relationship with the development of literature.Therefore,this chapter focuses on the study of The Book of Songs of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei during the periods of Revival of Han School and Literary Tendencies.The fifth chapter analyzes the study of Three Rituals of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.Although the research on Rituals in the Ming Dynasty was relatively weaken,the three existing masterpieces Zhou Li Wan Jie,Yi Jie Jie and Zi Ji Tong Jie,written by Haojing,Hubei Confucian classics scholar,presented the highest achievement on the study of Three Rituals of the Ming Dynasty to Hubei's academia.The sixth chapter analyzes the study of The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.Macheng Chunqiu was named after the county Macheng in Huangzhou City for its contribution of broad study of The Spring and Autumn Annals in the Ming Dynasty.Meanwhile,Haojing's Chun Qiu Wan Jie set up a new direct way to interpret The Spring and Autumn Annals,which represented the unique local understanding on the argumentation of The Spring and Autumn Annals.What's more,within the same period,the Historical Turn was made,represented by the study of Zuo Zhuan by the scholars Liu Ji and Fan Wangjia.The seventh chapter analyzes the study of The Four Books of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.The popularity of textology in the Ming Dynasty is one of the distinguished features of the study of The Four Books of the Ming Dynasty.Lun Yu Lei Kao,written by Hubei Confucian classics scholar Chen Shiyuan,was the best of its kind in textology of The Four Books in the Ming Dynasty.Lun Yu Xiang Jie,written by Hao Jing,altered the academic focus from The Great Learning,The Doctrine of the Mean to The Analects of Confucius,by advocating that The Analects of Confucius was the essence among the The Four Books.By the seven chapters,this thesis draws a conclusion on the study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei Province.There are three features.First,the Study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei is utilitarian.The works on Confucian Classics in the Ming Dynasty in Hubei were mostly with common purposes of The Imperial Examinations.Second,it is creative.The Confucian Classics scholars were with their unique understandings which were different with the traditional ones.Scholar Haojing,for example,had made outstanding achievement on the study of the Confucian Classics.Scholars from School of Jingling,such as Tan Yuanchun and Zhong Xing,contributed to the study of The Book of Songs.Scholars like Chen Shiyuan,Qin Jizong and so on,initiated the textology of The Four Books.Third,it is compatible.The Hubei-based inheritors of nationally-famous Schools of Baisha,Ganquan and Yangming mutually enriched the local prosperity of the Study of Confucian Classics.Additionally,Confucianism,Buddhism and Taoism were in perfect harmony in Hubei,which gave a profound and positive effect on the Study of Confucian Classics of the Ming Dynasty in Hubei.The collision and fusion of the distinct thoughts make the Eastern Hubei the provincial center of academia in the Ming Dynasty.