On Zhu Xi' Inheritance And Development From Zhang Zai' Thought

Zhang Zai was not only one of the founders of Neo-Confucianism, but also the originator of Guan School. His philosophy of cosmic ontology, which was expressed on his book Zheng Meng, brings the far-reaching infection on the intellectual history of China. His ideal state, which was opened out in his book Xi Ming, actively influenced the personality idea of the Chinese intelligentsia after Song Dynasty. In the period of absorbing the thoughts of Neo-Confucianism of Song Dynasty and creating his own philosophy, Zhu Xi put Zhang Zai in a more important place. In the past, the study on the formation of Zhu Xi's thought mainly concentrated on the evolvement from Cheng Brothers to Zhu Xi but not from Zhang Zai to Zhu Xi. The most important reason is the ignoring a great deal of historical data about Zhu Xi's critical explanation of Zhang Zai's thoughts. My research began from compiling this historical data. In succession, I researched that how Zhu Xi absorbed Zhang Zai' thoughts. At the same time, I also paid attention the Cheng Brothers' influence in Zhu Xi's thoughts. Therefore, the study on Zhu Xi critical explanation of Zhang Zai's thoughts is not only the relationship between Zhang Zai and Zhu Xi, but also the relationship among Zhang Zai, Zhu Xi and Cheng Brothers. This is also the good way to open out the evolution of Neo-Confucianism in Song Dynasty.My thesis is divided into five parts.The prolegomenon reviews and sums up the studying status in the field and briefly introduces the meaning of the selected topic, the framework and some other issues of this thesis.The main part of the thesis is divided into three chapters. (1) The research of the relative history. This mainly includes Zhu Xi's entirely judgement about Zhang Zai's thoughts, the form that Zhu Xi absorbed Zhang Zai's thoughts, Zhang Zai's book Zheng Meng and the compilation of Zhu Xi's critical explanation of Zheng Meng. (2) The research of Zhu Xi's criticism and succession on Zhang Zai's thoughts in point of cosmic ontology. Zhu Xi did not agree with Zhang Zai's thought of "Tai-xu Ji Qi". He apprehended it as Tai-xu is Qi. This was different with some other philosophers that apprehended it as Tai-xu is Li. The research of Zhu Xi's criticism and succession on Zhang Zai's thoughts in point of human nature. Zhu Xi absorbed Zhang Zai's thoughts such as "the cosmic nature", "the nature by temperament", "the knowledge by perception", "the knowledge by dharma", "the transformation of temperament" and the learning painstaking. He also criticized Zhang Zai' thoughts such as "nature perfecting", "Great Mind". (3) The research of Zhu Xi' studies on book Xi Ming and the influence. Studying of Xi Ming ran through Zhu Xi's learning course. He not only wrote the book Explaining Xi Ming to open out the theory of "The divergence of the reason from the one", but also engaged in controversy with other scholars on Xi Ming. Zhu Xi's studies of Xi Ming made Xi Ming in a regarded status in Neo-Confucianism. Therefore, Xi Ming was widely known by later scholars more than Zheng Meng.The epilogue sums up my thesis. There are Zhang Zai and Zhu Xi's places in Neo-Confucianism, Zhu Xi's comment and succession from Zhang Zai, Cheng Brothers' influence on Zhu Xi in the period of absorbing Zhang Zai's thoughts and Zhu Xi's studies of Xi Ming. In the course of building his own philosophy, Zhu Xi criticized the thoughts of Zhang Zai on one point and selectively absorbed it on the other point. This was affected by Cheng Brothers.The thesis is first studing Zhu Xi absorbed Zhang zai' thought by compling the material of Zhu Xi' comment and succession on Zheng Meng. In conclusion: Zhu Xi said that Fan Zhong-yan only inspired Zhang Zai, and Cheng Brother were the real source of Zhang Zai' thought; Zhu Xi respected Zhang Zai, but he not put Zhang Zai a sage like Cheng Brothers; Zhu Xi esteemed Zhang zai' thought about tutelage, such as Transforming Qi-zhi, method of studies; later scholars has not paid attention to Zhu Xi' explantation of Tai-xu Ji Qi, Zhu Xi thought Tai-xu is Qi from Zhang Zai, but Tai-xu should be Li by himself; Zhu Xi esteemed Zhang zai' Xi Ming more than Zheng Meng; Zhu Xi respected Zhang Zai by himself, but he was affected by Cheng Brothers on commenting and successing Zheng Meng.