Ep. 192 | The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 9)

Laszlo emerges from the post-holiday festivities to finish off our History of Chinese Philosophy series, picking up from the last episode of the life and work of Wang Yangming. The differences between the two main schools of Neo-Confucianism is further discussed: the Lu-Wang School of the Mind (Xinxue) and the Cheng-Zhu School of Principle (Lixue).

We also saved philosopher Zou Yan and the Five Elements (Wuxing) for last. And that completes this nine-part set course meal in the History of Chinese Philosophy. If anything spoke to you, you’re now armed and ready to do as many deeper dives into all these schools of thought as your heart desires.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/Term	Chinese	English/Meaning
Chéng Hào	程颢	One of the Five Founders of Neo-Confucianism, lived 1032-1085
Chéng-Zhū School.	程朱理学	Also called Lixue, the school of Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi
Dà Xué	大学	The Great Learning, one of the Four Books
Dàodéjīng	道德经	The Classic of the Tao, also known as The Laozi or Tao Teh Ching
Féng Yǒulán	冯友兰	Lived 1895-1990, distinguished Chinese philosopher who did much to spread its popularity around the world
Fāngshì	方士	The old name for a necromancer or alchemist
Guìzhōu	贵州	Province in west-central China
Guō Xiàng	郭象	Influential Xuanxue thinker, died in 312 CE. His revision and commentary on the Zhuangzi is a masterwork.
Guǎn Zhòng	管仲	Great Chinese chancellor (to Duke Huan of Qi) and reformer extraordinaire. Lived 720-645 BCE
géwù	格物	"investigation of things", essentially book learning or learning by observation
Gě Hóng	葛洪	Lived 284-364 during Eastern Jin. China's most famous alchemist from ancient times.
Hànxué	汉学	The Study of the Han era learning
Hán Yù	韩愈	Literary great in China who had few peers. Lived 768-824. Also a great statesman
Jìxià Xué Gōng	稷下学宫	The Jìxià Academy located in Qi State
Jūnzǐ	君子	A gentleman, in the Confucian sense
Kǒngzǐ	孔子	Master Kong, Confucius
Liáng Zhī	良知	Innate knowledge....
Liú Jǐn	刘瑾	Infamous Ming Dynasty eunuch. Lived from 1451-1510
Lù Jiǔyuān	陆九渊	Song era philosopher, lived 1139 to 1193
Lù Xiàngshān	陆象山	The Master of Xiàngshān, also known as Lu Jiuyuan
Lù-Wáng School	陆王心学	School of the Mind....or Xīnxué....This was the thought of Lù Jiǔyuān and Wáng Shǒurén
Lùnhéng	论衡	Published in 80 CE, contains critical essays written by Wang Chong. Needham called the work "Discourses Weighted in the Balance"
Lǐ	理	Inner essence or principle
Lǐ Aó	李傲	Tang era philosopher and literary figure. Not mentioned in the episode, he is the writer of the 来南录, the first travel diary of its kind.
Lǐ Jì	礼记	The Classic of Rites
Lǐxué School,	理学	The School of Lǐ, or Principle
Lǔshì Chūnqiū	吕氏春秋	Mr. Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, a compendium of the philosophies of the Hundred Schools, compiled around 239 BCE under Lü Buwei's patronage
Mèngzǐ	孟子	Mencius - 372-289 BCE
Míng	明朝	Ming Dynasty 1368-1644
Mòzǐ	墨子	He would have loved the song "All you need is love". Disagreed with Confucius. Lived 470-391 BCE
Qí State	齐国	One of the seven Warring States, located in Shandong
Qīng	清朝	The Qing Dynasty 1644-1911
Shì	士	The knightly class. They formed the backbone of the Ru School
Sì Shū	四书	The Four Books
Sòng Xué	宋学	General term for Neo-Confucianism
Sīmǎ Tán	司马谈	Father of Sima Qian
Táiběi Yángmíngshān	台北阳明山	The Yangmingshan district in northern Taipei, named after you know who
Wáng Bì	王弼	Short-lived philosopher (226-249), wrote important commentaries on the Dao De Jing and Yi Jing. He was also a scholar of Xuanxue (see below)
Wáng Chōng	王充	Great Han era philosopher who lived around 27-100
Wáng Shǒurén	王守仁	Neo-Confucian philosopher who lived 1472 to 1529. Better known perhaps as Wang Yangming
Wáng Yángmíng.	王阳明	Neo-Confucian philosopher who lived 1472 to 1529. Also known as Wang Souren
Wǔ Xíng	五行	Five Elements: Fire-Water-Wood-Metal-Soil, the Five Activities, the Five Agents and the Five Dynamic Interacting Forces
Xiàng Xiù	向秀	Lived 227-272. His writings on the Zhuangzi inspired Guo Xiang. One of the great scholars of his day
Xiāngkè	相克	The Mutual Conquest Series of the 5 Elements: wood conquers earth, metal conquers wood, fire conquers metal, water conquers fire, and earth conquers water
Xiāngshēng	相生	The Mutual Generation Series of the 5 Elements: wood produces fire, fire produces earth, earth produces metal, metal produces water, and water produces wood.
Xuánxué	玄学	Emerged during the 3rd to 6th centuries. Mysterious learning. Also called Neo-Daoism. Can also mean metaphysics among other definitions
Xúnzǐ	荀子	Great Confucian philsopher 313-238 BCE
Yuè Lìng	月令	The Monthly Commands
Yáng Zhū	杨朱	Philosopher who lived 440-360 who advised toseek pleasure whenever wherever
Yīn and Yáng	阴阳	Two two opposing forces that cause all change in the universe
yǎngshēng	养生	A sub-category of Dào Jiào (道教)....the Daoist religion.... it means to preserve or enhance your life
zhīxíng héyī	知行合一	Wang Yangming's theory of "the unity of knowledge and action"
Zhōng Yōng	中庸	The Doctrine of the Mean, one of the Four Books
Zhū Xī	朱熹	Confucian great, lived from 1130-1200
Zōu Yǎn	邹衍	Zhou era figure. Needham called him the Father of Chinese Scientific Thought. Lived from 305 to 240 BCE

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