A Study On Xu Wenjing’s Yi-ology

As a Confucian scholar in the early Qing dynasty, on the one hand, Xu Wenjing thinks to revival of Confucianism is his responsibility. One the other hand, he has a wide-ranging academic horizons, including history, geography, astronomy. This is also the trend that the scholars have been studying classical academic to discover more value of them of Qian and Jia school.The chapter one illustrated the research methods of Xu Wenj ing’s Yi-ology. From an overall perspective,Xu Wenjing use the Han school’s method to researched the Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. His Yi-ology put emphasis on philosophical connotation, but he also take a detached attitude to image-number. For example, he opposed to hexagram-transformation theory and image adopted theory, they exactly reflect the limitation that the image-number can’t give a reasonable explanation the phenomenon of the world. At the same time, Xu Wenjing was positive about Zhengxuan’s Yao-chen theory, this maybe because Xu Wenjing also is an astronomer.The second chapter illustrated the aesthetic ideology on the basis of introduction for the research methods of Xu Wenjing’s Yi-ology. He thinks the "Tai Ji" is the highest category of the aesthetic ideology, it is materialist, the "WuJi" just the condition of "TaiJi". Yin and Yang is the idealist of WuJi. And then (they) criticize the Zhuxi’s standpoint that idealist is antecedent to materialist. Dao of growth and differentiation of all creation in the universe just exist in yin and yang. Materialist and idealist are supposed to be integrated and inseparable but without any other branch not as Zhuxi said, therefore materialist involves in idealist while the idealist orders the materialist. The ontology what the Confucian scholar deem is not sheer metaphysics but often considered with humanistic spirit.The sky above and the earth below make the universe settle,and furthermore people find their proper positions causing to conform to nature.It gives yin and yang humanistic attribute which indicates that yang is superior to yin from rational thinking and for the further step here comes the derivation of social ethical thought that men enjoy higher status than women.Next, illustrated Xu Wenjing’s doctrine of Humanity and Destiny which basis on the aesthetic ideology. In Xu Wenjing’s Yi-ology, "WuJi" not merely create the world but also formed the nature of humans, so inherently is good. In reality, the people not good but evil. Xu Wenjing explain this because Qi in the human body is different. Obviously, this view is inherent from Zhangzai.The chapter four is about Xu Wenjing’s ethics. As a Confucian scholar, upholds the Confucius humanistic spirit is his duty. So people should self-tutelage use confucius ethic to obtain the ideal goal of " Sageliness Within and Kingliness Without". And we all know that position of lines is the analogy of the social status, different lines means various stages of development, so Xu Wenjing’s ethics is aiso related to position of lines, in his Yi-ology, the intermediate line is the performance of Confucian mean that considered to be ideal condition。 At the same time,to be a "gentleman" should "changes to the times" and "advance with the time" to adjust himself and his institutions to this word.Last, based on the analysis of Xu Wenjing’s make a summary, his Yi-ology is use the Han school’s method to researched the Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism and then learned from the best of many philosophical thought, but in generally speaking, he is most revered Chengzi’s Yi-ology. Xu Wenjing live in the heyday of Qian and Jia school of Qing Dynasty, he has not made immense contribution, but he inherit the past and usher in the future of Qian and Jia school.