Zhu Xi's ultimate concern

Author: Zhao Feng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Regarding Zhu Xi, ultimate concern is not merely a purely spiritual state that does not require special actions (as Mr. Feng Youlan said), but also an inexhaustible and irrepressible ultimate source of moral vitality with special actions within; it is not just a general moral force's ultimate source (as Mr. Mou Zongsan said), but more importantly, an ultimate source of moral vitality for a life action with clear value orientation, embodying the Confucian spirit of taking responsibility for the world. There are many ways to study Zhu Xi, but no matter which method is used, Zhu Xi's original intent should not be distorted. Fully achieving this may be impossible, because any interpretation will inevitably incorporate the thoughts of later generations to some extent. Nevertheless, we can still strive to avoid isolating ourselves and limiting ourselves to certain specific categories or fragments of thought to illustrate Zhu Xi, and instead attempt to place all his intellectual materials back into the specific historical and cultural context of his time. Then, we should grasp him as a whole rather than the issues we are concerned with, thereby pursuing his ultimate concern—which is also connected to our spiritual lives. This book attempts to apply this method to re-examine Zhu Xi.