Telling And Explaining Thought Of CaoDuan's Neo-Confucianism

In the development of Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming Dynasties, the dividing line is the middle of Ming Dynasty, from the Song Dynasty to the early Ming Dynasty, Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism is in the mainstream position, while beginning from the middle of Ming Dynasty, The Mind Theory of Yang Ming replaced Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism gradually and occupied the mainstream position. To implement this transformation needed to base on a transition phase, which would be possible.Therefore, it was very important to study Neo-Confucianism of the early Ming, which will help to understand the question that how to transit Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism to The Mind Theory of Yang Ming and whether or not there was a development trend of The Mind Theory of Yang Ming. In view of this, This article will use the thought of Neo-Confucianism of CaoDuan who was regarded as "the head of the early Ming Dynasty "for research object, in the meantime to tell and explain the thought of Neo-Confucianism of CaoDuan objectively, Then, by using it as an example to disclose the main characteristics of the whole of Neo-Confucianism of the early Ming Dynasty .This article consider that the thought of Neo-Confucianism of Cao Duan mainly consisted of two parts which were the inheriting and development of Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism.The former mainly includes six parts which were "Taiji Motion and Quietness", "Li and Qi uninterrupted", " Universality and Particularity", "Li and People's Desire entirely broken ", "To be Based on Respect", "the Happiness of Confucius and Yan Hui is ' humanity has its own Happiness'". Cao Duan inherited the thought of Li noumenon of "Taiji is Li" of Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism, one hand, regarding "Taiji Motion and Quietness" as metaphysical noumenon of Motion and Quietness; the other hand, regarding "Taiji Motion and Quietness" as the internal mechanism of universe formation theory. His thought about "Li and Qi uninterrupted" also developed Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism: "Li" and "Qi" are relationship of metaphysical and physical; "Li" is before "Qi"; in addition, "Li" and "Qi" are non-interference, while he also thought about that "Li" and "Qi" are non-interval ,one thing synodic rather than two things parted, which is the difference between his Neo-Confucianism and Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism. His thought about " Universality and Particularity" basically reappeared the " Universality and Particularity" of Cheng-Zhu basically , one hand, he thought "the whole Li" which were shared by all things meant"the whole Li" reflected in all things instead of each of all things shared a part of "the whole Li"; the other hand, he thought "the whole Li" were parted to the Li of all things, the Li of all things compounded to "the whole Li". His thought about "Li and People's Desire" mainly inherited the thought of "Li and People's Desire"of Cheng-Zhu, he made "Li"and "People's Desire"broken entirely, and his opinion was to break entirely on"Li and People's Desire"with the heart of being vigilant time by time. In the moral cultivation, Cao Duan was also along with Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism to emphasize "cultivation" and "be respect", the difference with Cheng-Zhu was that he payed more attention on "To be Based on Resbact",and put forward "respect","quietness"and "sincerity"together. Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao advocated "the Happiness of Confucius and Yan Hui ", but they didn't tell where was the Happiness, Cao Duan said "humanity has its own Happiness", which pointed out "the Happiness" was in the "humanity".This article consider that the mainly expression on the development of Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism was "Li Driving Qi"and"the study of cultivating the heart". He refuted "Taiji couldn't motion and still by itself" of Zhu Xi, and emphasized "Taiji could motion and still by itself". In his view, this didn't mean "Li"(Taiji) put up on "Qi", motion along with "Qi" , it meant motion and quietness of "Li"depended on its own. "The study of cultivating the hart" of Cao Duan payed attention on the function of"heart", valued "building its large at the beginning" and the cultivation of"heart", emphasized doing things on "heart". This was more different between Cao Duan's and Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism. This article consider that ,from the thought Neo-Confucianism of Cao Duan which inherited and developed Cheng-Zhu's Neo-Confucianism, Neo-Confucianism of the early Ming Dynasty compared with Neo-Confucianism of the Song Dynasty had already appeared "new differences", such as valuing doing things on "heart"; cultivating the heart and humanity of "To be Based on Respect"; breaking people's desire and so on. These "new differences" were good for the appearence of "The Mind Theory". From the function it could be found that the early Ming dynasty Neo-Confucianism had positive effect on the formation of mainstream position of "The Mind Theory".