The method of reading is to proceed step by step (meaning to proceed slowly and step by step). Read it several times and think more when you encounter problems.
Zhu Xi (1130-1202) was a famous Neo-Confucian, thinker, philosopher, poet, educator and writer in the Southern Song Dynasty. Han nationality, the courtesy name is Yuanhui, later changed to Zhonghui, and the name is Hui'an. Nicknamed Ziyang, his ancestral home is Wuyuan, Huizhou (now part of Jiangxi), and he lives in Chong'an, Jianyang (now part of Fujian). His father, Zhu Song, was a lieutenant in Zhenghe County, Fujian Province during the Xuanhe period of the Song Dynasty. He lived overseas in Chong'an, Jianyang (now part of Fujian Province), and later moved to Kaoting. His father, Zhu Song, was a Jinshi scholar and served successively as a scholar, official, etc. He left Zhiraozhou because he opposed Qin Hui's compromise, but died before he arrived. At this time, Zhu Xi was 14 years old. He followed his father's orders and studied under Liu Zi and others. He settled with his mother in Wulifu, Chongan (now Wuyishan City, Fujian Province). When he was 19 years old [the 18th year of Shaoxing (1148)], he took part in the provincial and tribute examinations with Jianyang citizenship. Ranked on the Jinshi list. He served as an official in the four dynasties of Gaozong, Xiaozong, Guangzong and Ningzong. He once served as Zhi Nankang, and was appointed to the official affairs of Jiangxi Prison and secret pavilion compilation. Later, he was recommended by Zhao Ruyu and promoted to the position of minister and lecturer of Huanzhang Pavilion. In the third year of Qingyuan (1197), Han Yuzhou was in power and excluded Zhao Ruyu. Zhu Xi was also dismissed from his post and returned home. He died of illness in the sixth year of Qingyuan. In the second year of Jiading (1209), he was given the posthumous title of Wen by imperial edict, and was given as a gift to a senior official, especially to the bachelor of Baomo Pavilion. In the third year of Emperor Lizong's Baoqing reign (1227), he presented it to the Grand Master, followed a letter to the Duke of Hui, and changed it to the Duke of Hui. He is the main representative of the Cheng-Zhu School, and his poems include "Reflections on Reading", "Spring Day", "Riding" and other famous poems
Zhu Xi is the master of acting studies in the Song Dynasty. He inherited the works of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi of the Northern Song Dynasty. Neo-Confucianism completed the system of objective idealism. He believes that reason is the essence of the world, "reason comes first, Qi comes after", and proposes "preserving natural principles and destroying human desires". Zhu Xi was knowledgeable and had researched Confucian classics, history, literature, music and even natural science. The language of his lyrics is elegant, the style is handsome, and there is no excess or allusion. It can be seen that the wording in many works has been considered and considered carefully. However, the artistic conception of his poems is somewhat more rational than perceptual. This is because he pays attention to the philosophical thought of Neo-Confucianism.
Zhu Xi was diligent and studious since he was a child, determined to be a saint. Li Tong once praised him: "He is an outstanding person in understanding, and his ability is formidable. He understands the difficulties that surprise him, and understands them closely. He has been traveling for many years, thinking carefully about the reality, and what he has learned is profound." He also said that Zhu Xi was "very diligent in studying, willing to do good and fearful of righteousness, which is rare in our party." ("Chronology" Volume 1). His official career was difficult, but he was an upright and promising official. Zhu Xi devoted his life to the study of Neo-Confucianism and tried his best to advocate governing the country with Neo-Confucianism, but he was not understood by those in power. Zhu Xi is not only a famous thinker in Chinese history, but also a famous educator. He was enthusiastic about education throughout his life and tirelessly taught apprentices. He made significant achievements in both educational thought and educational practice.
[Edit this paragraph] Life story
Zhu Xi visited Buddhism and Taoism in his early years. At the age of 31, he formally became a disciple of Cheng Yi's third disciple Li Tong. He concentrated on Confucianism and became an important figure in Confucianism after Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi. In the second year of Chunxi (1175), Zhu Xi, Lu Zuqian, Lu Jiuyuan and others met at Ehu Temple in Qianshan, Shangrao, Jiangxi Province. This was the famous Ehu meeting, and the differences between Zhu Xi and Lu became clearer. On the basis of "Bailu Chinese Studies", Zhu Xi established Bailudong Academy, formulated the "Academic Rules", lectured and taught apprentices, and promoted Taoism. Yuelu Academy was restored in Tanzhou (today's Changsha, Hunan), and the lectures were based on the principles of learning through theory, practicing against practice, and respect. He inherited the second Cheng and developed it independently to form his own system, which was later known as Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. During his tenure as a local official, Zhu Xi advocated fighting against the Jin Dynasty, subsidizing the people and saving taxes, saving money on light labor, restricting land annexation and usury exploitation, and implementing certain reform measures. He also participated in the suppression of peasant uprisings. During his education, Zhu Xi dabbled in or wrote about Confucian classics, history, literature, Buddhism, Taoism, and natural sciences, and his writings were extensive.
Zhu Xi was born in Youxi in the fourth year of Jianyan (1130), Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty. Not long after his birth, his father was promoted to the post of secretary of the imperial court, but he was expelled from the imperial court for opposing Qin Hui's Zhuhe. Zhu Song returned to his home in Jianyang, Fujian. Zhu Xi spent his childhood in Jianyang with his father.
According to legend, Zhu Song once asked someone to tell his fortune.
The fortune teller said: "You can only be so rich and noble. If you give birth to a child, you will be Confucius." Perhaps later generations will follow suit, but it is a fact that Zhu Xi became a great Confucian. There is Nanjianzhou near Jianyang, which was the initial spread center of Taoism in the south. Zhu Song was very keen on Taoism and had close contacts with local Taoists. This environment had a profound impact on Zhu Xi's life. In history, Jianyang is known as the hometown of the "Seven Sages" such as Zhu Xi, Cai Yuanding, Liu Yao, Huang Qian, Xiong He, You Jiuyan, and Ye Weiwei. Zhu Xi, a famous Chinese thinker, great philosopher, and educator who is as famous as Confucius, settled in Kaoting to give lectures in his later years. Students from all over the world came from far and wide to study, study Neo-Confucianism, and write books. Together with Cai Yuanding and others, he created a remarkable " Kaoting School", Kaoting is therefore known as the "Southern Fujian Palace", and Jianyang is known as the "Hometown of Neo-Confucianism". Nowadays, around the Qingming Festival every year, descendants of Zhu Xi from as far away as the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan come to pay homage. The Southern Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism he founded is still respected by the United States, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and other countries.
Zhu Xi was taught by his father and was extremely smart. When he was four years old, his father pointed to the sky and said, "This is heaven." Zhu Xi asked, "What is there in the sky?" His father was shocked. He was diligent in thinking and learning. He could read the "Book of Filial Piety" at the age of eight. He wrote an inscription in the book to encourage himself: "If you don't suffer like this, you won't be a human being." When Zhu Xi was ten years old, his father died. His father's friends Liu Zi and Liu Mianzi , Hu Xian are all Taoists. Some Taoists at that time rejected Buddhism, while others were obsessed with studying Buddhism. They all belonged to the latter. Therefore, Zhu Xi was not only keen on Taoism, but also had a strong interest in Buddhism. In the seventeenth year of Shaoxing (1147), Zhu Xi, who was eighteen years old, participated in the rural tribute. It is said that he was admitted based on the theory of Buddhism and Zen. The examiner Cai Zi also said to people: "I will take the next generation, and all three strategies will be used to deal with major events for the court. I will be extraordinary in the future."
In the eighteenth year of Shaoxing (1148), Zhu Xi passed the exam. Jinshi, he was appointed as the chief registrar of Tong'an County, Quanzhou in three years, and his official career began from then on. On the way to his post, he met with Li Tong, a disciple of the famous Taoist Cheng Yi. In the thirtieth year of Shaoxing (1160), thirty-year-old Zhu Xi was determined to learn from Li Dong. To show his sincerity, he walked several hundred miles from Chong'an to Yanping. Li Tong admired this student very much and named him Yuanhui. From then on, Zhu Xi began to establish his own set of objective idealist thoughts - Neo-Confucianism.
Zhu Xi believes that there is a standard above reality and society, which is the standard for all people's behaviors, that is, "natural law". Only by discovering and following the principles of nature can we find truth, goodness and beauty. What destroys this truth, goodness and beauty is "human desire". Therefore, he proposed "the principle of existence and the destruction of human desires." This is the core of Zhu Xi's objective idealism thought. In the third year of Chunxi (1176), Zhu Xi met Lu Jiuyuan, a famous scholar at the time, at Ehu Temple in Shangrao, Jiangxi Province, to exchange ideas. But Lu belongs to subjective idealism. He believes that truth, goodness, and beauty exist innately in people's hearts. He advocates "inventing the original mind", which requires people to discover truth, goodness, and beauty in their own hearts to achieve self-improvement. This is different from Zhu’s objective idealism. As a result, the two argued and quarreled, even ridiculed each other, and broke up unhappy. This is the famous "Ehu Meeting" in the history of Chinese thought. From then on, there were two major schools: "Neo-Confucianism" and "Xinxue".
In the autumn of the thirty-first year of Shaoxing (1161), the relationship between Song and Jin was tense. The ruler of Jin Wan Yanliang divided his troops into four groups and marched southward, riding on the north bank of the Yangtze River. Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty was planning to flee south across the sea, but he gave up because his right minister Chen Kangbo tried his best to dissuade him. Soon the Song army defeated the Jin army, and the news reached Yanping where Zhu Xi was studying at that time. Zhu Xi was ecstatic about the nation's victory and wrote a celebratory poem to express his uncontrollable joy. At the same time, he wrote a letter to the minister in charge of military affairs, pointing out that it was necessary to take advantage of the victory to attack, and that it would be unwise to sit back and watch the Central Plains without making progress. Not long after Gaozong abdicated, Xiaozong succeeded him. Under pressure from the demands of the military and civilians, he appointed Zhang Jun from the anti-war faction, vindicated Yue Fei's injustice, and demoted the Qin Hui Party members. Zhu Xi then reported to Xiaozong and made three suggestions: /p>
(1) Pay attention to the study of things to achieve knowledge;
(2) Depose and negotiate;
(3) Appoint talents. In the memorial, he clearly expressed his opposition to peace.
This memorial made Zhu Xi fortunate enough to be summoned.
He rushed to Hangzhou just as the Song army was defeated. The imperial court sent people to negotiate peace. Zhu Xi still strongly opposed it. When Xiaozong received him, he made several memorials and made impassioned speeches. Emperor Xiaozong felt Zhu Xi's loyalty and ordered him to serve as the doctor's assistant at the beginning of the school. This position was not his specialty, which was a bit ironic. Zhu Xi took the opportunity to meet with Zhang Jun and put forward specific ideas for the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains. But soon Zhang Jun resigned as prime minister and took up a post in another place. He died of illness on the way. Zhu Xi made a special trip to Yuzhang (today's Nanchang) to cry out and lamented the setback in his fight against the Jin Dynasty. At this time, the He faction was rampant in the imperial court, and the Jin soldiers crossed the Huai River. Zhu Xi was worried about this, but it was difficult to do anything about it. In the first year of Longxing (1163), Zhu Xi returned to Chong'an, Fujian Province. Before leaving, he wrote in a letter to his friends: "Those who hinder the restoration of the country are talking about peace; those who damage the border areas are prepared for defense. Those who are conventional are talking about peace; those who internally (reflect) the loyalty of our people, but those who reject the hope of coming to the Soviet Union from their homeland are also talking about peace... sharply criticize those who negotiate for peace and surrender.
After the Longxing Peace Conference in 1164, the Song and Jin Dynasties became nephews and uncles, and the relationship temporarily eased, and Zhu Xi dived into Neo-Confucianism. He built the "Hanquan Jingshe" in his hometown, lived there for more than ten years, and compiled. He wrote a large number of Taoist books and engaged in lecturing activities. During this period, he responded to many imperial edicts.
In 1178, Zhu Xi made a comeback and served as the "Zhi Nankang Army", although he returned to officialdom. , but did not forget his identity as a scholar. He established the "Bailudong Academy" in Lushan where Li Bo lived in seclusion during the Tang Dynasty, and formulated a set of academic rules:
"Father and son are related, king and minister." The "objectives of the Five Religions" are "righteousness, distinction between husband and wife, orderliness between elders and children, and trust among friends".
"Study extensively, examine deeply, think carefully, discern clearly, and practice earnestly". "For the order of learning".
"The key to self-cultivation is to be loyal in words, reverent in deeds, punish anger and suffocation, and correct mistakes."
"Government does not seek its righteousness." "The key to doing things is to know the way and not consider the merits".
"Don't do to others what you don't want others to do. If you are unable to do something, seek others from yourself". ".
This "Bailudong Academy" later became one of the four famous academies in my country, and its "Academic Rules" became a model for various academies and had a huge impact on later generations.
In 1181, Zhu Xi resigned from his post and returned to his hometown. He built the "Wuyi Jingshe" in Wuyi Mountain, recruited disciples, and spread Neo-Confucianism. In order to help people learn Confucian classics, he also carefully selected "Four Books" ("The Great Learning") from the Confucian classics. ", "The Doctrine of the Mean", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius"), and were printed and published. This was a major event in the history of education. "The four books had a profound influence and later became the textbooks of feudal education, making Confucianism a comprehensive control of China's feudal society. Thought.
Yuelu Academy
In 1193, Zhu Xi took office in Hunan. Regardless of the government affairs, he presided over the restoration of another famous academy, Yuelu Academy, one of the four major academies. Like Bailudong Academy, it became a place where Zhu Xi lectured and taught disciples and spread Neo-Confucianism. Academies became popular in the Southern Song Dynasty, almost replacing official schools. This prosperity was directly related to Zhu Xi's advocacy.
Although Zhu Xi was not an official for a long time in his life, he always tried hard to ease social conflicts and did good things for the lower class people more or less. During his retreat to Chong'an, famine occurred in Chong'an due to floods, and a peasant uprising broke out. In view of this, Zhu Xi advocated the establishment of "social warehouses" based on official millet, "for those who are willing to lend money, they will earn an interest rate of 10%,... if they are unlucky and hungry, they will have half an interest rate, and those who are rich will have all their interest." The purpose of establishing social warehouses was to prevent landlords and gentry from exploiting farmers with usury during times of famine, which undoubtedly benefited the people. After that, Zhu Xi implemented it in many places. In 1178, Zhu Xi was appointed as the "Knowledge of the Nankang Army" (today's Xingzi area in Jiangxi Province). Shortly after taking office, a famine occurred, and Zhu Xi asked for tax relief. At the same time, the government is requested to build a stone embankment on the Yangtze River. On the one hand, it will solve the problem of disrepair of the stone embankment. On the other hand, it can employ hungry people and solve their problem of lack of food. The hungry people will praise it. In 1190, Zhu Xi learned about Zhangzhou, Fujian. At that time, land annexation was prevalent, and bureaucratic landlords took advantage of the situation to annex farmers' cultivated land. However, taxes were not allocated to landlords everywhere, resulting in "uneven land taxes", landless farmers were more heavily exploited, and class conflicts intensified. . To this end, Zhu Xi proposed "jingjie", that is, verifying the acres of land and paying taxes anywhere.
This suggestion was bound to reduce the burden on farmers and harm the interests of large landowners, so it was strongly opposed by the latter. "Jing Jie" finally failed to be implemented. Zhu Xi was so angry that he resigned and left in protest.
Kaoting Academy
Zhu Xi’s lifelong ambition was to establish Neo-Confucianism and make it the ruling ideology. But because Neo-Confucianism was just coming out, its influence was not deep. At the same time, Zhu Xi offended powerful officials because of his upright character in the officialdom, which led to Zhu Xi's tragic ending in his later years.
In August 1181, there was a famine in eastern Zhejiang. Zhu Xi was recommended by Prime Minister Wang Huai to be promoted to the official tea and salt office in Changping, East Zhejiang Road. Passing through Hangzhou, I wrote seven letters describing the current situation. After taking office, he went undercover to investigate current malpractices and the misdeeds of corrupt officials, and impeached a number of corrupt officials and powerful right-wing officials. He did not show favoritism and implicated himself in attacking Wang Huai and others. Therefore, Wang Huai ordered people to write a letter criticizing Neo-Confucianism, denouncing it as "pseudo-science", and Zhu Xi was dismissed and returned home.
In 1187, Zhu Xi took up the post of Jiangnan West Road Tidian Prison Office, managing local judicial, prison, supervision, agricultural and other affairs in Ganzhou (today's Gan County) and Jiangzhou (today's Jiujiang). Soon after Wang Huai resigned, Neo-Confucianism gained momentum for a while, and Zhu Xi's official career was even smoother. A few years later, he was recommended by Prime Minister Zhao Ruyu and became the minister and lecturer of Huanzhang Pavilion, that is, the emperor's advisor and teacher. Ning Zong, who had just ascended the throne, fully affirmed Neo-Confucianism and called Zhu "Confucianism". This reflected the Southern Song Dynasty's attempt to use Neo-Confucianism to strengthen internal unity. Zhu Xi lectured on "The Great Learning" for Ning Zong, and he gave lectures in the morning and evening on even days. However, he took this opportunity to criticize the government affairs. In the end, Ning Zong was dissatisfied and was accused of interfering in the government affairs and was expelled from the court.
In the first year of Qingyuan (1195), Zhao Ruyu, Zhu Xi's supporter in the imperial court, was squeezed out by Han Kanzhou and was dismissed from the position, and Han Dynasty was at its peak. Because Zhu Xi had participated in Zhao Ruyu's attack on him, Han launched a campaign to attack "Neo-Confucianism". In the second year of Qingyuan, Ye Zhu wrote a letter requesting that the books of Taoists be "destroyed" and that scholars be selected through the imperial examination. Anyone involved in the process of Zhu Yili would not be selected. Since it was exposed that Zhu Xi had seduced two nuns to be his little wives (perhaps a frame-up), the supervisory censor Shen Jizu took the opportunity to accuse Zhu Xi of ten crimes and asked him to be executed. Cai Yuanding, Zhu Xi's favorite disciple, was arrested and sent to Daozhou. For a time, Neo-Confucianism lost its prestige and was denounced as "pseudo-study", Zhu Xi was denounced as "pseudo-teacher", and his students were denounced as "pseudo-disciples". Ning Zong changed his old attitude and issued an edict that no "pseudo-learned" people should be recommended as officials.
On the ninth day of March in the sixth year of Qingyuan (1200), Zhu Xi finally died of sorrow and anger at his home in Jianyang at the age of seventy-one. Before he died, he was still revising the "Chapter of Sincerity of the University", which shows how determined he was to establish his own Neo-Confucianism, but he never did so during his lifetime.
Zhu Xi's language genre
Zhu Xi's main philosophical works include "Collected Commentary on Chapters and Sentences of the Four Books", "The Four Books or Questions", "Explanation of Tai Chi Pictures", "Explanation of Tongshu", "Xi Ming" "Explanation", "Original Meaning of Zhouyi", "Enlightenment of the Book of Changes", etc. In addition, there is "Zhu Xi Yu Lei", which is a collection of questions and answers between him and his disciples.
[Edit this paragraph] Philosophical Thoughts
■Li-Qi Theory
Zhu Xi inherited Zhou Dunyi and Er Cheng, and adopted the thoughts of Buddhism and Taoism to form a A huge philosophical system. The core category of this system is "Li", also known as "Tao" and "Tai Chi". Zhu Xi’s so-called principle has several interrelated meanings: ① Reason is the metaphysical thing that precedes natural phenomena and social phenomena. ②Principle is the law of things. ③Principles are the basic principles of ethics and morality. Zhu Xi also called Li Taiji, which is the totality of the principles of heaven and earth, that is, the principle that summarizes all principles. "Tai Chi is just a concept." Tai Chi includes the principles of all things, and all things can embody the entire Tai Chi. This means that everyone has a Tai Chi and everything has a Tai Chi. Every person and thing has abstract principles as the basis of its existence. Every person and thing has a complete principle, that is, "one principle". Qi is the second category after Li in Zhu Xi's philosophical system. It is something physical, with emotions, shapes, and traces; it has characteristics such as cohesion and fabrication. It is the stuff out of which all things are made. Everything in the world is the product of the unity of principle and matter. Zhu Xi believed that the relationship between reason and qi has its own order. Li is the source of life and resides in Qi. Li is the main and first nature, while Qi is the guest and second nature.
■View of Movement and Stillness
Zhu Xi advocated the principle that living things depend on Qi, and developed biological movements that are divided into two parts from Qi, with constant movement and stillness. This is the division of one Qi into two Qi. , what is moving is yang, what is static is yin, and is divided into five qi (metal, wood, water, fire, earth), scattered into all things. Dividing into two is an important movement form in the process of dividing Qi into matter. Zhu Xi believed that the unity of opposites makes things infinitely changeable. He explored the causes of things and regarded movement and stillness as an infinite and continuous process. The infinity of time and space also illustrates the infinity of movement and stillness, and movement and stillness are inseparable. This shows the dialectical view of Zhu Xi's thought. Zhu Xi also believed that movement and stillness not only treat and exclude each other, but also unite each other. Zhu Xi also discussed two forms of movement: relative stability and significant change, which he called "change" and "change." He believes that sudden changes are embedded in gradual changes, and gradual changes are embedded in sudden changes. Gradual accumulation leads to sudden change.
■The Theory of Knowledge by Investigating Things
Zhu Xi used the proposition in "The Great Learning" that "knowledge lies in studying things" to explore theoretical issues in the field of cognition. Regarding the issue of the source of knowledge, Zhu Xi not only talked about the transcendental theory that people are born with knowledge, but also did not deny the knowledge of seeing and hearing. He emphasized that it is impossible to understand the principles without studying things, that is, only by studying things can one understand the principles. Zhu Xi discussed the relationship between knowledge and action. He believes that knowledge comes first and action comes later, and action is important and knowledge is light. In terms of the source of knowledge, knowledge comes first; in terms of social effects, behavior is important. Moreover, knowing and doing are mutually reinforcing. “The clearer we know, the more we will practice; the more we do, the more clear we will be.”
■The Theory of Mind and Nature
In the theory of human nature, Zhu Xi developed Zhang Zai and Cheng Yi’s views on the nature of heaven and earth and the nature of temperament, believing that “the nature of heaven and earth” or “the nature of temperament” The "nature of destiny" specifically refers to reason, which is the best and perfect; the "nature of temperament" refers to the mixture of reason and qi. There are good and bad. Both are unified in people. Without one, "you cannot be a human being." ". Related to the "nature of destiny" and "the nature of temperament" is also the theory of "the heart of the Tao and the heart of the human heart". Zhu Xi believes that the "Tao heart" comes from the principles of nature or the righteousness of life. It is inherently endowed with the heart of benevolence, justice, etiquette, and wisdom, and it develops compassion, shame, right and wrong, and resignation, which is good. The "human heart" comes from the selfishness of form and energy, which refers to things like hunger, food, and thirst for water. In this case, even a saint cannot be without human heart. However, the sage does not regard the human heart as the main thing, but the Dao heart as the main thing. He believes that the relationship between "Dao Heart" and "Human Heart" is both contradictory and connected. "Dao Heart" needs to be settled through "Human Heart". "Dao Heart" and "Human Heart" also have a master-slave relationship. "Human Heart" must obey the orders of "Human Heart". Daoxin". Zhu Xi started from the theory of human nature and discussed the issue of natural principles and human desires. He believes that the human heart has selfish desires, so it is in danger; the Tao mind is based on heavenly principles, so it is subtle. Therefore, Zhu Xi put forward the idea of ??"containing human desires and preserving natural principles." Zhu Xi recognized people's legitimate desires for material life and opposed Buddhism's general advocacy of desirelessness. He opposed material desires that exceeded the conditions for continued survival.