On Luorufang Philosophy

Taizhou School is not only an important part of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming dynasties, but an important school of Wang School Philosophy. It has founded its own system of philosophy based on some good ideas of Yangming theory. Besides, the main representative figures of Taizhou School are:Wang Gen, Yan Jun, He Xinyin and Luo Rufang. Its founder, Wang Gen who once learned the thoughts of Yangming theory by an apprenticeship, has brought up the philosophic theories, which are "studying the nature of things of Huainan" and "truth exists in the daily life of common people", on the basis of which the theory of "truth of the daily life of common people" is put forward by Luo Rufang, and this theory has a big impact on the development of Taizhou School. In addition, Yan Shannong makes a philosophic point thaf"It is controlling desire that matters but not being as one is". He advocates that the state of a saint can be attained by controlling people’s desire. However, excessively controlling can not make this goal achieved, but keeps it far away. Therefore, he also holds "setting one’s mind at rest", which means controlling oneself in a way according to one’s heart that is to say "to be as one is" or "to keep making heart decisions", which is inherited well by his disciple Wu Rufang who proposes "to be as one is", advocates the necessity of keeping hearts of utter innocence and opposes the way of controlling desire to be a saint. Nevertheless He Xinyin advocates "developing" and "teaching" to educate citizens and correct their minds, on which the distinction between individuals and a country, the public wants and selfish desire are based. Ultimately an ideal "society of great harmony" can be built.As an important representative of taizhou school, Luo rufang studies from Yan Jun and heart-mind theory is an important component in his Philosophical system. Pure heart which has been taken as the aim in his theory claims that human has the same nature because each one owns it. In Luo’s view,pure heart is fatality."Pure heart which can educate man is the fatality as well as the sages’ doctrine ".He considers fatality is man’s natural instincts which were innate, then " Fatality is human nature"has been put forward as a Philosophical point.Though everyone has the pure heart that can comprehend anything without thinking and grasp everything without learning, yet cognitions of human beings are so limited that common person could not realize it which result in they can’t maintain the original instincts during their growth, at last they deviate from the supreme rulers. The wise who ultimately becomes sages do realize the human nature and maintain it during their growth.Luo Rufang has played an important role in forming a connecting link between the preceding and the following of the Taizhou school’s development. He not only inherited the outstanding thoughts of previously representatives, but put forward his idea on philosophy, which looked the philosophy of Taizhou school "as the school and entering political stratum". And it was also one of the most important aspects of his point of view, which made a certain distinction from the traditional Confucian philosophy of being officials. He thought entering school was as same as being officals. What’s more, officials improved their self-cultivation to and preserved their quality in the complex political environment only by learning. As a governor, he could implement the "benevolence" policy, which is the Confucian learning purpose, that’s so-called filial piety, fraternal duty, and love, which are utter innocence and human nature. That means the governor will realize the rule by virtues and laissez-faire to civilize the world if he let the people know and keep their original nature.With the further richness and consolidation of his philosophy thoughts, these not only have played a positive role in the development of the society and the Song Ming Neo Confucianism, but also have great references to the development of contemporary society and the construction of people’s moral culture.