Wang Fu-chih Of Confucius

Confucius and Wang Fu-zhih are two great thinkers in China. It has realistic significance in academic research's and Chuan-shan research's history to make an inquiry into Wang Fu-zhih researching into Confucianism. This research is well organized. At first, Wang Fu-zhih discusses the Confucian status and the relation between Confucius and Confucian classics. Then he annotates Confucianism on the ground of the metaphysical theory of Qi (energy) . For example, to the theory of nature and destiny, Wang Fu-zhih not only criticizes Confucian conscious nature and annotates the meaning of nature, destiny and spirit but also turns the theory of nature and destiny into metaphysics. To the theory of human nature, Confucius pays attention to moral nature and thinks that human nature is not only congenital but also perfect. However Wang Fu-zhih expands human nature's content and thinks human nature consist of moral nature and instinctive nature. Furthermore he considers human nature not only has gradually emerged and developed but also can be perfect. To the theory of recognition, Confucius attaches emphasis on human society and puts use of the method, such as exercising self-examination, learning and train of thought. But Wang Fu-zhi pays attention to human society and nature. Meantime the investigation of things and the extension of knowledge take the places of exercise self-examination. With succeeding to and reforming Confucianism, Wang Fu-zhih assimilates the Confucian mode of thinking, such as an integral whole between human and nature, between essence and function. Meantime he connects mode thinking with the researching method.