Study On The Ethical Ideas Of Zhou Dunyi

During the transition of traditional Chinese ideology from the study of Confucian classics in Han and Tang dynasties to that of Confucian idealist philosophy in Song and Ming dynasties, Zhou Dunyi indeed played a critical role and was widely acknowledged as a significant personage in Chinese history. Present studies of his theories mostly focus on philosophy; differently, this thesis takes the perspective of ethics, which highlights his position in the history of traditional Chinese ethics and explores the value of his thoughts to modern world by straightening out and pondering over Zhou Dunyi’s ethical ideas. Drawing strength from philosophy of Huayan school of Buddhism and Taoism, his ethical thinking is a certain result from the social, economic and cultural conditions in early Song Dynasty and represents a mutual understanding between The Doctrine of the Mean and The Book of Changes. The ethical theory of Zhou Dunyi is firstly embodied by his moral ontology, arguing that Sincerity(Cheng) is the basis for moral nature. In accordance with the ontological ideas of Neo-Confucianism, his moral ontology features a combination of cosmology and ontology, a transition from Wuji(limitless potential) to Sincerity as the foundation for moral nature. Taking Taiji(supreme polarity) and Sincerity as the basis for moral nature and covering the three realms of heaven, earth and man, his ethical thinking truly transforms Cosmo-Ontology into metaphysical ontology and fuses heavenly laws with humanity, completing the argumentation for metaphysical ontology of unity of heaven, earth and human and eventually consolidating the significance of Renji(human ultimate). Zhou Dunyi’s Sincerity surpasses the limits of Cosmo-Ontology, turning over to the unity of heaven and man in abstraction and summarization. The basing on Sincerity as moral nature and the reference to theories on human nature, self-cultivation, personality and others can be regarded as his efforts as to “inner sage”. Moreover, he, a Confucian who attached importance to the practice of virtues and methods of public administration, also reflected on “outer king”. For “outer king”, such opinions on trend of times, rituals and music, succession of teachings and principles of administration manifest the charm of his ethical ideas from another dimension and the pursuit of both “inner sage” and “outer king” by Confucianists. His theory on humanity is characterized by the idea of “Zhong(doctrine of the mean)” and considered as a natural application of traditional neutrality thinking to humanity theory, while his theory on self-cultivation prioritizes Yi(desire-free) and advocates quietness and Renji. In his theory on self-cultivation, Zhou came up with the goal of being a scholar, a worthy man and then a sage. In the course of moral cultivation, meditation should be regarded as the fundamental, Yi as the guidance and subtle potential as the key. His pursuit for personality is to the effect that “learn what Yanzi had learnt and aspire to what Yiyin had aspired”. The learning of Yanzi advocates a sort of spiritual happiness above worldliness and establishes its basic meaning upon “delight in pursing rule” and “high rank through possessing high rule”. It also explains the Confucian principles on governing and benefiting people from the three angels of diligence and honesty, absolute justice and no prejudice as well as pragmatism. Zhou Dunyi’s ethical thinking was on the whole constituted in vagueness and much implicates the philosophy of Huayan school of Buddhism, a key to his creating later scene of studying ethics within Neo-Confucianism. His ideas have two typical features: the argumentation for a complete circuit between heaven and human and the integration between theories on moral ontology, humanity and self-cultivation. This argumentation for the former bridges the gap between heaven and human in traditional theory on the unity of the two and speaks for the real integration. That is critical to Zhou’s important position in the history of philosophy and ethics. For the latter, the specific presentation of those theories fairly answers the question that “whether Zhou Dunyi has his own ethical ideas or not”. The historical position of his ethical thoughts can be seen from three aspects. The first consists in his successful efforts to accomplish the transition of ethics from Han and Tang dynasties to Song and Ming dynasties by rebuilding Confucian orthodoxy through metaphysical argumentation for the authority of morality, the centering upon neutrality and righteousness and the transition from tradition in administration to that in teaching. The second is to create the great scene of studying ethics within Neo-Confucianism of Song and Ming dynasties by promoting human ultimate, specifically including highlighting the subject of virtues, developing the impetus to virtues and pursing and building virtuous personality. The last is to lay spiritual foundation for the school of ethics in Human Province by pursuing moral principles and pragmatism. In light of his theoretical analyses, We consider that Zhou Dunyi’s efforts on the systematization and philosophization of ethic ideas has great reference meaning to construction of modern social philosophy.The pursuit of “the pleasure of Confucian and Yanhui” mentioned in Zhou’s ethical ideas and his self-cultivation methods “centering on desire-free” still fairly matter in modern society. In particular, methods mentioned in the self-cultivation theory as to curbing rage and desires as well as learning from the good and breaking away from the wrong stand as a significant reference to the modern efforts to combat corruption and uphold integrity.