Huang Zong-xi’s Inheritance And Development Of Wang Yang-ming’s Theory And Developed Wang Yang-ming’s Theory

In Confucianism or the whole system of Chinese philosophy Yang-ming’s theoryoccupies an important position. Unity of knowledge and practice is the core of Yang-ming’stheory and sincerity and conscience make up the theoretical framework. His theory eventuallyreplaced the Cheng-Zhu Confucianism, also named neo-Confucianism, as the officialphilosophy in the Ming Dynasty. Later, Yang-ming’s theory were developed into two mainschools of philosohpy according to different views. Duiring the peroid of late Ming and earlyQing Dynasty Yang-ming’s theory turned from prosperity to decline along with the socialunrest. Many thinkers began to re-examine Yang-ming’s theory according to the reality.Huang Zong-xi, known as "Mr. Li-zhou" is the representative of philosophers at that time. Herefused to be an official of Qing dynasty after seveal uprisings that failed without exception.He began a scholarly research with great concentration in the rest time of his life and becamea outstanding confucianist. He was a prolific writer and wrote numerous miscellaneous workson philosophy, politics, economics, culture and science. His representative work “Ming RuXue An” ushered in a new era in the history of Chinese philosophy.Huang Zong-xi, known as the final inheritor of Yang-ming’s theory, acceded anddeveloped the philosophy theory of his teacher Huang Dao-zhou. In his theory, he put forwarda point of view based on the thought of his teacher, which was generally considered to havesome of materialism. His theory on the relationship of heart and mind effectively correctedthe view of the later scholars engaging in Yang-ming’s theory and alse avoided them going tothe nihilism. His theory is consistent with the times.The paper is structured as follows:In the part of introduction, some present academic viewpoints and researches areintroduced, and then the significance of this study explained. Chapter one is aboutYang-ming’s theory and the viewpoints of his sucessors. In chapter two, Huang Zong-xi’sviews are introduced on Yang-ming’s theory and the viewpoints of his sucessors. Chapterthree illustrated the basic content of Huang Zong-xi’s Philosophy, containing view of mind-matter, view of heart-mind and Reasoning ontology. Chapter four mainly discusses thedevelopment of Yang-ming’s theory by Huang Zongxi, including the correction ofYang-ming’s theory and the theory of his sucessors. In the conclusion part, the author analysesthe Huang Zong-xi’s practical social philosophy and democratic thought developed fromYang-ming’s theory. It is the trend of philosophy, as well as the trend of thought in that era.