A Study Of Cheng Yi’s Monarch’s Tao Thought

Zhou yi cheng shi zhuan is regarded as another peak of principle school after note of I ching wrote by Wang Bi,but its value in the study of book of change has been criticized because it pays too much attention to personnel and has its own play.This does not mean that there is no need to study the only work that Cheng Yi left in his later years.Jun Dao thought plays an important role in Cheng Yi’s ideological system.An accurate understanding of Jun Dao thought of Cheng Yi provides a reasonable explanation for the formation of his ideological system.The research on politics and history is more in line with the internal motivation of Cheng Yi’s creation.Therefore,the analysis of Monarch’s Tao thought in Zhou yi cheng shi zhuan is the fundamental to grasp the spiritual essence of Cheng Yi’s philosophy.This paper tries to make an in-depth explanation of Cheng Yi’s political thoughts by taking his thoughts on the monarch and Monarch’s Tao as the starting point,and by the realistic political situation in the northern song dynasty.This paper is divided into four parts: the first is "always changing to follow the Tao",which is the logical premise of Cheng Yi’s thoughts on Monarch’s Tao."At any time" reflects Cheng Yi’s grasp of the current situation,and emphasizes the political wisdom of protecting one’s life which is often ignored by Confucianism.The adoption of the meaning of change was the mainstream in the Song Dynasty.Cheng Yi’s change was based on the premise and principle of "at any time" and expressed the idea of changing according to the time,which was in line with Cheng Yi’s consistent appeal for political change."Following the Tao" is the fundamental purpose and method.Changing at any time does not mean "changing at will".It is because of "conforming to the tao" that changing at any time is correct and reasonable.The second is Cheng Yi’s description of the monarch.In Zhou yi cheng shi zhuan,Cheng Yi clearly describes the qualities that an ideal monarch should possess by defining the three concepts of "Monarch’s position","Monarch’s virtue" and "Monarch’s Tao".Not only that,Cheng Yi also takes the ideal monarch as the reference,then puts forward the exhortation and the request to the realistic monarch.The third is Cheng Yi’s description of Jun-Chen relationship.The academic community believes that the core of Cheng Yi’s thought of Jun-Chen is his concept of Jun-Chen co-governance.The co-governance between the emperor and the minister is the model of the monarch governing the country designed by Cheng Yi.This model is supported by the theory of Yiology provided by "the second five answers".In the process of co-governance,both the emperor and the minister are in harmony with each other,and the position of the minister of the fourth line is also highlighted,which has become the key to the co-governance of the emperor and the minister.However,it does not mean that cheng yi advocated a dual structure of monarch and minister,but a measure to better maintain the rule of the monarch.The fourth is Cheng Yi’s description of Jun-Min relationship,which is the destination of his Monarch’s Tao thought.Cheng Yi’s description of the relationship between the king and the people reflects his inheritance and transcendence of the traditional people-centered thought.The inheritance lies in the continuation of his light understanding of mencius,and the transcendence lies in his unique views on the source of the royal power.However,due to the defects of the people-oriented thought itself,Cheng Yi,though reformed,still served to maintain the rule of the monarch.