Seeking Truth In Wang ——Liu Zongzhou’s Humanistic Thought From The Source Of Moral Evil

Liu Zongzhou’s philosophical thought takes “Puren” as its aim,and its ideological core lies in “proving why a person is a human”.Du Weiming once described the feature of Liu Zongzhou’s philosophy with “Humanistic Cosmology”.The structure of human existence has multiple aspects,among which the Neo Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties pays most attention to good and evil.If goodness is a positive understanding of human existence;Then evil is to cut in from the opposite side and look back on human existence from the “illness” of human.The discussion of evil is one of the most characteristic theories in Liu Zongzhou’s humanistic thought.We can reflect on his whole humanistic thought through the theory about evil.“Wang” is the source of moral evil in Liu Zongzhou’s philosophy.There are three features of “Wang”: First,“Wang” is not an actual evil,nor is it based on a metaphysical source.Second,“Wang”,as the source of evil,is parallel to the “Duti”and cannot be eradicated.Third,“Wang” is the potentiality of “excess and deficiency”or the danger of human drowning,which comes from the finiteness within shapes.The first feature shows that “Wang” is not a realistic evil,which ensures the supreme goodness of the mind and the nature,which is not contradictory to the position of the goodness of human nature of the Neo Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties.The second feature points out the paradox that “Wang” is always adjacent to good.The third feature points out that the true face of “Wang” is the potentiality of “excess and deficiency”,which can only be explained from the finiteness within shapes.Liu Zongzhou holds that the movement of Qi is the oneness of what is above shapes and what is within shapes.The presentation of the movement of Qi in specific time and space is physical implements.The return of physical implements to the movement of Qi is metaphysical,such as Heaven,the Tao,the nature and Li.Both above and within shapes are oneness that is the movement of Qi.Thus substance of the supreme good can not avoid the danger of drowning in reality through the theory about the oneness of Li and Qi.Liu Zongzhou’s theories about “Wang” and Kant’s theories about Radical Evil have a certain space to compare.In addition,Liu Zongzhou distinguished between Guo and evil.He thinks that the transition from Guo to evil is not a simple process of quantitative change but a qualitative change.He said that no volitional ideas is Guo and intention is evil.Thus to make a Guo and not correct it: this is a real evil.Volitional idea has played a key role in the qualitative change.It,as the Yu Qi of mind,is originally pure good.But it is also the Dong Qi,which means it deviates from the direction of the nature conferred by Heaven.Introspection,in the thought of Liu Zongzhou,represents a complete loop process from “knowing good and evil” to “loving good and hating evil”.In other words,it represents a process of “body-function-body”.While volitional idea only “knows good and evil”,but can’t “love good nor hate evil”.Therefore,volitional idea can be regarded as interruption of introspection and the“unfinished” introspection.Introspection is the “finished” volitional idea.Both of them actually share the same source and are the relationship of “two become one”.Through the above discussions,Liu Zongzhou presents us with a dynamic theory about good nature.The meaning of good nature is not that the nature will always be a noble solitary guest and will never be contaminated.Its real meaning is that human can always correct his Guo and return to the movement of Qi.Liu Zongzhou realizes that good and evil are eternal neighbors.Thus “reforming and becoming good” is the most important effort for mankind.To make a Guo and not correct it: this is a real evil.Xi is the solidified Qi accumulated by volitional ideas.Because Xi was originally the Great Morale,it should not be eradicated.In daily life,we should maintain attentiveness on Xi（Shen Xi）in order to change the physical aspects of us.In a word,Liu Zongzhou illustrates human from the perspective of effort and realizes that good and evil are eternal neighbors.He advocates the idea of "no good but evil" and effort of "reforming and becoming good".So we can call the theory of Liu Zongzhou the study of "Zhengren".Nevertheless,Yangming advocates the idea of "neither good nor evil" and the enlightenment from substance.So we can call the theory of Yangming the study of "Zhengsheng".Their theories show different aspects of moral practice,but not completely separated.Actually,they blend with each other.