The New Paradigm Of The Confucian "Following The Knowledge"

Dai Zhen is the most important philosopher in Qing dynasty. His philosophy represents a great new development of Confucian School, that is, from Song-Ming dynasties'emphasis on "Honoring the virtuous nature" to Qing dynasty's emphasis on "Following the knowledge". This great achievement of Dai Zhen mainly depends on his criticism and innovation of the Chinese culture and the western culture brought in since late Mind dynasty.The key categories of Dai Zhen's philosophy are Qi, Li, Dao and Nature. Qi is a most fundamental entity in nature space that signifies the substances of Yin Yang and Five elements, Li signifies the Fenli and Tiaoli, that is the principle manifesting in the natural things making up of Qi and that of the evolution of Qi. While in the area of human life, Li signifies moral law manifesting in emotions and desires. The category of Dao has a complex change, in nature space, Dao, the highest category that includes the meaning of both Li and Qi changes into the simple meaning of Qi and its evolution. But in the area of human life, the Dao of human communicates with the Dao of heaven, which represents in the "The Dao of human underlies in the human nature, and the human nature underlies in the Dao of heaven."Dai Zhen criticizes fiercely the Neo-Confucian School mainly represents in the philosophies of Zhuzi and Wang Yangming, so discussing Dai Zhen's philosophy in the context of those of Zhuzi and Wang Yangming is very important. This dissertation holds the characteristic of Zhu Zi's philosophy is the equilibrium of the "Honoring the virtuous nature" and "Following the knowledge" while the former has the preference of Value. The philosophy of Wang Yangming inherits the dimension of Zhuzi's "Honoring the virtuous nature" while assimilates the thought of Buddhism. And the philosophy of Dai Zhen inherits the dimension of Zhuzi's "Following the knowledge" while assimilates the western culture brought in in late Ming dynasty.This dissertation holds there are three logics of defending the theory of the Goodness of human nature first put forward by Mencius, that is the logic of Li of Zhuzi, the logic of mind-heart of Wang Yangming and the logic of Qi of Dai Zhen. What's more, the dissertation also holds that the arguments over reason and desire of Zhuzi and Wang Yangming represent the thought of Confucius and Mencius that when there are conflicts between righteousness and profit, righteousness should transcend profit. And the argument over reason and desire of Dai Zhen represents the thought of Confucius and Mencius that common people's utility is very important and they should be governed by benevolence.