Research On Cheng Tingzuo's Thoughts

As the last stage of the development of ancient Chinese philosophy,Qing philosophy has its unique ideological characteristics and development thread.Yan-Li School is a very representative philosophical thought in Qing Dynasty philosophy.It developed rapidly and disappeared quickly.It is worth studying and investigating.Cheng Tingzuo inherited some thoughts of Yan-Li School,and studying his philosophical thoughts can help us better understand the thoughts of Yan-Li School.At the same time,Cheng Tingzuo was also one of the few philosophers in Qing Dynasty who had made great achievements in philosophical theory.Cheng Tingzuo lived in the period of Kang,Yong and Qian,where cultural ideology was strictly governed.Literary inquisition was prevalent.As an official ruling ideology,Cheng and Zhu Neo-Confucianism could not be ignored.In such a strict atmosphere,most of the bachelors were buried in the study of Confucian classics,bypassing Neo-Confucianism.At the same time The revision project of the flourishing age has attracted the attention of a large number of scholars.Scholar Hu Shi pointed out that there are only two people who want to build new Neo-Confucianism in that atmosphere,one is Cheng Tingzuo and the other is Dai Zhen.Dai Zhen is obviously more well known to the world today.By contrast,Cheng Tingzuo's thought may be less systematic and profound than Dai Zhen's,but Cheng Tingzuo still puts forward some representative views and conclusions.According to the records,it can be inferred that Dai Zhen seems to have been influenced by Cheng Tingzuo.Most of Cheng Tingzuo's philosophical thoughts are inherited from Yan and Li School.In the aspect of Li-Qi view,he insisted that Qi is the origin of heaven and earth.He believed that Qi is just below heaven and earth.He opposed the view of”noble reason but low gas".Cheng Tingzuo believed that Qi is the foundation of heaven and earth.The change of heaven and earth and the growth of all things are the changes of Qi.Without Qi,there would be no sun and moon,mountains and rivers,and all things.Regarding the process of Qi's movement and change,Cheng Tingzuo believed that the changes between heaven and earth were endless.Both the changes between nature and the development of human society were "endless","heaven and earth take life as their heart,and saints learn from life."In terms of the view of human nature,he opposed the division between the temperament and the righteousness of Cheng Zhu's Neo-Confucianism.He said that"when confined to words and hearts,they do not know the heart,while when they are confined to words,they do not know the nature."Advocating human nature is the essence of Qi,and is good.The so-called difference between good and evil is influenced by acquired learning.Cheng Tingzuo also opposed the idea of abstinence at that time,believing that diet,men and women,as well as happiness,life,evil and death were all human feelings and legitimate desires of people,all of which originated from the nature of the utmost good.He also mentioned the viewpoint of blood and gas knowing,believing that people's blood and gas are especially right,so their knowledge is unique,and the heart is the essence of knowledge,which is the essence of qi.Many of Cheng Tingzuo's thoughts are still of reference to today's society.For example,his theory of human nature holds that although human beings are born of the spirit of heaven and earth,they can't use their innate spirit to do things that harm the world,otherwise they will be punished.Although Cheng Tingzuo's thought is not as complete as that of Neo-Confucianism,and has many immature and unsatisfactory aspects,its ideological value can not be ignored.