People’s understanding and behavior must be consistent, and they must not be duplicitous. Observe things meticulously and carefully, so as to derive truth and knowledge from the things, and study the principles of things thoroughly to obtain knowledge.
The unity of knowledge and action means that the object conforms to the subject, knowledge refers to conscience, and action refers to people's practice. The unity of knowledge and action does not mean that knowledge is used to annex action, and knowledge is considered to be action. Nor is it to annex knowledge with action, thinking that action is knowledge. This was proposed by Wang Shouren, a thinker of the Ming Dynasty.
To investigate things to gain knowledge: To investigate, to investigate; to achieve, to seek. Study the principles of things to gain knowledge.
From "The Book of Rites·University": "To gain knowledge is to examine things, and then to know.":
To achieve conscience, the unity of knowledge and action is the core of Yangming culture. First there is the development of conscience, and then there is the unity of knowledge and action.
The connotation of Wang Yangming's theory of "unity of knowledge and action" has three key points:
First, knowledge and action are just a matter of effort and cannot be separated. The so-called "gongfu" is the process of cognition and practice.
Second, the relationship between knowledge and action is interdependent: knowledge is the starting point and guide for action, and true knowledge not only can do it, but is already doing it; action is the destination of knowledge and is Realization of knowledge, and true and sincere actions have their own clear and careful knowledge at work.
Third, the fundamental purpose of "action" in the knowledge and practice of knowledge and practice is to completely overcome the "unwholesome thoughts" and achieve perfection. This is essentially a process of moral cultivation and practice.
Obviously, Wang Yangming’s so-called “knowledge” refers to “the natural principles of my heart and conscience”, and his so-called “action” refers to the moral practice of “applying the heavenly principles of my heart and conscience to everything”. It can be said that Wang Yangming's theory of "unity of knowledge and action" is essentially a moral humanistic philosophy that integrates morality, ethics, and politics.
China Communist Party News Network-The connotation and practical significance of "unity of knowledge and action"