Biography of Chen Xianzhang

Author: Huang Mingtong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-12-01
Features: Chen Nanzhang is the only Ming Dynasty scholar from Guangdong who was enshrined in the Confucian Temple. He was a philosopher, educator, and poet. He inherited the Lianxi School of Zhou Dunyi and integrated the doctrines of the Second Song Dynasty's Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi, as well as the teachings of Lu Zhi and Zhang Zai, proposing a new philosophical system that emphasized "the Way as the foundation," "the mind possesses all principles," and also "the universe is one breath" and "the Way connects with things." He established the "Jiangmen School," whose teachings influenced Wang Yangming and Wang Fuzhi. This book briefly examines his academic and life paths before providing a detailed analysis of Chen's metaphysical views of "the Way as the foundation" and "the Way connects with things," as well as his epistemological theories of "the mind possesses all principles" and "learning values self-discovery." It further explores his ideal personality of worldly ambition and natural detachment, his patriotic and people-oriented political thought, his inclusive and educational philosophy, and his poetic theory of "using the Way as poetry" and "using poetry for education." It also introduces and evaluates Chen's disciple Zhan Ruoshui's theories of "the unity of body and use" and "always recognizing the principle of Heaven," further clarifying that the school of thought created by Chen Xianzhang is neither materialist nor idealist but a new rationalist system that synthesizes various schools while possessing distinct characteristics. This perspective in the book is uniquely original to the author.