Title

A Preliminary Study of Gu Yan-wu’s Critique to Zhu Xi’s Theory

Author

Zhao Gang

Genre

Article  

Pages

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Key words

Gu Yan-wu, Zhu Xi, Ka’o-cheng movement

Abstract

      The Ch’ing K’ao-cheng Movement have been variously interpreted, basically there are two interpretations to answer the problem. One interpretation, represented by Liang Qi-chao, sees this movement as germinating from the chin - shih （經世） trend prevalent in the early ch’ing period. Another interpretation, represented by Yu Yinh-shih, sees this movement as germination from the inner growth of the Sung-Ming Neo-Confucian tradition. In order to support their own version, both Liang and Yu cited Gu Yan-wu’s version of “Neo-Confucian”as one of the most crucial evidences. u, for example, thought that Gu Yan-wu belonged to Zhu Xi school, and used evidential research as the tool to support the Chen-zhu school.

    In this paper, the auther analyzes Gu’s critical attitude toward Zhu Xi’s philosophy and his classical research, at the same time points out, in contrast with Zhu Xi’s depreciation of chin-shih（經世）version, Gu Yan-wu tried to elavete chin-shih（經世）version to the central position of the Confucianism.

    The evidential research was used as the tool of his chin-shih（經世）research. Therefore, Uu’s analyze about Gu’s version was fallible. As a very exemplification, Gu’s attitude toward the Cheng-zhu school clearly demonstrated that the rise of Ch’ing Confucian intellectualism resulted rather from chin-shih（經世）trend than from the inner growth of the Sung-Ming Neo-Confucian tradition.