WANG Ji Xue-an & HUANG Zong-xi's Viewpoints On Philosophical History In Ming Dynasty

Ming-ru Xue-an (MRXA) had provoked a great reaction in the realm of learning since its publication. However, it was Liang Qi-chao who began the real studies on locating MRXA in the history of learning and philosophy and seeking Huang Zong-xi's (HZX) viewpoints of the philosophical history in the early 20th century. But LIANG's concepts of "history of learning" were inaccurate and old-fashioned. The later studies couldn't be progressed just for not transcending LIANG's paradigm.To study HZX's viewpoints of the philosophical history, it is the premise to locate MRXA in the philosophical history. Guided by certain viewpoints of the philosophical history, after reading a lot and generalizing philosophically, MRXA, a work of philosophy, was written by HZX in the Ming Dynasty. WANG-ji Xue-an is such a case. After reading nearly all works about WANG Ji (WJ), HZX interpreted WJ in MRMA as an important person. HZX gave WJ a reasonable position and objective remarks, which had close contact with HZX's viewpoints of the philosophical history.At the turning from Ming Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, philosophical revolution was needed, and the idea of "commonality" was accepted overwhelmingly. Accordingly, HZX thought that "Tao cannot be monopolized or discovered by one school or one leaner", and he appealed to academic equality and democracy. He thought that each school or learner had its or his own tenet and spirit which were also directed to Tao. Learners who thought from different points followed the stream of learning (Xue-mai). To HZX, the stream of learning in the Ming Dynasty could be generalized as that the Confucianism worked as the footstone and the school of Mind as the main clue. As a historian of philosophy, HZX paid more attention to such activities as reading a lot and comparing immanently, and he objected to follow existed doctrines. HZX made great efforts in hermeneutic procedure to school of Ch'eng-Chu and school of Mind, which made the stream of learning to be in perfect order.In his hermeneutic activity to WJ, beginning from the stream of learning, HZX brought objective characteristics that he set up in the philosophical history into play. And the kind of objective manner accorded with his consciousness of practicality. From WJ to HZX, such conversion known as from Zun-de-xing to Tao-wen-xue was going on. Their Shi-xue and Jue-xue differed from each other. However, HZX didn't explain in details, for Xue-an-ti itself lacked a very clear expressive system.