Wang Jian Chang Neo-confucianist Studies

Turbulent social and ideological confusion, the Ming and Qing Dynasty is considered an era called "heaven felling and earth rending". Meanwhile, great changes took place in the development of Neo-confucianism. The downfall of the Ming Dynasty impelled the thinkers attributed the reasons to Wang-school philosophy. Being grieved and beginning from the abuses of Wang-school philosophy, they had a new recognition of Neo-confucianism:either advocated Chengzhu, avoided Luwang or synthesised the both. Being a adherent of Ming Dynasty, Wang Jianchang is keen on Confucianism, rejects heterodoxy and sincerely believes in Chengzhu. So he did his best to deny and repel Yangming and Folao all his lifetime, whose thought is aimed at scrupulous respect and honesty and to stick to his own belief; he advocated: to learn first to be determined to be the best man to do the best thing. In spite of Wang Jianchang living in a remote place and not well-known to people, the scholar-officials of Guanzhong got to know the knowledge of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi through his faithful perseverance. Scarce research about him in the-academic circles, the author attempts to reorganize Wang Jianchang's Neo-confucianism by introducing his life and his work Fu Zhailu.The paper gives a brief introduction of the present condition of his Neo-confucianism's research in the introduction part. Then there're four chapters to summarize and expound Wang Jianchang, his work, his Neo-confucianism and influence on the later generations.The first chapter mainly introduces Wang's life and work in the time order, including the analysis of his living age and the Guanzhong scholars he who he associated with.The second chapter, the key part, focuses on his Neo-confucianism, an introduction and analysis of his Neo-confucianism as well as something related, from three aspects.In the relationship of principles and spirit/Li and Qi.Wang thinks spirit is from principles and principles can't depart from spirit then states Liyi Fenshu according to Chu's philosophy:the uniformity is that totally the universe only has a principle; the differences lie everywhere. He then talks about souls and ghosts&gods and thought while living Qi is in the body, while dead it is attached to the soul. The virtuous ghosts and gods indeed exist, meanwhile he mentioned sacrifice. He thinks because fathers and sons together exist between the heaven and earth, are connected with the same Qi; fathers have been dead, but the fathers's Qi still exsit between heaven and earth. Although the spirit of the fathers died away, but as children, we have carried forward the spirit of the fathers, and only through the sacrifice can have this contact.In the relationship of mind and nature, Wang Jianchang bases on the invisible mind and distinguishes moral mind from human mind. In terms of nature, he first summarizes and finally concludes the theory of "mind dominated character and sentimental". From the point of virtuous humanity, he thinks it belongs to benevolence, which includes benevolence and righteousness, morality and justice, courtesy and honesty. He also specially compiles Confucian's statements about benevolence, to inspire later scholars.To the third, Wang starts with becaming yangxin.The third chapter introduces Wang's attitude towards heterodoxy of Yangming and Folao,that is, he did his best to deny and repel Yangming and Folao all his lifetime. As is he a recluse, he's a Confucian; so he holds a unique point of view to politics, economy, taxes ectThe fourth chapter is his influence on the later generations, mainly on scholars of Qing dynasty, such as Li Yuanchun He Ruilin and so onThe last part is the conclusion-a summary of the whole paper.