Study On The Theory Of "Extention Of The Intuitive Knowledge"of Wang Yang-ming’s Philosophy

Wang Yang-ming, the most influential philosopher in the Ming Dynasty, is widely considered as the most representative figure of Mind Studies. Leitmotiv of Yang-ming Doctrine chiefly lies in "mind"and takes "intuitive knowledge" as an essential access to mind. Hence it is also summarized as "conscience theory ". In Yang-ming’s school, the intuitive knowledge and its extension always appear together, which indicates Wang Yang-ming’s intense attention to moral practice. The extension of intuitive knowledge, as the basic idea of conscience theory, is the most remarkable content of Yang-ming’s school and runs through the maturation stage of mind study. Actually, as the tenet of Yang-ming Doctrine, it is elaborated as a practice of ethics, a learning of sage, as well as knowledge of life.This essay discusses the topic from the following three aspects:Firstly, it introduces the changes of Yang-ming mind study, namely "the former three changes" and "the latter three changes", so as to reveal intuitive knowledge’s theoretical source and developing process.Secondly, it summarily reviews various kinds of explanations on intuitive knowledge in educational circles and raises author’s own explanation. During the process, intuitive knowledge’s far-reaching impacts are clearly revealed and realized.The final part furtherly discusses intuitive knowledge’s natural manifestation as "all-things-as-one" and "holding aloof from the affairs of human life". These two manifestations releases Yang-ming’s benevolence and anxieties to human, society, and the whole nature.