Gu Xiancheng Studied The Ethical Thoughts Of The World

In order to oppose the leader of western modern civilization, some Chinese scholars have been trying to find and exploit an Oriental modern ethical spirit since the Opium War. There is an important clue that the ethical spirit of enlightenment created by Gu Xiancheng, Gu yanwu, Huang zongxi and wang fu-zhi. Therefore, it is significant to study the Donglin school leader-- Gu Xiancheng's ethics carefully.Gu Xiancheng promoted the Confucian tradition of 'Governing',by criticizing the theories of Wang yang-ming and Zhu xi. He tried to explore a new theory of ethics adapted to the needs of the reality. He put 'Govering' as an ontology in the Confucian academic system. 1. In discussion of morality, Gu Xiancheng put forward the 'with solid done' morality through the analysis of norality's nature —'illusory'and "real". 2.1n discussion of moral cultivation, Gu Xiancheng stressed the importance of 'cultivation' by analyzing the relationship of 'thinking' and'cultivation'.3.In discussion of moral practice,Gu Xiancheng put Meng zi's moral theory—Shan into practice. He advocated Donglin scholars to solve the serious social crisis and the sharp social contradictions in late Ming dynasty,and the Donglin scholars have strong political sensibilityGu Xiancheng's ethical theory open the early ethics of enlightenment in the Ming and Qing dynasty. In spite of some traditional negative Confucian moral concepts existed in Gu xiangcheng's mind, he had some new thoughts. Gu Xiancheng's theory focused on reality, .social and political domain specific moral problems, so it has strong times. He is an enlightenment teacher in the Chinese modern ethic.