New Perspectives on Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism: Ontological Construction and the Turn to Subjectivity

Author: Fu Xiaofan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty was primarily revived in the form of Daoism. Represented by Zhu Xi, Song Dynasty Confucians constructed a complete metaphysical system and gradually achieved a dominant position in the intellectual world. In the late Ming Dynasty, Xinxue replaced the dominant position of Lixue to become the prominent school, marking a distinct turning point in the development of Chinese philosophy. People shifted their focus from contemplating objective entities to exploring the nature of the subjective mind; from the subject adapting to the object to the object adapting to the subject. This turn toward subjectivity in philosophy promoted the liberation of late Ming thought. It gave rise to "Voluntarism," which broke free from the constraints of determinism, and "Emotivism," which challenged traditional Confucian rituals with passion. Additionally, two parallel paths emerged: rationalism and irrationalism. During the transition between the Ming and Qing dynasties, Daoism demonstrated efforts to harmonize rationality and irrationality, integrate will and destiny, and unify knowledge, intention, and emotion. The three schools of thought—Li, Qi, and Xin—eventually achieved a state of harmonious unity, completing the historical conclusion of the turn toward subjectivity in philosophy.