Research On Ma Yifu's Thoughts On Yixu

Ma Yifu is a modern neo-Confucian scholar who,together with Xiong Shili and Liang Shuming,is known as the "three sages of Neo-Confucianism" and has made important contributions to the revival and promotion of traditional Chinese scholarship.Ma Yifu lived in a period when the opposition between Chinese and Western learning was the most prominent.At that time,the whole society was full of Westernization and suspicious of the ancient trend of thought.Ma Yifu held high the banner of traditional culture,highlighted the spiritual value of Yi,and demonstrated the modern value of Yi learning by treating the disadvantages of Western learning in terms of things but not people.Ma Yifu’s profound and harmonious thoughts on Yi learning were known as "the highest level of Yi learning in China in the first half of the 20 th century".Ma Yifu regards mind as the noumenon.Mind is not only the supreme ruler of all things,but also the universal moral principle.Ma Yifu placed the principle of heaven in the human heart in the way of harmony between heaven and man.The meaning of all things in heaven and earth is endowed by man.The Tao of Yi is the tao of one’s own mind and the common place of human nature.In his thoughts of Yi learning,the theory of mind is mainly embodied in two aspects: image view is mind view and Yi Buddha Hui Tong.There is no change outside the mind.The image is the manifestation of the mind.All the changes of everything are caused by the mind.The two schools of Yi and Buddha are both cognizant of mind and body.The origin of human’s mind nature is the same,and then they realize the convergence of the theory of time and the theory of realm on the basis of the noumenon of mind,which highlights the harmony and convergence of their Yi learning.In the aspect of time theory,Ma Yifu put the principle of life which is easy to teach into the time of reconstructing the mind.Time comes from noumenon and noumenon sees from time,realizing the consistency of ontology and time theory.Ma Yifu attached great importance to the educational function of Yi learning and encouraged scholars to realize the essence of the heart and establish a gentleman’s personality through the self-cultivation efforts to return to the true nature of Yi learning,so as to achieve the ideal of a perfect life,which is holy inside and king outside,and great cause of virtue.Considering Ma Yifu’s efforts in constructing the Yi learning from the historical and contemporary perspective,it is particularly important to summarize and evaluate his Yi learning thought.Tradition and modernity,middle school and Western learning are the topics of The Times faced by modern scholars.In the face of the confusion of material desire,spirit and moral cultivation brought by Western civilization,Ma Yifu pointed out that human’s spiritual doctrine has transcendental value and is indelible.Especially in today’s society,it is necessary to carry forward the study of spiritual doctrine so as to reform the habits of mankind and restore the natural goodness.Ma Yifu’s efforts for the modernization of Yi learning can be used as reference and inspiration for strengthening cultural confidence and realizing the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture.