Research On Lu Shiyi’ Philosophical Thought

Lu Shiyi was a well-known representative of Neo-Confucianism in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty.After the demise of the Ming Dynasty,he gave up official career and concentrated on academic research for the benefit of learning.He researched widely,paying close attention to utility,criticizing philistine Confucian’s empty talk about nature and mandate.He cultivated his mind in ethical life,and pursued his studies in order to govern and benefit the people.He paid attention to the reality,and sought the people’s welfare with all his heart.His main work,A Record of Thought and Discrimination,covered many aspects,such as Astronomy,Geography,Water Conservancy,Military Science.After reading his book,Gu Yan wu praised him as a true Confucian.This paper mainly researched Lu Shiyi’s philosophic thinking from the aspects of the view of Li and Qi,theory of human nature,the view on knowing and doing,the view of quietness and movement as well as education thought so as to systematically expound his philosophic thought.In the relationship of Li and Qi,through carrying forward Zhu Xi’s view of li-oriented,Lu Shiyi analysed the distinction between them,focusing on Li in order to reveal the whys and wherefores.On the other hand,by way of developing Zhu Xi’s Noe-confucianism,he considered that Li was contained in Qi,persisting in unity of Li and Qi.After 30 years of exploratin,Lu Shiyi realized the transformation from dualism theory of human nature to monisim.In the beginning,he adhered to the Cheng-Zhu School’s view of nature of principle and physical nature.In his old age,he realized that goodness of human nature consist in physical endowment.Lu’s theory of human nature was praised highly by Yan Yuan.It was great reformation of Cheng-Zhu School’s thought of human nature,as well as contribution to Confucianism thought of human nature.Lu Shiyi inherited and developed Cheng-Zhu School’s view of investigate things to extend knowledge,knowledge being prior to practice,k:nowledge and practice being interdependent.Meanwhile,he reformed Wang Yangming’s viewpoing’s of unity of knowledge and practice and was affected by the trend of real learning.On this basisi,he formed his epistemology,in which he attached impertance to dynamic role of knowledge,and paid more attention to the function of practice.In general,knowledge being combined with practice,knowledge and practice being identity into diversiy,unity in opposotion was the core viewpoint of Lu Shiyi’s thought of human nature.In regard of moral cultivation,Lu Shiyi inherited and inproved Cheng-Zhu School’s view that laid emphasis on earnestness.He thought that as a way of self-cultivation,quiescence was not good as earnestness.He pointed out the drawback of Lu-Wang School’s method of cultivation is commingled with Zen,and regarded that quiescence departing with mean,correctness,humanity and righteousness was false quiescence but not true quiescence,leading to heathe:nis.He advocated seeking quietness in movement,seeking reality of mind form quietness,puesuing achievement form practice.He persevered in more reading and hard working,realizing the value of life in transformation of the word,knowledge and practice advancing together.In the matter of education thought,Lu Shiyi took the theory of original goodness of human nature as the philosophical basis of his educational philosiphy.He enphasized the significance of teaching and the responsibility of teachers.He also advocated of reform in content of courses and teaching method to realize the need of reforming the world.He laid stress on aspiration of becoming sages and men of virtue,regarding it as the first priority.He proposed to elect proper teaching material and coaching mathod according to students’ specific character sucha as age and mentality,moreover,he accented the combination of knowledge and practice in learning process.Finally,he thought highly of socila environment and home education in the course of children’s growth.Generally speaking,Lu Shiyi’s education thought was very advanced at that time,still has the reference significance in today.