Life Practice And Inner Communication With The Heaven: A Study Of Xue Xuan's Philosophy In Early Ming Dynasty

In the development of early Ming Neo-Confucian, Cheng-Zhu School became the major thought and the South and North China research styles effected each other deeply. Xue Xuan, a great Confucian from north China in early Ming dynasty, took the Transmission of Confucius'Dao as his mission, originated from Zhu Xi in Southern Song dynasty, introjected the thoughts of Zhou Dunyi and Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi, Zhang Zai, and linked the thoughts of Da Xue and Zhong Yong, Meng Zi, Yi Zhuan, and inherited the Confucius'thorough tress of human nature and the Tian-Ren field of view of Confucian in Song dynasty. Based on these, Xue Xuan built his philosophy system of Li and Qi, Xing, Xin, which contains the theory of Tian dao-universe of no interstice between Li and Qi and Li Yi Fen Shu(理一分殊),the theory of human nature of taking nature as the key position to integrate heaven and human and heart as the master of body and mind. Therefore, from the work of insisting on respect and sincerity, making a thorough inquiry about the inner principle of the world, practicing the principle of humanity inside and outside, the subject could realize the pure good human nature from realistic human nature mixed with good and evil and manifest the subjectivity of human, and finally attain to perfection of the harmony between man and nature.Xue Xuan's philosophy held dual-angle of view, so his theory of Tian dao-universe governs the theory of human nature, and the theory of human nature carries the theory of Tian dao-universe.In the theory of Tian dao-universe, Xue Xuan inherited Zhu Xi's theory about Li and Qi, kept his thing-in-itself meaning of Taiji, but he mainly stressed the reality meaning of cosmology. He put forward the theory of seamless and no-sequence between Li and Qi directing towards Zhu Xi's thought of Li Xian Qi Hou and counteracted the thing-in-itself meaning of Zhu Xi's Li.Meanwhile, Xue Xuan absorbed Guan School of Zhang Zai, stressed the position of Qi, which indicated the transformation of internalization and centralization from Song to Ming dynasty, and became prelude of Qi School in the Ming dynasty. In the theory of human nature, Xue xuan inherited dual and stereoscopic theory of human nature of Confucianism in the Song dynasty, differentiated the human nature between Heaven-endowed nature and inborn nature, and took nature as the root of general and learning, especially the way of realizing the mandate of heaven and promoting human's life state. He considered that heart as the core and dominating part of human. Based on the above theory, Xue Xuan paid much more attention to the theory of the accomplishment of cognition of things. He generalized all the accomplishment of cognition of things as Fu xing, which consists of deep inner examination and extended life practice.And all of these efforts resulted in the manifestation of the essential human nature and aimed at the realization of the ideal state of harmony between man and nature. Overall, Xue xuan paid much more attention to the theory of human nature and Gongfu Lun, which indicated that Confucians in Ming dynasty had different theory focus, namely that they changed theory direction from grand onto-cosmology to deep inner disposition and the real world.Xue Xuan's philosophy could be explored from three aspects. Firstly, Xue xuan's philosophy issue from the circumstance of the transformation from Ming to Qing dynasty, he start out from Zhu xi's philosophy, absorbed Zhang zai's theory, gave prominence to no interstice between Li and Qi and human nature.Furthermore, he practiced his theory profoundly all his life, which reflected distinct meaning of the Neo-Confucianism in early Ming dynasty. Secondly, as the founder of Hedong School, Xue Xuan extended his philosophy by establishing School of thought and teaching students, practicing honestly and sincerely. At the same time, he recovered the study of Guan School in north China and started new scholarism atmosphere for the Ming dynasty. Thirdly, The new direction of early Ming dynasty reflects the transformation deeply. In conclusion, based on Neo-Confucianism in Song dynasty, Xue Xuan's philosophy had inner relation with Neo-Confucianism. He started Qi School, influenced Guan School and Xin School, Shi School in Ming dynasty, which made him one of the important and transactional figure in the development of Neo-Confucianism.