| Yang Jian is the most famous disciple of Lu Jiuyuan,whose ideas can be summarized a s the ontology of "Mind is Tao" and the effor theory of "Don’t generat Yi".Although Yan g Jian’s ideology was prominent in the late Southern Song Dynasty,it did not receive widespr ead attention from the academic community during the Yuan and early Ming dynasties.In th e mid Ming Dynasty,with the rise of Yangming School,it ushered in a revival trend and beca me a hot topic of discussion in the academic community,which was criticized by many schola rs.Systematically sorting out these criticisms of Yang Jian’s thoughts by Confucian scholars of the Ming Dynasty and responding from Yang Jian’s perspective is of great significance fo r accurately understanding and effectively applying Yang Jian’s thoughts.From the perspective of the ontology of "Mind is Tao",the criticism of Yang Jian’s thought by Confucian scholars of the Ming Dynasty mainly includes three aspects:Firstly,in terms of the relationship between mind and principle,it is criticized for "regarding principle as a barrier";Secondly,in terms of the relationship between mind and Tao,it is criticized for"taking the perception of the void spirit as the moral mind";Thirdly,in terms of the relationship between mind and matter,it is criticized for "thinking mind initiates and annihilates the world".From the perspective of the effort theory of "Don’t generat Yi",the criticism of Yang Jian’s thoughts by Confucian scholars of the Ming Dynasty mainly includes four aspects:Firstly,in terms of its connotation,it is criticized for abandoning all human thoughts without distinction;Secondly,in terms of its attribute,it is criticized for not having effort or real effort;Thirdly,in terms of its conditions,it is criticized for only focusing on"nature" and not knowing "natural principles" and "facts";Fourthly,in terms of its application,it is criticized for only applying to people with superior geniuses and those who have matured skills.The criticism of Yang Jian’s thoughts by Confucian scholars of the Ming Dynasty is mainly based on the conclusion drawn from their own academic standpoint.From the perspective of Yang Jian’s ideology,the criticism of Confucian scholars of the Ming Dynasty cannot be established.In terms of the first aspect,"Mind is Tao" has its own unique connotation.Firstly,although Yang Jian hardly talks about "heavenly principle",he actively promotes "Tao" and replaces the connotation,status,and role of "heavenly principles" with"Tao".Secondly,what Yang Jian refers to as the "Mind" is the unity of the good metaphysical nature and the divine perception,which is different from general experiential consciousness.Thirdly,what Yang Jian refers to as "I" is a spiritual realm that is integrated with the universe and all things,and is based on a material form but beyond it,rather than a personal ego.In terms of the second aspect,"Don’t generat Yi" has its own complexity.Firstly,"Don’t generat Yi" opposes only ideas that go against the original intention,rather than all ideas.It aims to elevate secular ideas to a higher level of "consistency of movement and stillness" and "also having and not having".Secondly,"Don’t generat Yi" actually has two meanings.One is that there is no need for effort in the original intention,and the other is that there is practical effort in the experiential consciousness.Moreover,this kind of practical effort is a "natural" effort that is "Continuously learning and having a pleasant mood",which is different from those diligent and reluctant behaviors.Thirdly,as a "natural" process,"Don’t generat Yi" is actually carried out under the guidence of "original intention" and in "practical matters",rather than unconditionally.Fourthly,Yang Jian also saw the differences in people’s temperament and the different stages of learning,but he believed that people’s good nature is consistent,and the process of cultivating oneself is consistent,so "Don’t generat Yi" still applies to all people.In short,although the criticism of Confucian scholars of the Ming Dynasty has the rationality of advocating their own statements,it doesn’t not truly refute Yang Jian in theory. |
