This book offers a comprehensive account of the great Neo-Confucian Master Cheng I (1033-1107), showing his philosophical ideas in a modern light. It systematically examines Cheng{u2019}s extensive literature and provides an ingenious interpretation of Cheng{u2019}s social and political views. The author, Yung-ch{u2019}un Ts{u2019}ai, was a respected scholar of sociology and theology in 20th century China.

scihub/10.1007/978-981-10-8566-6.pdf

zlib/no-category/Ts’ai, Yung-ch’un/[China Academic Library] The Philosophy of Ch’eng I ||_101147077.pdf

The Philosophy of Ch{u2019}eng I

Untitled-1

Yung-ch{u2019}un Ts{u2019}ai; SpringerLink (Online service)

Yongchun Cai

0009172

Springer Science + Business Media Singapore Pte Ltd

Springer Nature Singapore

China Academic Library, 1st ed. 2018, Singapore, 2018

Springer Nature, Singapore, 2018

Singapore, Singapore

2, 20180409

sm69217863

producers:
Acrobat Distiller 10.0.0 (Windows)

Preface 6
Contents 8
Signs, Abbreviations, and Explanatory Notes 12
References 12
Abbreviations used for the Books of the Complete Works of the Two Masters Ch’eng 12
Signs and Certain Other Abbreviations 13
Texts Used 13
1 Introduction 15
1.1 The Man and the School 15
1.1.1 Chinese Philosophy in the Early Sung Period 15
1.1.2 Pioneers of Neo-confucianism 17
1.1.3 Ch’eng I and His Brother Ch’eng Hao 19
1.1.4 Philosophical Differences of the Two Brothers and the Question of Methodology 20
1.1.5 Methods of Research 21
1.1.6 Ch’eng I (1033–1107 A.D.) 22
1.1.6.1 His Parents 22
1.1.6.2 His Character: A Sketch 23
1.1.6.3 His Career 25
1.1.6.4 His Writings 27
1.1.6.5 Why Ch’eng I Is Little Known in the West 28
1.2 Critical Evaluation of the Source Material 30
1.2.1 Erh Ch’eng I Shu, or Collection of Sayings of the Two Masters Ch’eng 32
1.2.2 Erh Ch’eng Wai Shu or Secondary Collection of Sayings of the Two Masters Ch’eng 37
1.2.3 Erh Ch’eng Wen Chi or Collected Writings of the Two Masters Ch’eng 38
1.2.4 I Chuan, or Commentary on the Book of Changes 40
1.2.5 Ch’eng Shih Ching Shuo, or Scriptural Expositions of the Master Ch’eng 43
1.2.5.1 Authentic Writings 44
1.2.5.2 Collections of Oral Teachings: These Probably Belong to the Class that Ch’eng I Referred to as to Be Compiled by His Disciples from Notes of His Lectures 45
1.2.5.3 Unauthentic Works 46
1.2.6 Erh Ch’eng Sui Yen or Choice Sayings of the Two Masters Ch’eng 47
2 Some Basic Categories of Ch’eng I’s Thought: Heaven–Tao–Li 51
2.1 Heaven 52
2.2 The Tao 55
2.3 Li 58
2.3.1 The Characteristics of Li 59
2.3.1.1 Li Is Independent of Time and Space 59
2.3.1.2 Li Is Independent of Human Reason 60
2.3.1.3 Li Is One and Universal 61
2.3.1.4 Li Is Unchangeable 62
2.3.1.5 Li Is Order 63
2.3.2 Li in Its Relations 65
2.3.2.1 Li and Heaven 65
2.3.2.2 Li in Its Relation to Man 66
2.3.2.3 Li in Its Relation to Human Artefacts 67
2.3.2.4 Li in Its Relation to Symbols and Numbers 68
2.3.3 The Investigation of Li 69
2.3.3.1 The Nature and Purpose of the Investigation of Li 70
2.3.3.2 The Method of Investigation 71
3 His Idea of Nature 74
3.1 Yin and Yang 76
3.2 The Idea of Complementary Pairs 78
3.3 The Concept of Ch’i or Energy 80
3.3.1 But What Is Ch’i? 80
3.3.2 The Generation of Living Creatures by the Transmutation of Energy 82
3.3.3 The Fire Elements Are Mentioned Without Much Explanation 83
3.3.4 Li and Ch’i 83
3.4 Spiritual Beings 84
3.5 Nature and Human Conduct 87
4 His Idea of History 90
4.1 A Cyclical View of History 93
4.1.1 A Cyclical History in a Cyclical Cosmos 93
4.1.2 A Universe Which Is Running Down 95
4.2 The Law of Cause and Effect in History 96
4.2.1 Cause and Effect Operate as a Law and Not by the Direct Activity of a Personal God 96
4.2.2 Man’s Ability to Control the Operation of the Law 98
4.3 The Mysterious Phase of History: Fate 98
4.3.1 The Uninterpretable in History 98
4.3.2 Fate Is Ch’i 99
4.3.3 Man’s Right Attitude Towards Fate 100
5 His Idea of Man 102
5.1 The Place of Man in the Universe 104
5.2 The Nature of Man 105
5.2.1 Human Nature Is Good 105
5.2.2 The Heavenly Seedlings in Human Nature 106
5.2.3 Human Nature Is Li 107
5.2.4 Psychological Explanation of the Origin of Evil 108
5.2.5 Can Human Nature Be Changed? 110
5.3 Human Nature and the Universal Mind 111
5.3.1 The Relation of the Ch’eng Brothers to Buddhism 111
5.3.2 Ch’eng I’s Further Discussions About Human Nature 113
5.3.2.1 Correspondence with Lü Ta-Lin 113
5.3.2.2 Discussions with Su Ping and Others 119
6 Fundamentals of Ethical Teaching 123
6.1 There Is a Universal Ethical Order 124
6.1.1 The Universal Applicability of Li 125
6.1.2 The Concept of Natural Order 125
6.1.3 The Unity of Li, Human Nature and Heaven’s Ordinance 125
6.1.4 The Concept of Jen 128
6.1.5 The Concept of Ch’eng 129
6.2 Standards of Moral Judgment 130
6.2.1 The Primary Ethical Norm 130
6.2.2 Secondary Ethical Norms 133
6.2.2.1 Chung or the Mean 133
6.2.2.2 Shih: Or the Timely Action 137
6.3 Conception of Duty 139
6.4 The Problem of Evil 142
6.4.1 Psychological Explanation of the Origin of Evil 142
6.4.2 Evil Means Going Against the Tao of Heaven 142
6.4.3 Evil Means Going Against Human Nature 143
6.4.4 Evil Means Departing from the Golden Mean 144
6.4.5 Evil Is Necessary According to the Principle of Complementary Paris 145
6.5 Some Principles of Worthy Living 145
6.5.1 Cautiousness 145
6.5.2 Humility 147
7 The Twofold Way to Perfect Manhood 150
7.1 The Goal of Learning 152
7.2 The Scope of Learning 159
7.3 The Doctrine of the Unity of Knowledge and Action 160
7.4 The First Phase of the Twofold Way: The Achievement of Knowledge 161
7.4.1 Knowledge Through the Investigation of Li 161
7.4.2 Knowledge Through Study 161
7.4.2.1 The Purpose of Study 161
7.4.2.2 The Study of Scriptures 162
7.4.2.3 The Right Attitude Towards Rhetoric and Writing 163
7.4.3 From Thinking to Conviction 164
7.4.4 Enlightenment, or Becoming One with Li 165
7.5 The Second Phase of the Twofold Way: The Cultivation of Personality 166
7.5.1 The Practice of the Attitude of Reverent Devotion 167
7.5.2 The Development of the Life of the Spirit 172
Appendix A: Tables of Critical Information and Evaluation of the Documents in the Complete Works of the Two Masters Ch’eng 177
Appendix A: Tables of Critical Information and Evaluation of the Documents in the Complete Works of the Two Masters Ch’eng 177
Appendix B: Table of Contents of the I Shu with Critical Notes: By Chu Hsi, 1168 A.D. 181
Appendix C: Table of Contents of the Wai Shu with Critical Notes: By Chu Hsi, 1173 A.D. 186
Appendix D: Main Stages in the History of the Compilation of the Complete Works of the Two Masters Ch’eng 188
Appendix E: Some Minor Points of Historical Criticism Concerning the Erh Ch’eng Wen Chi 190
Appendix F: The Political and Social Ideas of Ch’eng I 193
Bibliography 222
Glossary 230

2018-05-05