On Yan Shannong’s Method of “Shutting Oneself in for Seven Days” and the Religious Tendency in Mid to Late Ming Confucianism

Vol. 48 No.3  9/2018

Title

On Yan Shannong’s Method of “Shutting Oneself in for Seven Days” and the Religious Tendency in Mid to Late Ming Confucianism

Author

Hon Hiu-wah

Genre

Article

Pages

457-487

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

Yan Shannong顏山農, shutting oneself in for seven days, mystical experience, meditation, syncretism

Abstract

Yan Shannong’s顏山農 religious conception of Confucianism was based on his method of “shutting oneself in for seven days” (qiri biguan fa 七日閉關法). This method not only shaped Yan’s view of Confucianism, but it also informed his teaching and his description of mystical experience as zhiti yi yingyong 執體以應用. Yan’s theory of enlightenment and his personal preaching experience endowed him with a unique position in the Taizhou泰州 school. From the perspective of Neo-Confucianism’s meditative practice and syncretic development, it is apparent that Yan’s method of “shutting oneself in for seven days” had a special meaning.

 

Author: Hon Hiu-wah
Genre: Article