Research Into The Learning Of Innate Knowledge Of Meng Huali,a Scholar Of Northern Wang Yangming School

Content: Meng Huali(1545-1597),named Shulong and Yunpu,was born in Xin’an,Henan Province.He was an outstanding figure in the northern Wang Yangming school.While inheriting the doctrine of innate knowledge,he also played his own role.His disciple Lǚ Weiqi(1587-1641,named Jieru and Yushi)said that his theory was based on "no desire" and "self-discipline".Meng Huali followed You Shixi(1503-1580,Jimei,Xichuan),Influenced by Xichuan,Meng Huali pays special attention to "self-discipline" and "practice".He said,"We should do it steadfastly,and then we can learn.If we just talk and don’t practice,we will fall into the trap of empty words." He is very strict with himself and sets an example everywhere.His disciple Wang Yiwu(1557-1638,named Youzhen)said: " When he was an official,Be honest and upright,enforce the law impartially,work hard,be observant and decisive,be strict with officials and be kind to the people." Meng Huali has been an official for more than ten years.He has successively held important positions.After leaving his job and returning to his hometown,he does not do business or buy land.His house is still the old house built by his father.Meng Huali concentrated on reading and learning at home.Scholars came to visit for officials.He never received them.If comrades came to discuss learning,they were warmly received.He is also the founder and leader of the Xin’an lecture.Under his auspices,the Xin’an lecture flourished for a while.Every time it arrived,hundreds of people came,which greatly promoted the spread of Yangming’s psychology in Henan and Shaanxi.After the death of Meng Huali,Emperor Chongzhen granted the building of "Yiluo Yuanyuan" workshop in front of his temple.This paper aims to discuss two questions: first,what are the contents of Meng Huali’s learning of innate knowledge of the good;Second,what are the contents and characteristics of Meng Huali’s doctrine of realizing the innate knowledge of the good.The main body of this paper consists of three parts.The first part introduces the division of northern Wang Yangming school and the life of Meng Huali,so that readers can have an overall impression on the character and life experience of Meng Huali.Among them,the concept of "northern Wang Yangming school" was initiated by Huang Zongxi.In the case of Ming Confucianism,he divided the Wang Yangming school into seven schools according to the region.Because Meng Huali was from Xi’an,Henan Province,he classified it into the northern Wang Yangming school.Meng Huali’s life is based on the chronicle of Mr.Meng Yunpu edited by his disciple Wang Yiwu,Select and sort out the major experiences and deeds of Meng Huali in his life,so that readers can have a more comprehensive understanding of Meng’s life.The second part is a systematic interpretation of Meng Huali’s view of innate knowledge of the good.Firstly,it combs the ideological origin of Meng Huali’s view of innate knowledge of the good as a whole,and discusses the development process of the theory and connotation of psychology from Mencius to Lu Jiuyuan and then to Wang Yangming.Then it interprets the ontology of heart,the nature of life and the view of sincerity in Meng Huali’s innate knowledge of the good.His ontology of mind basically does not go beyond the scope discussed by Wang Yangming.Meng Huali’s theory includes "stable is the ontology of mind","goodness is the ontology of mind","happiness is the ontology of mind" and the generative theory of everything generated by mind;His exertion of "human nature" is also based on the integration of Yang Ming’s mind and nature;In his view of sincerity,"sincerity" refers to innate knowledge of the good,and adding one "truth" refers to the pure state of the heart that is not obscured.The third part makes a comprehensive study of Meng Huali’s doctrine realizing the innate knowledge of the good.First of all,Meng Huali put forward the view that "Through learning,you can become a saint" and demonstrated that sages can only be achieved through continuous learning and cultivation.He made a distinctive theoretical analysis of work in his sleep and took what happened in his dream as reality,We should also examine and overcome the thinking behavior in our dreams.Secondly,he believes that innate knowledge of the good is everyone’s own,but because the shielding of selfish desires makes the original heart covered with dust,so we should use "no desire" to restore the spiritual clarity of the original heart.Thirdly,his interpretation of "self-discipline" is mainly "no self deception" and "honesty".In fact,"honesty" and "no self deception" are two-in-one relations.Meng Huali’s explanation of "self-discipline" is in line with Yang Ming’s original intention.Finally,Meng Huali believes that Zhou Dunyi’s "several good and evil" is wrong and does not conform to the theme of the book of changes.He believes that "several is the movement of nature".Since nature is pure good without evil,the "several" is also pure good,and the "nature" of pure good cannot produce the "several" of "evil".