The Study Of Wang-Yangming's Theory Of "The Unity Of Knowing And Doing" And His Control Thought In Rural Regions

Wang-Yangming(1472-1529), who named Shouren and styled Bo'an, was born in Yuyao in Zhejiang Province, meanwhile, he was a famous philosopher and statesman. For once making home in Yangming Cave in Kuaiji Mountain, he also styled himself "Yangming Zi", and so he was called Mr. Yangming by other people, and the school built by him was called Yangming School. Wang-Yangming, who came of an official's family, received good family education and grew under cultural nurturing. The major reason why Wang-Yangming could form his own thought was that his grandfather created a spacious and comfortable study conditions for him. Wang-Yangming made up his mind to become a sage in his whole life, and when he was a child he had a life ideal to be a wise man by learning. At his youth, he visited a famous choler named Lou-Liang, and then he knew that if wanted to be a sage he must to learn. This ideal drove him to create his doctrine and built his official career. And his theory of "the unity of knowing and doing"was the way he found how to become a sage in some degree. He studied very widely, "first dropped in chivalry, second in riding and shooting, third in general term for prose and verse, forth in theology, fifth in Buddhism". Then because of offending Liu-Jin who was an eunuch, he had to live at Longchang in banishment. At last he provided a theory by experience and used his words to say was that this theory came from his arduous life. Wang-Yangming was not only the proposer who advocated the theory, but also practiced the theory; furthermore, he developed this theory by his practicing on teaching and on official experience. The result of the theory's development was that he promoted another theory of "Extension of the Intuitive Knowledge", and he merged this two theory, which made up the major content of his whole Idealistic School into a organimisic system. So the theory of "the unity of knowing and doing"can be regarded as the center in Yang Ming's Idealistic School in some degree. There have been a wide and deep research about Wang-Yangming's philosophy but about his political thought or his career is very little, especially the study linking his philosophy and his career is less and less. Because of it, the writer tries to study his thought and his rural control from the historic point view, in order to make a wise comprehension about Wang-Yangming's life including his moral, theory and career. Meanwhile, hope to get some historical experiences to solve the rural problems by researching his practice in rural regions. There are four parts in this thesis, the first is a preface which introduce the general information about the former research in this field and show why to write this thesis and where is the differences from the former ideas. And tell the way to research this problem and how to write it. The second part writes Wang-Yangming's whole life based on full and accurate historical materials, in order to learn the academic resource and the historic background, which made him to form his theory. Especially analyses why he could promote the theory of "the unity of knowing and doing", and in my opinion this theory came from his critical to the reality and he did his life under this theory, furthermore, he developed this academic theory in his teaching and his official career. So the writer draw a conclusion that Wang-Yangming's academic thought is not department from his official career. The third is very important, analyze the rural control under directing by his theory of "the unity of knowing and doing". Wang-Yangming's rural control practice in NanGan was bodied his theory which united self-possession and practice, morality and career. He wanted to realize the ideal society in his mind through taking his knowledge into his practicing. Wang-Yangming controlled the rural regions after calming down the peasant uprising. In order to realize the social and political stability in this area, he adopted some effective methods that 's building the rural government, carrying out rural rules, applying Shi-jia Pai system and so forth. He was respected by the peasants because his government was not force but peaceful. We can say that his government wanted to control peasants'behavior through controlling their thought, in this way he wanted to realize the stability in rural regions. The forth part discusses about the historical influence of his control to later periods then draw some historic experiences which can be used to solve the modern problems. In brief, the writer tries to research Wang-Yangming's philosophy and his official career from historical point view, and make a conclusion that Wang-Yangming promoted the theory of "the unity of knowing and doing"and developed it in his teaching and official career. So we can say that his theory and career is a unity. The reason why we study history is not but to get some experiences from it and take use of it. Today we research Wang-Yangming's theory and his controlling practice in rural area also in order to get some historical experiences to solve some difficulties in the modern society.