Study Of Yang Jian's Philosophy

Yang Jian establishes his Xin noumenon theory in complete sense by carrying forward and developing Lu Jiu Yuan's Xin Xue tradition, which is on the basis of "Xin". He plays an important role in Xin Xue as Huang Gan does in Zhu Xi's school. So he is an inevitable and key person in the process of Xin Xue development.Yang Jian begins from savouring the universe and human being's life to experience the unity of things and myself by introspection and enlightment of external things, other persons, actions and words. In other words, everything in the world is from me, "Wo" is everything. Then, what is "Wo"? By the pre-setting of available feudal ethical morality he defines "Wo" as "Xing" (nature), which, if applied to social life, possesses original kind "Xing" of that morality. The original good nature is innate, it includes everything of the universe and all of their qualities, such as greatness, purity, clearness, "Xing"-"Wo" equality, etc. Finally, enlightened by "the spirit of mind is called sageness", Yang Jian awakens that "Xing" flows from "Xin" which is perfect, clear and virtualls. He directly identifies "Xin", "Xing", "Wo", "Yi", "Ji", "Yi" as oneoness, and avoids any concept or thought which possibly leads to "Xin"s" division. He distinguishes virtue from vice by "Yi" in epistemology. Because vice comes from "Yi", stopping vice is "Wu Yi", cultivating good nature and then often doing "Fan Guan". After that, Yang Jian's life realm reaches the state of "Yong" which is pure, lofty and generates everything, passes through past and present, and at the same time, gives us unlimited life enjoyment. He applies his theory to social political practice characterized as loving people, abiding by law and being strict with oneself. In all his life Yang Jian regards purifying folk customs by feudal ethical morality as his own duty.