Modern Neo-confucianism Of Zhu Xi,

The difficult position of Confucianism at the beginning of the 20th century is because of the impact of the western civilization as well as the character of confucianism itself. Contemporary Neo-Confucianists take the reconstruction of Confucianism as the main question for discussion. It's emergence has two reasons of the external hardship of the situation and the inherent requirements of it's theory.Contemporary Neo-Confucianists are both researchers of Zhu Xi's Philosophy and successors and improvers of Zhu Xi's Philosophy. They have made deep research on the main issues of Zhu Xi's Philosophy such as the theory of Li Qi(Principle and Matter), Xin Xing(Mind and Nature), Gong Fu(Method of Spiritual Cultivation) and Politics etc. And they judge Zhu Xi's historical position and build their own Neo-Confucianism theory according to their opinions to these questions. This dissertation comments on the research of Zhu Xi's Philosophy of Contemporary Neo-Confucianists and discusses their succession and improvement of Zhu Xi's philosophy. Moreover, the author gives the philosophical issues which they all follow with interest consideration anew in modern views.This dissertation comments on the different views of Contemporary Neo-Confucianists to the historical position of Zhu Xi. It is mainly on Mr.Mou Zong-san's"Bie Zi Wei Zong"(The term of"Bie Zi Wei Zong"is quite difficult to translate exactly. Literally, the four words that form it mean"another son become the orthodox clan", but its real implication is that , Zhu Xi's theory had become the orthodox school of Confucianism in Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, yet he has no qualification to be the orthodox according to his theory). The author thinks that only some parts of Mr.Mou's theory are reasonable. Zhu Xi gave attention to both universe and life. Furthermore, his cosmology is the best of all Song-Ming Neo-Confucianists. But in modern time, his cosmology has declined while his theory of life and Lu-Wang's theory of life have been well developed. This paper discusses the reason from two aspects of the traditional Confucianism itself and the development of the philosophy thoughts of the whole world. The theory"sageliness within produces new kingliness without(modern science and democracy)"of Contemporary Neo-Confucianists has been advanced from the contemplation of Zhu Xi. Neither Zhu Xi nor Contemporary Neo-Confucianists has solved the contradictory problem of"sageliness within"and"kingliness without". Zhu Xi's attaching importance to experience knowledge and his critical spirit to politics have modern value. Contemporary Neo-Confucianists emphasize the separation of knowledge and morality, and this can make both of them developed well. Zhu Xi attached importance to experience knowlekge as well as he took the improvement of...