Gu Yanwu, Huang Zongxi, and Wang Fuzhi were three very famous thinkers in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. They criticized Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty. When Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism declined, they opened up a new way out for the ideological circles of the Qing Dynasty. .

As far as Gu Yanwu’s personal thoughts are concerned, the most important points are two points: first, the criticism of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism; second, the questioning of the supremacy of monarchy.

1. Criticism of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism

Gu Yanwu was not the first person to criticize Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, nor was he the last person. However, the era that Gu Yanwu lived in was quite special. At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty fell, the Qing Dynasty entered the Pass, and the Manchus ruled ***. Therefore, Gu Yanwu's criticism of Neo-Confucianism was also linked to the demise of the Ming Dynasty. He believed that the demise of the Ming Dynasty was inseparable from the empty talk of Neo-Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty, which led to the harm of the country. He hated this deeply and strongly condemned "the empty words of clarifying one's mind and nature, replacing the practical knowledge of cultivating oneself and governing others. Everything is in vain because of indolence. The four kingdoms are in chaos with the death of minions, the collapse of China, and the ruins of clans and societies." He agrees with "the happiness of modern times." Talking about the study of the heart, it abandons the original purpose of the whole chapter and only talks about the human heart, the way, and the heart. What's more, it only uses the word "daoxin" and directly states that the heart is the way. remarks.

Compared with the utopianism of Neo-Confucianism, Gu Yanwu advocated the application of practical knowledge and advocated the textual research method of simple induction. His proposition finally succeeded. Gu Yanwu, known as the "founding Confucian master" of the Qing Dynasty and the founder of Qing Dynasty, finally relied on his success in many academic fields to finally declare the end of the Kongshu academic style in the late Ming Dynasty and usher in a new generation. The pioneer of simple style of study.

2. Questioning the supremacy of monarchy

"Those who are good for the country should hide it among the people." This is a very important point of view of Gu Yanwu. It can be seen from this sentence that Gu Yanwu had begun to question the power of the monarch, emphasized the importance of the people, and put forward the idea of ??"government by the masses" that was colored by early democratic enlightenment thoughts. In "Zhengshi", Volume 13 of "Rizhilu", it is clearly stated: "Those who protect the world are as humble as ordinary people, so they are responsible."

Gu Yanwu, Huang Zongxi and others called themselves survivors of the Ming Dynasty. , especially Gu Yanwu, who has been carrying out anti-Qing activities for a long time. Gu Yanwu's noble national integrity had already developed in his childhood.

When Gu Yanwu was young, he was adopted by his uncle who died young and had no children. Later, he lived with his widowed mother Wang. The Wang family worked hard to bring him up, and taught Gu Yanwu his patriotic spirit and noble national integrity by following the examples of Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang, Fang Xiaoru and others since he was a child.

After the Qing army entered the customs, Gu Yanwu carried out a series of anti-Qing activities. Later, when Jiangnan was lost, Wang went on a hunger strike and died for his country. Before he died, he said: "Although I am a woman, I have been favored by the country, and I will die with the country. It is righteous. You have not been a minister of a foreign country, have not failed the country's kindness in the world, and have not forgotten the teachings of my ancestors, then I can Silence in the ground." With such a patriotic mother, it is understandable that Gu Yanwu could persist in resisting the Qing Dynasty.

In addition, among the scholars who have been educated by Confucian loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, how many of them would easily betray the old dynasty and submit to the rule of the Qing Dynasty? Not to mention, the Qing Dynasty also committed the "Ten Days in Yangzhou" tragedy. As a passionate and patriotic scholar, Gu Yanwu was naturally unwilling to let the rulers of the Qing Dynasty put themselves above the Communist Party.

The Qing army carried out a ten-day massacre in Yangzhou. When the news came, all conscientious *** hated the Qing army. Gu Yanwu once wrote a poem to express his unforgettable feelings about this incident.

"Things in the south of the Yangtze River have changed over the past ten years. I have worked hard with you and returned home. I am worried about the collapse of the three armies at Jingkou, and it is painful to talk about the ten-day siege of Yangzhou." Therefore, it is normal to say that Gu Yanwu fought against the Qing Dynasty, but those who easily Only those who surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, ignored the murder of their compatriots, and even willingly became butchers were questioned. ?