From Goodness To The Whole

Chen que's doctrine of human nature opposes the doctrine of scholars in Song dynasty which seprates human nature into two parts. It's crucial to tell the difference between these two doctrines and the unique feature of Chen's doctrine. This paper illuminates the following aspects.Firstly, what's difference between the two doctrines of human nature and how does it come. Scholars in Song dynasty consider that human nature can be separated into two parts as nature from Heaven and nature of Qi. Nature from Heaven is Heaven's demand of human beings'moral behavior. It's absolutely good. Nature of Qi belongs to individual person. It can be good or bad according to the person's qizhi. Chen declares that human nature is one. It comes from Heaven and is embodied by qi, sentiment, talent. Exclude from these actual things, human nature will be vain. Although the nature of Heaven of scholars in Song dynasty is good, it can't have an active bearing on the moral action. The scholars of Song dynasty regard qizhi as the source of evil. Qizhi is brought from birth, so some people are good and the others are bad. But Chen considers that evil is from Xi. The inborn qizhi can't determine one's moral apperance, but only his intellect. If one is tainted with bad habits, what he does is supposed to depart from his good nature.Secondly, what is the unique feature of Chen's doctrine of human nature, namely, the relation between good nature and mature nature. Chen argues that although human beings have the power of being good, they have to use the power or to cultivate their nature. Because what they have is not the mature state of human nature. The mature state of human nature is far beyond the children's love for their parents or the respect for elders. It is a state that whatever people do is necessary and helpful to others. When a person achieves this state, he is not out of the bounds of his ability of being good. Therefore, moral training can't add anything to the nature of human. Training just cultivates the human nature and make it grow into its mature state.Thirdly, what is Chen's doctrine of praxis. Although moral training add nothing to human nature, it is necessary. Besides it, human nature can't grow up. Sage is not a person who born with good behaviors, but who cultivate his nature. So, the first step of praxis is to set up one's mind to be a sage. The second is to correct evil doings and revert to good deeds. Chen thinks that a man can know whether what he did is right. But if he doesn't correct his bad behavior, the heart who knows right or wrong is of no use. Chen advocates that one should train himself on the ordinary things. It's no need to do transcendental meditation and to cut desire off. Desire has its root deep in heart. It should not be too much or too little. One should control it and make it be in a proper level.