Research On Qing Dynasty Annotation Of Zhengmeng

Zheng Meng is Zhang Zai’s most important book,also is the most important one of the classics of Neo-Confucianism.In the dynasties of Song,Yuan,Ming and Qing,there are lots of commenting books on it.The note in the Qing dynasty is the sixteen species.From the view of occurrence time,the vast majority of these Notes,in the times of Emperor Kangxi,who advocates for Cheng Zhu Neo-Confucianism.From the view of regions,the writers mostly come from the south area of the Yangtze River,the region of Zhili,and the areas where the Neo-Confucianism tradition has-Li Guangdi,Zhang Boxing,Hua Ximin,Wang Zhi’s note books are four representatives of the Qing Dynasty note books on Zheng Meng.The aspects of cosmology,human nature,efforts for moral cultivations,are the focus of the Qing dynasty note books.The Neo-Confucianism in Qing dynasty has two prosperous periods in Kangxi period and Tongzhi Guanxu period,so the note books on Zheng Meng just appeared in both periods.Emperor Kangxi respected Zhu Xi and tried to improve the status of Zhu Xi,which create a good ambience for the development of Neo-Confucianism.Li Guangdi,Zhang Boxing,who notes Zheng Meng,is a group member of Neo-Confucianism.The notes of Zheng Meng in Qing dynasty,appeared in the Qing Dynasty Neo-Confucianism atmosphere,and these notes are an integral part of the Neo-Confucianism.There are sixteen kinds of Zheng Meng Qing note,of which five kinds are lost and eleven kinds are existed.The lost five kinds of notes are:Hu Zongxu’s Zheng Meng Explanation,Tang Yan’s Zheng Meng comment,Liu Shengwu’s Zheng Meng Opinion,Zhu Jiukuo’s Zheng Meng Sentence Explanation,Wu Shipin’s Zheng Meng Annotations.The existed eleven kinds of notes are:Wang Fuzhi’s Zhang Zi Zheng Meng Note,Li Guangdi’s Comment Zheng Meng,Zhang Boxing’s Zheng Meng Note,Hua Ximin’s Zheng Meng Series Explanation,Wang Zhi’s Zheng Meng Simple Meaning,Ran Jinzu’s Zheng Meng Supplement Explanation,Zhang Tang and Zhou Fang’s Zheng Meng Note,Li Wenzhao’s Zheng Meng Series Note,Yang Fangda’s Zheng Meng Series Saying,Li Yuanchun’s Zheng Meng Summary,Fang Qian’s Zheng Meng Category Explanation.Overall,the majority of these Notes are belongs to the Neo-Confucianism.They are noted by both officials and ordinary scholar,both of them have the political tendencies agree or disagree with the Qing dynasty.In short,Zheng Meng notes in Qing dynasty are on the academic recognition of Neo-Confucianism,and promoted by both government and the society.Li Guangdi’s Comment Zheng Meng,shows a tendency of explaining Zhang Zai by Zhu Xi.As leaders of the Zhu Xi Neo-Confucianism in early Qing dynasty,Li Guangdi commented Zheng Meng with the tendency of placing Zhu Xi as the ultimate criterion to judge the value of the doctrine of Zhang Zai.Li Guangdi believes Zhang Zai’s Harmony means principle.It accurately tells the essence of Zhang Zai’s Great Harmony.He affected by Zhu Xi,so he recognizes Zhang Zai’s Great Void as ether.He uses the theory of principle and ether of Zhu Xi to explain Zhang Zai’s cosmology philosophy.He also recognizes the Nature as the highest category Cosmology,and uses it to explain the theory of Zhang Zai.In terms of human nature,he advocated human nature comes from Heaven,at the same time highlighted the concepts of honesty,benevolence,wisdom,and so obedient destiny in the human nature of Zhang Zai.On the cultivation,he focused on the importance of determination,ritual,learning of Zhang Zai,and appreciated Zhang’s inscribed motto on eastern window.He also explained Zhang Zai’s social and political theory of appreciating the virtue rather than the punishment by the law.Zhang Boxing edited and annotation Zheng Meng when he inscribed Zhang Hengqu’s Works in Fujian.These notes are the same as what Wang Zhi cited in his Zheng Meng Simple Meaning.Therefore,Zhang Boxing indeed annotated Zheng Meng.He uses the theory of principle and ether of Zhu Xi to explain Zhang Zai’s cosmology philosophy.In terms of human nature,he not only recognizes the Brothers Cheng’s theory of nature is principle,but also agrees Zhang Zai’s theory of human from Heaven and Earth and human from temperament of the distinction.He absorbed the theory of nature is principle,and uses it to explain Zhang Zai’s human nature theory.Zhang Boxing accepts Zhang Zai’s distinction between two kinds of cultivation efforts,one of which is from wisdom to sincerity and the other is from sincerity to wisdom.He appreciates Zhang Zai chosen wisdom to sincerity,which is a progressive effort.Therefore,he is very recognized Zhang Zai’s teaching approach by ritual.He thinks it interacts with Brothers Cheng’s effort theory of keeping awe.So he agrees both theories can cultivate people’s moral sense of awe,and to build our society’s good customs.The book of Zhang Boxing’s comments on Zheng Meng,attaches great importance to contrast to Zhang Zai,s views and Zhou Dunyi,Brothers Cheng,Zhu Xi’s perspectives.It is a masterpiece of using Zhu Xi to explain Zhang Zai.Hua Ximin was born in Wuxi,where is hometown of the late Ming famous Neo-Confucianism named Gao Panlong.He had been tremendous impacted by the theory of Gao Panlong.Gao Panlong had Zheng Meng Series Annotations.Hua Ximin’s Zheng Meng Series Explanation was to make Gao’s book spread wider.Hua Ximin has close contacts with Neo-Confucianism scholar Zhang Boxing.Hua Ximin’s academic purpose is agreed with Zhu Xi,while he didn’t fight against Wang Yangming.He believes that Zheng Meng is coordinated with Zhou’s Tai Ji Tu Shuo.He distinguished between the Great Void and the ether.So he accurate understands of the nature of Zhang Zai’s cosmology.When he interpreted of Zhang Zai’s human nature,he advocated restoration of the human through changing his temperament.On the cultivation efforts,he recognized Zhang Zai’s theory to distinct scholar,excellent and sage,and gave special attention to fulfillment effort by hard cultivation.For the affect of Gao Panlong,his cultivation work gave importance on returning one’s human nature.Hua Xi Min’s comments on Zheng Meng,was also reflected a certain degree of respect for Zhu Xi.Wang Zhi was a disciple of Yang Mingshi,who is who was a disciple of Li Guangdi.Wang Zhi wrote to Zhang Boxing for Zhang’s book named Lian Luo Guan Min Shu selected too little sentences from Zhang Zai’s Zheng Meng.Wang Zhi’s teachers and friends were all Neo-Confucianism scholars,who had commented on Zheng Meng.Wang Zhi’s Zheng Meng Simple Meaning collected nine kinds of Zheng Meng’s note,it was the first time integration in the history of Zheng Meng.The biggest feature of Zheng Meng Simple Meaning is divided the concept of Great Void into three layers,and thus through the Zheng Meng.It was set a modal for modern scholars to explain the Great Void,which is the core concept of Zhang Zai’s cosmology.In terms of human nature and cultivation theory,Wang Zhi advocated pursue wisdom,refine one’s nature and curb one’s desire.Wang Zhi said we should explained book according to Zhu Xi in his Zheng Meng Simple Meaning,which is the best summary for respecting Zhu Xi than Zhang Zai.Dynasty Qing is a summary times for the notes of Zhang Zai’s Zheng Meng.It is specifically shown in the great number of notes,and the styles of annotations.To interprete and note Zhang Zai’s Zheng Meng in the standard of Zhu Xi philosophy,is the most remarkable feature of the Zheng Meng’s notes in Qing dynasty.The existing Zheng Meng’s note in Qing dynasty can provide more frames of reference for modern academic research in Zhang Zai’s Philosophy.