The Research On Zhu Xi's Theory Of Knowledge

Theory of knowledge is the key part of western thought. Make a general survey of Chinese ancient history of thought from the pre-qin to Ming and Qing dynasties, there is the theory of knowledge, that is the abandunt of ideological thoughts about knowledge itself. Compared with Western knowledge theory, Chinese ancient theory of knowledge shows difference in the funtion because they are different in their concern about the problem, construction form, and the ways of the expression. However, in general, current Chinese scholars paid little attention to Chinese characteristic knowledge theory, that's why it failed to get the value it should get. Therefore, this article selects the synthesizer in the Neo-confucianism—Zhu Xi's theory of knowledge as the research object to study Chinese ancient theory of knowledge. We believe that it is a feasible path for us to understand the theory of knowledge in the Neo-confucianism through this study. It will also do spade work for speeding up the whole understanding of the theory of knowledge in the Neo-confucianism even Confucianism, and to help people to understand the whole Chinese Confucian culture better.The construction of Zhu's theory of knowledge was to deal with the the problem of present age. With the rapid development of science and technology, the moral problem of South Song Dynestiy society Zhu lived was worse, therefore, to forge an ideological weapon which promoting morality though knowledge for the society and construct thought echoing technology development theory theoretically were becoming his social background of constructing the theory of knowledge. Zhu's academic culture background of constructing theory of knowledge was not only the criticism to the decree of Buddhism and Taoism's nothingness and the rational reflection to the predicament of Confucianism but also the inner requirement to the development of Confucianism's theory of knowledge.The source of knowledge, the subject and the object of knowledge, and the relationship among theory, knowledge and morality, practice, and belief, are the main content of the Zhu xi's theory of knowledge. As for the source of knowledge, Zhu not only admits that people have all the knowledge about"natural-principles"when they were born , but also thinks"knowledge coming from investigation on the principle of things", that is, people can get knowledge from the outside principles of things through investigating the principle of things. On the two different sources of knowledge, Zhu considered that it can be combined the outside principles with the inner"natural-principles"together based on the concept of"natural-principle lies in unnumbered millions of things". As for the subject and object of knowledge, Zhu xi claimed the heart of a person who are capable of cognition, which is the subject of knowledge while the"principle"is the object. He admitted that one is the subject while the other is the object. He also notes that knowledge can be worked only when the"heart"feels the cognitives for the principle of things. At the same time, he also noted that through the process of the heart united with the natural-principle, which is the state of the"heart"suits"principle". As for the relationship between knowledge and morality, Zhu Xi pointed out that knowledge is the necessary premise of morality and morality is the foundation of knowledge and the latter can evaluate and guide the former. In addition, he advocated the direct and utimate purpose of knowledge is to"brighten virtue"and understand its fundamental and use of"heart"so that the moral state of sage can be achived, which emphasizes the knowledge is camparatively independent to the morality. Zhu also emphasized that knowledge is independent from morality on the broad domain to define thing. As for the relationship between knowledge and practice, Zhu Xi inherited in the tradition of Chinese ancient doctrine of knowledge and practice, and highlighted the knowledge theory. In the relation between knowledge and morality, he thought that knowledge is the premise and conditions of practice, knowledge and practice interdependents and promotes each other, practice is the purpose, deepness and completement of knowledge, and the"genuine knowledge"need to be tested in practice. As for the problem between knowledge and belief, under the condition that the Han and Tang Confucianism separate in knowledge and belief, Zhu Xi completed the construction of Confucian humanistic belief and emphasized getting knowledge through investigation on the principle of things. On this basis, Zhu Xi even pointed out that belief is based on knowledge and knowledge is in accordance with belief. He also connected knowledge with belief through"natural-principles"and claimed to unit knowledge and belief by the double way efforts of both outside and inside.There are three obvious characteristics in Zhu Xi's theory of knowledge: it is a systematic theory with compatibility and innovation, it coexists the dualism characteristics with rationality and ethical preach, even it is the theory of knowledge throughout the Zhu Xi's entire ideology system. From the historical influence , with its unique creativity and vitality, Zhu Xi's theory of knowledge led the roughly ways of the theory of knowledge from late Song dynasty to early Qing dynasty, and led the scientific ideas of the Ming and Qing dynasties and the rise of textology, thus occupied an important position in the history of Chinese epistemology ,and produced the profound influence on the development of Chinese culture.