Zhou Dunyi (1017～1073)
A thinker in the Song Dynasty of China. His courtesy name is Uncle Mao, his original name is Dunshi, and he is also known as Mr. Dunyi and Lianxi. A native of Yingdao, Daozhou (now Daoxian County, Hunan Province). He once served as the chief registrar of Fenning County in Hongzhou, the military manager of Nan'an Army, the county magistrate of Guiyang and Nanchang, the magistrate of Hezhou, the magistrate of Qianzhou, and the magistrate of Guangnan East Road. He believes that "Tai Chi" is the origin of the universe. "Tai Chi moves to produce Yang, movement produces tranquility, and tranquility produces Yin." Yin and Yang generate the five elements, and the five elements generate all things. He put forward the theory of moral cultivation of "maintaining tranquility" and "without desire", and believed that "without desire, tranquility and emptiness will lead to movement and straightness, silence and emptiness will lead to clarity, and clarity will lead to communication. Movement and straightness will lead to publicity, and publicity will lead to Pu". The idea of ??"preserving natural principles and destroying human desires" had an important influence. Author of "Tai Chi Illustrations", "Tongshu", etc.
Zhou Dunyi was a famous philosopher in the Song Dynasty. Many scholars believe that Er Cheng was his student and he started Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming Dynasties. Some people now express doubts about this, but its essence is well known, mainly in "Tai Chi Tu Shuo" and "Tong Shu".
"Tai Chi Pictures" originated from Taoism. Zhou Dunyi integrated it into "Yi Zhuan" and wrote "Tai Chi Pictures". In "Tai Chi Illustrations", the three aspects of heaven, earth and man in "Yi Zhuan" were evolved into the three poles of heaven, earth and man. There are still great differences on the first sentence in "Tai Chi Tu Shuo", among which Zhu Xi and Yang Fang are the representatives. Zhu Xi's "Lian Xi Zhuan" states that "from Wuji comes Tai Chi", and Yang Fang's Jiujiang edition of "Zhou Zi Quanshu" states that "Wu Chi comes from Tai Chi". However, in "Tai Chi Illustrations" and "Recent Thoughts" it is "Wu Chi and Tai Chi". At that time, Hu Guangzhong, Zhang Shi, Lu Zuqian and Zhu Xi discussed "Tai Chi Interpretation", but they did not mention that "Wu Chi and Tai Chi" were wrong. So I think "Wuji is Tai Chi" is the first sentence of "Tai Chi Pictures".
"Wuji and Tai Chi". What is "Tai Chi"? It is clearly stated in the "Book of Changes" that Bagua produces four images, four onomatopoeia and two instruments, and two instruments produce Tai Chi. "Laozi" says: Two is born, two begets three, three begets all things, and life is endless. I think this kind of "Tai Chi" is infinite and unchanging, just like the "principle" mentioned by Zhu Xi. Due to its changes in movement and stillness, everything in the world changes, and everything has the principle of Tai Chi. Zhang Zai said: "Taixu is formless, the essence of Qi, its gathering and dispersion, and the changes are invisible." ("Zhengmeng Taihe") There is one thing similar to this, that is, the original state of matter, but Tai Chi does not gather. Scattered, but changing. Movement produces yang, tranquility produces yin, and the movement of the stillness shows that Tai Chi is in motion, and this change causes the five elements to change. The five elements are born from the changes of yin and yang. "Tai Chi Pictures" says: "The five elements are one yin and yang; yin and yang are one Tai Chi; Tai Chi is inherently Wuji." In fact, this is the truth. What is the relationship between Tai Chi and Wuji? It can be said that "Tai Chi" is still tangible, while "Wuji" is intangible. From nothing to something is a process. This process is not sequential in time, but it is logically sequential. The different changes in movement and stillness of yin and yang cause the five elements to be generated differently, so it is said: "The birth of the five elements has its own nature." ("Tai Chi Diagram") "Yin and yang are connected and all things are born." The different proportions of yin and yang combinations make the five elements move. The four seasons of creation are different from all things. Zhou Dunyi did not explain how to generate the four seasons, but only said: "The two qi interact to transform all things. All things are born and change infinitely." (ibid.)
Among all things, human beings are the most spiritual. . Zhou Dunyi believed: "The form is born, and the spirit knows it. The five natures are moved and divided into good and evil, and all things come out." (ibid.) After the form is formed, the spirit endowed by people also comes into being, and the five elements are formed to sense the energy of heaven and earth. , so that people also have a kind nature, and all things have their own characteristics. Zhou Dunyi inherited the theory of saints in the "Book of Changes" and believed that saints who practice benevolence and righteousness inherit the righteousness of heaven and earth. Therefore, the saint's main tranquility also forms a pole, which is the human pole. By the way, this is the main tranquility. Zhou Dunyi talked about yin and yang movement and stillness. He believed that movement and stillness come first, and then there is movement. This is the principle of stillness and vividness. Therefore, the saints and heaven and earth harmonize their virtues, the sun and the moon harmonize their brightness and the four seasons harmonize their order, and the ghosts and gods harmonize their good and bad fortunes. ” (ibid.)
This means that saints and heaven and earth have the same will. The changes and movements of heaven and earth and all things are determined by "heaven". Last time I explained Confucius' "I am determined to learn when I am ten years old." Zhong said that there are two kinds of "heaven" in Confucius' opinion, one is the natural heaven, and the other is the dominating heaven. The "heaven" here is the dominating heaven, and only the sage can understand it. The evil of disobedience. "(ibid.) This is the truth. In terms of the theory of mind, Zhou Dunyi emphasized that non-desire leads to tranquility. "The integrity of the body is what the heart is sincere; sincerity is just the return of unwholesome movements. Unwholesome actions are delusions; if delusions are repeated, then there is no delusion; if there is no delusion, then there is sincerity. "("Tongshu") Zhou Dunyi used the meaning of "Wuwang Gua" to say that "no desire leads to tranquility" to eliminate the disaster. Cheng Yi said that when studying under Zhou Dunyi, he asked to find the happy place of Confucius and Yan, that is, he should pay attention to " How to achieve "joy" is to "maintain tranquility without desire".
Returning to Zhou Dunyi's "maintaining tranquility", Neo-Confucianists all attach great importance to "experience in tranquility". "Sage It is determined to use Zhongzheng, benevolence and righteousness to master tranquility" ("Tai Chi Tu Shuo"), which means to get rid of distracting thoughts, rely on Zhongzheng, benevolence and righteousness to ascend the heavenly mind, and cultivate one's nature in tranquility. Therefore, it is said that "the sage can learn it?" He said: "Yes." Do you want anything? Said: Yes. Please hear it. Said: One is important. First, there is no desire. If there is no desire, there is stillness, emptiness, and straight movement. When it is quiet and empty, it is bright, and when it is bright, it is clear; when it is moving, it is clear, and when it is clear, it is Pu.
Ming Tong Gong Pu is a commoner! "("Tongshu") This shows that sages can still learn, which is the same as Confucius's idea, but he emphasized that it should be "experienced in tranquility" and "there is no desire to be quiet." The fundamental proposition of Neo-Confucians, like other Confucians, is How to become a saint is also called the "study of saints". After becoming a saint, they can educate the people and enter the world of great harmony. Therefore, they always cultivate themselves and calm others. Influenced by Taoism and Buddhism, Zhou Dunyi transformed this "quietness". ", transformed into "pure one", that is, "nothing". This "nothing" is not the "nothing" of pure Buddhism. It is mainly "non-desire", without the distracting thoughts that I was born with, eliminate distracting thoughts, and pursue pure things. So this quietness becomes the inner standard, while the movement is external, which is expressed as public but without anything. Here we will talk about the word "sincerity" mentioned by Zhou Dunyi from "The Book of Changes". "When talking about sincerity, we talk about it from five aspects: the origin of sincerity, the establishment of sincerity, the righteousness of sincerity, the use of sincerity and the position of sincerity. He systematically discussed this issue in "Tongshu" and believed that all things originate from heaven. Life, the truth and innocence of all things originates from the truth and innocence of heaven; the way of heaven is endless, and all things have their own righteousness, so they are pure and perfect, so he is like this (it can be seen that he advocates the theory of goodness of nature); Citing "Xici" to explain the use, the essence of sincerity is tranquility and clarity, and the use of sincerity is action and action. It can understand things in the world and has the function of feeling. Finally, it shows that becoming a sage is based on sincerity and pays attention to moral cultivation.
In addition, Zhou Dunyi also proposed concepts such as "Ji", "De", "Wuwei" and "Shen", which are actually derived from the concept of "sincerity". These ideas have always influenced later Neo-Confucianists such as Er Cheng, Zhang Zai, and Zhu Xi