Zhu Xi (Chu Hsi, 1130-1200) The great synthesizer of The great synthesizer of

Neo-Confucianism who Neo-Confucianism who combined the philosophies combined the philosophies of earlier Song Neo-of earlier Song Neo-Confucian mastersConfucian masters

The organizer of the The organizer of the “School of Principle” (lixue) “School of Principle” (lixue) within the Neo-Confucian within the Neo-Confucian traditiontradition

The founder of Chinese The founder of Chinese intellectual tradition largely intellectual tradition largely based on the education of the based on the education of the “Four Books” (1190). “Four Books” (1190).

The foremost of Confucian The foremost of Confucian teachers who conducted his teachers who conducted his education, spread his teaching, education, spread his teaching, and reaffirmed Confucian and reaffirmed Confucian tradition of teaching through tradition of teaching through private academy (private academy (shuyuanshuyuan) )

Aside from Confucius, the most Aside from Confucius, the most influential Chinese influential Chinese philosopher/educator, whose philosopher/educator, whose influence extended to Korea, influence extended to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan for many Vietnam, and Japan for many generations, till the present generations, till the present time.time.

“Chengnan changhe shi” (Singing Harmony in Southern Tan City), 37.5x275.5 mm, 64 lines, 462 characters, by Zhu Xi

The Great SynthesizerThe Great Synthesizer

ZhuZhu’’s synthesis s synthesis of the of the philosophies of philosophies of earlier masters is earlier masters is best best illustrated/represillustrated/represented in his book ented in his book called called Jin si lu, or Jin si lu, or Reflections on Reflections on Things Near at Things Near at Hand, Hand, compiled compiled in 1175.in 1175.

Possible Zhu Xi’s calligraphy recently discovered, a thirty-page album, auction price $400,000

The The Jin si luJin si lu

is the first anthology is the first anthology of Neo-Confucianism of Neo-Confucianism

Its impacts outside Its impacts outside of China:of China: 8 Korean annotations 8 Korean annotations

from the 16from the 16thth to 19 to 19thth centurycentury

27 Japanese annotations 27 Japanese annotations from the 17from the 17thth century to century to the present daythe present day

Yamazaki Ansai (1618-Yamazaki Ansai (1618-1682) and his followers 1682) and his followers lectured on it, resulting in lectured on it, resulting in more than a hundred more than a hundred explanatory and explanatory and commentarial works.commentarial works. Partial stele inscription of Zhu

Xi’s calligraphy

The The Reflections on Things at HandReflections on Things at Hand

The goal of the book: redefined the Confucian The goal of the book: redefined the Confucian “Transmission of the Way” (“Transmission of the Way” (DaotongDaotong)) Its content and themes:Its content and themes:– the substance of the Waythe substance of the Way– essentials of learningessentials of learning– investigations of thingsinvestigations of things– preserving the mind and nourishing the naturepreserving the mind and nourishing the nature– self-disciplineself-discipline– regulating the familyregulating the family– Serving or not serving in the governmentServing or not serving in the government– Systems and institutionsSystems and institutions– Handling affairsHandling affairs– Correcting the human mindCorrecting the human mind– Sifting the heterodox schoolsSifting the heterodox schools– Observing the disposition of sages and worthiesObserving the disposition of sages and worthies

Organizer of the Organizer of the ““School of PrincipleSchool of Principle

On the importance of On the importance of qi qi (material force(material force)): : ““In the universe, there has never been In the universe, there has never been any material force without principle any material force without principle or principle without material forceor principle without material force””

• Refined the concept of Refined the concept of li li (principle), by clarifying its (principle), by clarifying its relationship with relationship with qi qi (material (material force, vital energy)force, vital energy)

• Further developed the concept Further developed the concept of of Taiji Taiji (the Great Ultimate), by (the Great Ultimate), by bringing the doctrine of bringing the doctrine of humaneness (humanity, humaneness (humanity, ren) ren) to to culminationculmination

• On the importance of On the importance of li li ((principleprinciple):):

““As there is a thing, there is As there is a thing, there is principle.principle.”” ““Before heaven and earth Before heaven and earth existed, there was principle.existed, there was principle.””

• What are principle What are principle and material force?and material force?

““What are called What are called principle and principle and material force are material force are certainly two certainly two entities,entities,”” but but ““they they are merged on with are merged on with the other and cannot the other and cannot be separated with be separated with each in a different each in a different place.place.””

Zhu Xi onZhu Xi on Li Li and and QiQi

““Throughout the universe there are Throughout the universe there are principle and material force. principle and material force. Principle refers to the Way, which Principle refers to the Way, which is above the realm of corporeality is above the realm of corporeality and is the source from which all and is the source from which all things are produced. Material things are produced. Material force refers to material objects, force refers to material objects, which are within the realm of which are within the realm of corporeality: it is the instrument corporeality: it is the instrument by which things are produced.by which things are produced.””

““There is principle There is principle before there can be before there can be material force. But it material force. But it is only when there is is only when there is material force that material force that principle finds a place principle finds a place to settle.to settle.””

“Bird-and-flow” paintings flourished in the Southern Song

The Functions of The Functions of PrinciplePrinciple

Principle causes the Principle causes the mysterious union of yin mysterious union of yin and yang. It also causes and yang. It also causes the production and the production and reproduction of myriad reproduction of myriad things and their things and their unending transformation.unending transformation. ““Because there are Because there are

principles of activity and principles of activity and tranquility, material force tranquility, material force becomes active or becomes active or tranquil; it is because of tranquil; it is because of these principles that there these principles that there is activity which produced is activity which produced the material force of yang the material force of yang and there is tranquility and there is tranquility which produced the which produced the material force of yin.material force of yin.””

“Mandarin Duck” by Zhang Mao, Southern Song, National Palace Museum, Beijing

The “Four Books” The “Four Books” and the Chinese Intellectual Traditionand the Chinese Intellectual Tradition

Before Zhu Xi, there were Before Zhu Xi, there were “Five Classics”“Five Classics”– The Classics of Poetry, The Classics of Poetry,

History, Changes, Rites, History, Changes, Rites, and the Spring and and the Spring and Autumn Annals.Autumn Annals.

The The Four BooksFour Books ( (SishuSishu):):– TheThe Great Learning Great Learning

((DaxueDaxue))– The The Mean (The Doctrine Mean (The Doctrine

of the Mean of the Mean ((ZhongyongZhongyong))– The The AnalectsAnalects ( (LunyuLunyu))– The The Mencius Mencius ((MengziMengzi))

Zhu Xi devoted forty years to the Four Books, writing commentaries Zhu Xi devoted forty years to the Four Books, writing commentaries on them until three days before he died.on them until three days before he died.His commentaries superseded other commentaries because of its new His commentaries superseded other commentaries because of its new and innovative interpretations of Confucian ideas.and innovative interpretations of Confucian ideas.

“Nu Xiaojing tu” (Women’s Classic of Filial Piety

Zhu Xi’s Educational PhilosophyZhu Xi’s Educational Philosophy

It is in his commentary on It is in his commentary on the the Great LearningGreat Learning, Zhu Xi , Zhu Xi laid out his creative laid out his creative interpretation of Confucian interpretation of Confucian political, moral, and political, moral, and educational philosophies:educational philosophies:– Three guidelines: the Three guidelines: the

mainstays of the mainstays of the Great Great LearningLearning

Manifest luminous virtue Manifest luminous virtue (ming ming de(ming ming de))Renew the people Renew the people (xin min(xin min))Rest in the utmost good Rest in the utmost good (Zhi (Zhi yu zhi shanyu zhi shan))

– Eight steps: consists of Eight steps: consists of successive steps in self-successive steps in self-cultivation and in dealing with cultivation and in dealing with societysociety

“Monkey,” by Mao Song (early Southern Song) Album leaf, Tokyo National Museum

Eight Steps Leading to Peaceful WorldEight steps involve a range of cognitive and moral

operation directed toward the goal of ordering the state and bring peace to the world

Eight steps: “The ancients, wishing clearly to manifest

luminous virtue to all-under-Heaven, first put in order their states. Wishing to govern their states, they first regulated their families. Wishing to …,they first cultivated their own persons. Wishing to…,they first rectified their minds-and-hearts. Wishing to …,they first made their intentions sincere. Wishing to…, they first extended their knowledge. This extension of knowing lies in investigating things and affairs.”

Zhu’s Commentary on the Eight Steps “Clearly to manifest luminous virtue to all-under-

heaven” is to provide all persons the wherewithal for clearly manifesting their luminous virtue. The mind-and-heart is the master of one’s person. “To make sincere” is to make real, to substantiate. “One’s intention” is what emerges from the mind-an-heart. “To substantiate” what emerges from the mind-and-heart is to try to integrate with the good, free of any self-deception. “Extend” means to project to the limit [the ultimate]. “Knowing” is like recognizing, to project our knowing to the limit, hoping that our knowing [capacity] will be fully employed. “To investigate” is to reach. “Thing” is like “affair.” Fathoming the principles of things and affairs, one hopes always to reach the ultimate point.”

Ordering the World Begins from Personal Cultivation

The Great Learning says: “Things being investigated, knowing can be

extended; knowing being extended, the intentions can be made sincere; the intentions being made, the mind can be rectified; the mind rectified, the person can be cultivated [self disciplined]; with the self disciplined, the family can be regulated; the family regulated, the state can be governed; the state governed, all-under-Heaven can be at peace.”

Zhu XiZhu Xi’’s Commentarys Commentary ““Things being investigatedThings being investigated”” means unfailingly means unfailingly

to reach the ultimate point in the principles of to reach the ultimate point in the principles of things-and-affairs. things-and-affairs. ““Knowing being extendedKnowing being extended”” means that the knowing of our minds-and-means that the knowing of our minds-and-heart is fully utilized. Knowing have been heart is fully utilized. Knowing have been fully utilized, onefully utilized, one’’s intention can be s intention can be substantiated. Onesubstantiated. One’’s intentions s intentions substantiated, the mind-and-heart can be substantiated, the mind-and-heart can be rectifiedrectified……..All the items receding the ..All the items receding the ““cultivating of the personcultivating of the person”” [disciplining of the [disciplining of the self] have to do with self] have to do with ““manifesting luminous manifesting luminous virtuevirtue”” [manifesting the moral nature]. All [manifesting the moral nature]. All that follows that follows ““the regulating of the familythe regulating of the family”” has has to do with to do with ““renewing the people.renewing the people.……..””

The Foremost Confucian The Foremost Confucian EducatorEducator

Zhu Xi and the Zhu Xi and the private academiesprivate academies Zhu XiZhu Xi’’s White Deer s White Deer

Grotto Academy Grotto Academy (right) not only (right) not only became an important became an important media for the media for the propagation of his propagation of his teachings, but also teachings, but also served as a model for served as a model for all private academies all private academies in the Southern Songin the Southern Song

White Deer Grotto AcademyWhite Deer Grotto Academy Articles of the White Articles of the White

Deer Grotto AcademyDeer Grotto Academy Are a set of stated Are a set of stated

precepts, posted for all precepts, posted for all to see as the basis for to see as the basis for the conduct of the conduct of instruction in the instruction in the academy.academy.

Most of them are Most of them are quotations from the quotations from the classics, by which Zhu classics, by which Zhu attempted to strike the attempted to strike the balance between balance between personal cultivations personal cultivations and social relations, and and social relations, and between moral and between moral and intellectual developmentintellectual development

The Gate

Family and SocietyFamily and Society

Zhu Xi stressed the importance of studying ancient Zhu Xi stressed the importance of studying ancient rites and of putting them into practicerites and of putting them into practice

White Deer Grottoes is in the south of this “Wulao Feng” (Five Elders’ Peaks)

Main Hall

He gave family ritual He gave family ritual priority over the royal and priority over the royal and state rituals state rituals

He promoted family rituals He promoted family rituals such as capping (coming of such as capping (coming of age) [age) [““pinning ritualpinning ritual”” for for girls], weddings, funerals, girls], weddings, funerals, and ancestral rites.and ancestral rites.

He promoted a social He promoted a social welfare system calledwelfare system called ““community granaries,community granaries,”” and encouraged local and encouraged local elites to join government elites to join government officials to deal with officials to deal with chronic problems in chronic problems in society. The society. The ““community community granariesgranaries”” were later were later known as known as ““righteous righteous [charitable] granaries[charitable] granaries””..

Zhu Xi’s statue is found in many places where he built academies