Study On Hu Chengnuo’s YiZhi

Hu Chengnuo, a famous scholar, who lived in Hubei province during the early age of Qing dynasty, refused to take any position in the new dynasty and became a hermit, dedicated to writing. He eventually finished the book named Yi Zhi to elaborate on his own scholarship. The book was released during the transition from Ming dynasty to Qing dynasty when great political transformations developed and the atmosphere of academic study transferred from inanity to real. Thus, it, following the principle of pragmatism, universalism, and principlism, vividly reflects features of the age. Hu argues at large with broad references and profound Confucius argumentations, and combines theory at the same time with utilization. However, it’s awfully regretful that, due to various reasons, the book, like a pearl lost in a vast ocean, has been keeping a low profile in the past 300 years, endangering to disappear and attracting little attention. This thesis tends to pore over the author and the book systematically, in hope of making certain contribution to the academic development in this field. It firstly reviews biography and family academic inheritance of the author, makes moreover a detailed analysis and comparison research upon the background of its release, editions and styles from the angle of historical philology and, and finally makes an concentrated research into thoughts of advocating reality and state administration focused on pragmatism.Yi Zhi advocates reality on academic study. Hu explores theory on the basis of reality, making references to various historical instances and Confucius classics and combines the two aspects to guarantee theory practical. Though inheriting the way of "studying theory through reading", "studying theory through exploring objects" and "studying theory through things", he concentrated further on reality in the field of theory study. He confined readings to the Six Classics, rejecting heresy and only making reference to essence of other schools, "things" to ancient instances, instances recorded in classics and history, and objects to those usually seen in people’s daily life. In addition, he stresses that "theory of reality" should be universally applicable and make contribution to present affaires.Also, Yi Zhi promotes pragmatism on statecraft. Hu criticizes social issues of the day with instances of sages and benevolent kings and glorious stages, exploring the causes of prosperity, turmoil, flourish and decay of the society, and follows the basis of Confucian classics, history and past instances to make it clear why sages and kings, brilliant officials and generals succeeded, and why tyrants and crafty sycophants failed, so as to guide later generations to promote virtue and reject evils. He further discusses institution evolutions of each dynasty, figuring out their deficiencies and virtues, in hope of providing references for later generations, and analyzes the root causes of institutions and personnel arrangement that poored, exhausted and abused the people, encouraging to cherish the people, following will of the people and supporting the people according to law of nature.In all, Yi Zhi, a representative work between Ming and Qing dynasties, advocates the thoughts of pragmatism, and embodies real learning of both statecraft and practice.