Wu Cheng, Like A Number Of Moral Principles Of The School

The development of the Yi-ology from the Song (960-1279) to Qing (1616-1911) dynasties forms an entity with the neo-Confucianism as the academic background, on which to study the famous Yi-ologist Wu Cheng's thought in the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368) is of significance and helpful in not only probing the quintessence of his thought on Yi to enrich the treasure of the Yi-ology but also recognizing the academic value in the Yuan dynasty and clarify the academic trend at the turn of the Ming and Qing dynasties.I. Introduction of Wu Cheng, His Learning, and Current Studies of His ThoughtAs one of the most renowned scholars of the Yuan dynasty, Wu Cheng is known as Mr. Caolu (lit. thatched cottage, his courtesy name) and as famous as his contemporary scholar Xu Heng, a great master of the Confucian Classics, for a saying goes as "there is Xu in north and Wu in south". His learning originates from both Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuyuan's thought. This feature "merging Zhu's idea on Li (Principle) and Lu's thought on Xin (heart-mind)" manifests in his Yi-ology as taking both the image-numberology and philosophical connotations conceived in Zhouyi into consideration. The former is mainly revealed in his Yi zuan yan 易纂言(Commentaries and Supplements to Yi) and Yi zuan yan wai yi 易纂言外翼 H (Further Interpretations to the Commentaries and Supplements to Yi), the latter is mainly exhibited in his explication on Li (Principle), Qi, Xin (heart-mind), and human nature. So far, the academic circle has attained certain achievements, but need further exploration.II. Image-numberology in Wu Cheng's ThoughtIn his opinion, now that the sages' making 17 is a process from observing images to establishing trigrams and hexagrams and to affiliating remarks, only basing on images and searching the remarks for images can we trace back to the original meanings of the Yi. So, "regarding the images as the root" and "searching the remarks for images" can be regarded as the guiding principles in his image-numberology.Images conceived in the Yi occupy a very significant position in his Yi-oIogy. Departing from the deduction of the image to the number, two important elements in the image-numberology, he established an image-orientated system. He holds that, for the...