Duan Zhengyuan's Investigation Of Things And Extension Of Knowledge

Paraphrasing Great Learning in the book The Brief and Orthodox Introduction of Yin-Yang, written by Duan Zhengyuan, is greatly reasonable. According to opinions of Duan Zhengyuan, human beings are composed of the essence of the Limitless and the pith of Tai Chi. The essence of the Limitless is human beings' virtue, and the pith of Tai Chi is welldoing. Investigation of things (ko~wu) and extension of knowledge (chih-chih) means that natural heart becomes moral heart. Here "things" represent natural hearts created by human instincts. Therefore, the investigation of things means keeping away from natural hearts. Also, the extension of knowledge means that people should have virtue and welldoing. When natural heart becomes moral heart, if pleasure, anger, sadness, happiness are hidden, it is called heart;if they appear in golden mean, it is called harmony. The combination of "heart" and "harmony" is called power. "Power" is equal to getting, getting human virtue and welldoing, which means the integration of the essence of the Limitless and the pith of Tai Chi. Tao is the way from the Limitless to Tai Chi. As for deity, it is Tao;as for human beings, it is virtue.According to Duan Zhengyuan, Chinese Culture is moral culture which could retrieve the manners and morals of the time, improve human natural heart, and make the world enter the Great Harmony. If human beings return from civilized era to the previous times, natural hearts connects moral hearts, and human beings attain virtue and welldoing, it is all determined by investigation of things and extension of knowledge. Based on the chapter Paraphrasing Great Learning in the book The Brief and Orthodox Introduction of Yin-Yang, this thesis attempts to explore the profound meaning of "investigation of things and extension of knowledge" , and recognize its academic contribution and practical value of "Tao & Power" .