The Analysis Of Yanyi Works In The Confucian Classics

Different from the technique of annotation, which once played a major role in interpreting Chinese classics, The "works of Yanyi" made their own devotion in explaining classics from the Southern Song Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. Considering there are few studies about Yanyi, this paper aims to be a make up for this inadequacy.Thanks to the enhanced attention given to The Great Learning in Song Dynasty and the emerge of Daxue yanyi, the technique of Yanyi was created. After adapted by Cheng Hao, Chen Yi and Zhu Xi, The Great Learning had been structured with three principles and eight items and became an important carrier of the spreading of Neo-Confucianism. As the increased importance give to The Great Learning, the ideas of virtues cultivation and nation governance were gradually accepted. This resulted in a boom in the research of The Great Learning whereas those studies only focused on the cultivation of virtues without realizing its importance in helping people governing our country. Zhen Dexiu, who is the student of Zhu Xi and also famous in studying Neo-Confucianism, aspired to complete Zhu’s unfinished goal of amplifying The Great Learning.On the one hand, Zhen Dexiu had been profoundly studied The Great Learning, with the determination of devoting himself to his country and his monarch, when neo-Confucianism was justify at that time and was no longer being called as " pseudo theory ". On the other hand, the southern song dynasty was poor and weak, fell into the hands of powerful ministers and Concubine. The whole country was in danger, and a powerful monarch was needed to rescue the countries in distress. This requires a rule to regulate the monarch’s disposition, and behaviors. It is the time when Zhen Dexiu wrote his ideas of national governance into Daxue Yanyi to Emperor Lizong of Song Dynasty.After that, Daxue Yanyi was greatly valued by following emperors with a large number of imitation works emerged, which was called "works of Yanyi". The "Works of Yanyi" both promoted the spread of Neo-confucianism, and shoulder the responsibility of spreading the idea of how to govern and benefit the people. As time goes by, the "works of Yanyi" experienced substantial changes both in their function and contents from Song Dynasty to Qing Dynasty. They became increasingly practical for changing from being the book for emperors into those for the common people and from valuing virtues into valuing results. The "works of Yanyi" embody the values of the ancient Chinese elite and their ideal of serving their society in the following three aspects:First, the idea of "sagely within and kingly without" had been widely accepted and being regarded as a life pursue. Second, the attitude of passing on the ancient culture without adding anything new to it was also widely accepted and complied with by people.Third, it also reflects the efforts made by those ancient Chinese elites in popularizing Chinese classics.The "works of Yanyi" promoted the spread of the neo-Confucianism, which did not only has had a huge impact in domestic, but also affect the whole east Asian culture. In the end, due to the change of academic style, the decline of neo-Confucianism, and the lack of critical and creative ideas, The "works of Yanyi" was cast aside by people gradually.