A Study On The Ideologies Of Life Philosophy In Cai Gen Tan

As the collected works of essays with the integration of ideas from ConfucianismBuddhism Taoism, Cai Gen Tan contains rich thoughts on life philosophy. The study onthe three religious thoughts’ reflection and integration in Cai Gen Tan and the in-depthexploration of the essence in traditional Chinese life philosophy will help us to have aright understanding on the relations between man and nature, man and society, as wellas man and self and to reflect on the essence, value and meaning of life. It is also ofgreat guiding significance for us to set up grand ideals, and to pursue for noblepersonality, so this thesis takes the life philosophy in Cai Gen Tan as the research focus.The First Chapter is an exploration and summary of Cai Gen Tan’s author and hiswriting background. The Chapter also explores the influence of Cai Gen Tan’s socialpolitical background as well as the academic and cultural background to its ideas on lifephilosophy from aspects of the complex political background in the late Ming Dynasty,Yangming’s philosophy of the mind and the experience of Donglin School.The Second Chapter discusses the rich ideas of life philosophy in Cai Gen Tanfrom five aspects of viewpoint on life ideal, viewpoint on hardship and happiness,viewpoint on honor and dishonor, viewpoint on advance and retreat and viewpoint onlife and death. In aspect of viewpoint on life ideal, the thesis firstly explores Cai GenTan’s attitude towards "Saint and Emperor", and then analyzes Cai Gen Tan’s views andguidance to life ideal from levels of Saint and Emperor. In aspect of viewpoint onhardship and happiness, the thesis first analyzes the dialectical unification relations ofhardship and happiness, and the definitions and functions of viewpoint on hardship andhappiness, then discusses Cai Gen Tan’s criticism to the viewpoint on hardship andhappiness in hedonism, asceticism, and its approval and promotion to the viewpoint onhardship and happiness in moral arbitrarianists. Finally it discusses its disposition to theplight and paradise, and the wisdom of transforming pain to pleasure. In aspect ofviewpoint on honor and dishonor, the thesis first analyzes Cai Gen Tan’s attitude to rank,success, fame and riches, as well as reputation, moral integrity and righteousness. Thenit discusses Cai Gen Tan’s pursuit to righteous honor and the criticism to righteousdisgrace. At last through the transformation of cognition to honour or disgrace, abroad-minded state remaining indifferent whether granted favours or subjected tohumiliation is realized. In aspect of viewpoint on advance and retreat, the thesis explains the profound meaning of advance and retreat through views and choices fromancient Chinese thinkers. Then it discusses Cai Gen Tan’s advance and retreat from twoaspects of securing a position and living at home. At last, the thesis discusses Cai GenTan’s attitude of the integration of advance and retreat combined with later MingDynasty society’s new tendency to the choices of advance and retreat. In aspect ofviewpoint on life and death, the thesis first discusses Cai Gen Tan’s denial and criticismto viewpoint on life and death in hedonism. Then it discusses its inheritance andtransformation of viewpoint on life and death in naturalism. At last it discusses Cai GenTan’s favor and promotion to viewpoint on life and death from moral arbitrarianists.The Third Chapter discusses Cai Gen Tan’s characteristics of circulating and thehistorical influences it produces. Through exploration on the circulating differences ofCai Gen Tan in China and Japan, it finds out that there is a great contrast of the degreeof attention and social influences in China and Japan. It then reflects on the modernvalue and significance of the life philosophy in Cai Gen Tan. At last, the thesis tries toexplore the possible problems and limitations in Cai Gen Tan.