| In Chinese history of philosophy, the doctrine of Benevolence is an endless topic for people to debate. There had been a long time heated debate about the doctrine of Benevolence. Among these debates, the most representative thoughts are Confucius’the benevolent for others, Mencius’ humanity politics and kingcraft and Cheng Yi Cheng Hao’all things together and Zhang Zi’s the doctrine of Benevolence in Northern Song Dynasty. These, of course, are multiple and various levels point of view. The doctrine of benevolence was pushed to its peak. Almost all of the Confucian scholars in Song Dynasty talked about the doctrine of the benevolence and they all have their own opinions. Some idealistic philosophers, such as Hu Hong, Zhang Shi and Zhu Xi etc, had made another peak for the development of Chinese philosophy. However, with the development of the productivity, the progress of the society, the updating of the culture and the needs of the development of the political, Chinese feudal society declined after Song Dynasty, so most of the intellectuals or Confucian scholars at that time took the responsibilities to protect or argue in favor of feudal ethic and provide argument for ruling class. From this point, Zhang Shi had some similar view with others but he took his own way to research the characteristic of the doctrine of benevolence.The doctrine of benevolence and the road to benevolence is the core of Zhang Shi’s philosophy. On Benevolence (Shuo Ren) is his representative work. Benevolence (Shuo Ren) it poured Zhang Shi their life work; Benevolence (Shuo Ren) and zhu xi is a constant debate. Zhang Shi had experienced a perfecting process on his understanding benevolence and the road to benevolence. So his thought of benevolence was different between the early and the later period. In the early period, Zhang Shi collected Confucius observations and Yan Zi’s words and deeds on benevolence in Confucian classics and monographs. During the period, Zhang Shi collected far and wide about the book of Confucius’ and Yan Zi’s words, and then reorganized and selected the main part to research. He formed his own way with a little thought of idealistic philosophers in Northern Song Dynasty. His substance is to teach the scholars what benevolence is and how to be benevolence. In the later period, Zhang shi’ benevolence thought is mainly thanks to their own academic accumulation, Zhang Shi benefited from his argument with Zhu Xi. Both of them learned something from their false theories and they talked about the doctrine of benevolence. Two saints from debate benevolence, Benevolence and love, Benevolence and heart, Benevolence and public, Benevolence Righteousness and propriety wisdom and From Zhu Xi’s On Benevolence (Shuo Ren) to his own On Benevolence. Zhang Shi thought and researched deeply, In his doctrine of benevolence he emphasized to have a thorough knowledge of benevolence, linked up the relationship between benevolence and nature, Benevolence and love, Benevolence and heart, Benevolence and public, Benevolence Righteousness and propriety wisdom and on that basis, mixed together the thought benevolence with love, heart, public, Benevolence Righteousness and propriety wisdom. then came up with his own point of view and finally formed his own doctrine of benevolence. |
