| The question about Human nature(性)and Emotion(情)is an important issue in the history of Chinese Confucianism,which has been elucidated by thinkers in every dynasties.Mencius,as a representative of Confucianism in the Pre-Qin period,regarded the good part of nature as Human nature,and believed that everyone who can act according to his own nature,that is,along the path of Benevolence and Righteousness(由仁义行)would become Sage.However,in the Wei and Jin dynasties,not only benevolence and righteousness,but also food and sex were promoted,and Mencius’ theory of human nature reached its unsolvable dilemma.Zhu Xi’s,as the master of Neo-confucianism,inherited and innovated Mencius’s thoughts about Human nature and emotion.Zhu Xi divided human nature into two parts:the nature endowed by heaven(天命之性)and the nature ofemotionand desires(气质之性).He regarded Qi(气)as the reason of evil,Principle(天理)as the metaphysical source of human nature,which provide the metaphysical basis for the goodness of human nature.This represents the further awakening of human subjectivity.People strive to recognize their own shortcomings and limitations,after rational reflection,then they pursue the principle.It is very important to compare Mencius’ and Zhu Xi’s theory of Human nature and Emotion for us to understand the development and evolution of our whole history of philosophical thought.This paper plans to make a comparative study of Mencius’ and Zhu Xi’s theoryof Human nature and Emotion from three parts.The first part compares the ideas of Human nature of Mencius and Zhu Xi.Mencius’ thought of human nature in the first place is the quality that people are born with,it is also nature of human,Zhu Xi divided the human nature into "the nature endowed by heaven"(天命之性)and "the nature ofemotionand desires"(气质之性).The nature endowed by heaven is the manifestation of Principle,thus it is pure good.The nature ofemotionand desires is A mixture of Li and Qi,so it has good and evil.Mencius and Zhu Xi had different definitions of human nature,Mencius believed that human nature is from Qi,which should be cultivated,while Zhu Xi believed that nature is from Li,which is metaphysical and primitive,it is the reason why all things exist.Zhu Xi provided a metaphysical basis for nature through the idea that Inherent Quality is the Principle(性即理)which promoting the value and status of human nature.The second part compares the theory of Emotion between Mencius and Zhu Zi Mencius believed that the love of the four ends was the true moral emotion of human nature,with no division between nature and Emotion,Human nature is good so is the emotion.He thought people should act according to one’s own nature.However,Mencius deliberately ignored the "nature of Shise"(食色之性).And when it came to Wei and Jin Dynasties,people practiced the nature of Shise,which caused many problems.Zhu Zi also believed that Four Seeds(四端)belong to emotion.Zhu Zi also expanded the connotation of "Emotion"by absorbing Xunzi and other people’s thoughts.He thought Seven feelings(七情)belong to Emotion,which has good and evil.Mencius and Zhuxi are both agree that Emotions are the activity of Qi.The third part is to compare the relationship between mind-heart(心)and Human nature-Emotion(性情).Mencius believes that the mind-heart is divided into the human mind(人心)and the original mind(本心).Mencius believes that the "original mind" equals to Four Seeds,which is what we call the "unbearable mind"(不忍人之心)and"conscience"(良心).Both"original mind"and"human nature" are primitive.Mencius regarded "the original mind" as human nature,and regarded the "human mind" as harmful.Mencius advocated preserving the nature by removing the human mind and the expansion of the human nature to realize the human nature.Zhu Xi had a distinction between the Dao-xin(道心)and Ren-xin(人心).He believed that the Dao-xin is the reasonable state of Ren-xin.Zhu Xi believed that"Ren-xin is dangerous and uncontrollable and it is easy to generate unreasonable desires.In terms of the relationship between mind-heart,Human nature and Emotion,Mencius believed that the relationship between mind-heart,Human nature and Emotion was an integration of the three.He explain human nature with emotion,and explain mind-heart with human nature.Four seeds were the specific contents of human nature,emotion was the activity of human nature,and human nature is the ruler.Zhu Xi thought mind-heart governs human nature and Emotion.Mind-heart emotion,while human nature(Li)is the ruler of Mind-heart.Mencius believed that cultivating Qi is to cultivate the goodness of people Zhu Xi believe that changing Qi is to change the bad Qi in the human into good,it is also known as the transformation from Ren-xin to Dao-xin.On the basis of inheriting Mencius’ theory of Human nature and Emotion,Zhu Xi not only made up for the deficiency of Pre-Qin Confucianism’ theory,but also followed the tradition of Confucianism,insisted Inherent Quality is the Principle,thus making the metaphysical moral foundation for human beings,which plays a significant role in the development of Human nature and Emotion... |
