" The Collection of Two Melodies"

Author: Li Xueqiu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: March 1, 2006
Features: Li Xueqiu (1627—1750), styled Zhongfu, was a native of Zhouzhi (now Zhouzhi), Shaanxi. He was known as the "Master of the Two Curves" (Erqu Xiansheng) because the mountain bend was called Zhou and the water bend was called Zhi. Born in Guanzhong, he advocated teaching and learning throughout his life, earning admiration from scholars in the region. Together with Sun Qifeng and Huang Zongxi, he was regarded as one of the three great Confucian scholars of the early Qing Dynasty and a highly influential educator during the transition between the Ming and Qing dynasties. The educational philosophy in The Collected Works of Erqu is rich and can be summarized in the following aspects:
(1) The "Academic Marrow" theory, which combines the principles of Lu Wang's Mind School with the spirit of Cheng Zhu's Neo-Confucianism.
The Academic Marrow in Volume 2 of The Collected Works of Erqu is a renowned work of educational philosophy. The term "Academic Marrow" refers to the essence of scholarship, or the most crucial purpose of academic pursuits. This treatise is a record of Li Xueqiu's lectures to his disciples, compiled and organized by his students, complete with illustrations drawn by Li himself. The Academic Marrow resembles Zhou Dunyi's Commentary on the Taiji Diagram and the I Ching in its format, consisting of two parts: one on the metaphysical theory of the mind-nature, and the other on the moral cultivation methods.
In terms of metaphysics, the Academic Marrow posits that the "original life" (also known as "spiritual origin") is the fundamental essence of human beings and also the root of all things in heaven and earth. In reality, this "original life" or "spiritual origin" is the "human mind." It is believed to "fill the universe, span the past and present, and never cease for a moment. Once one grasps this, the universe becomes what one stands, all transformations arise from oneself, and all sages stand shoulder to shoulder, with the past and present merging into one." This metaphysical theory inherits the "theory of the original mind" of Lu Jiuyuan and Wang Shouren's "theory of innate knowledge," advocating that the mind generates all things, and all things manifest the mind. This mind-nature theory emphasizes the dominance of individual inner virtue in moral practice: "Everyone possesses this spiritual origin, innate knowledge, and innate ability, responding to sensations; yet in daily life, they lose their way, seeing a donkey while riding a donkey, hence the term 'common people.'" It considers this original life to be "non-action yet," "all-encompassing in measure, all-illuminating in clarity, and perfectly adapted to all circumstances." Thus, the Academic Marrow proposes the view that "a thought without attachment to desires is the true thought." This "thought without attachment" refers to contemplation free from material desires, perfectly aligning with "Heavenly Reason." It is "singular and unchanging, not opposing anything," purely the realm of reason, without the duality of reason and desire. The distinction between moral and immoral is not determined by external moral practices or outcomes but by the "arising of thought," after which "reason and desire are distinguished." "Even if what arises is all good, expressed in words, seen in actions, it may be emulated, achieving great deeds, praised for generations—yet this is not effortless. The nobleman avoids such effortless actions." This is a radical subjective moral philosophy that pushes the asceticist idea of "preserving Heavenly Reason and extinguishing human desires" to an absolute state of inner tranquility, demanding scholars to "strengthen the root and guard the truth," "forget both reason and desire, and let no fleeting thought arise," like a mirror reflecting without welcoming or following. Only in this way can the original life exist, and only then is it called "the ultimate learning" or "the great virtue of nurturing transformation."
Based on this metaphysical understanding, the theory of cultivation emphasizes the importance of "self-discipline" and "avoiding worldly entanglements," which closely aligns with Wang Ren's "heart-meditation," Nie Bao and Luo Hongxian's "returning to stillness," and Zou Shouyi's "caution of the original life." The starting point of cultivation is "self-discipline," a crucial task for "manifesting the noble virtue." It aims to unify thoughts, prevent evil, and maintain moral vigilance. The basic cultivation method is "seated meditation." Why meditate? "When the water is clear, the pearl naturally appears; when the mind is clear, the nature naturally shines. Therefore, seated meditation must be the foundation." One is required to meditate three times a day: at dawn, noon, and midnight, each time burning a stick of incense in front to ensure the mind is "calm, bright, still, and determined" both in stillness and movement, seeking "harmony between the inner and outer" in both the unmanifested and manifested states. Through the cultivation of seated meditation, one can achieve a state of "clear and bright tranquility, without internal or external distractions," allowing the original life to "reiterate without bounds, and motion and stillness to share the same origin." At this point, "there is no distinction between the sage and the commoner, nor is there a need to resolve life and death." This is the realm of pure Heavenly Reason, free from human desires. The Academic Marrow considers this state to be the very one described in the Six Classics, the Four Books, the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Analects, the Mencius, Zhou Dunyi's "establishing the ultimate," Cheng Yi's "recognizing benevolence," Zhu Xi's "maintaining reverence and exploring principles," Lu Jiuyuan's "establishing the great first," Wang Shouren's "extending innate knowledge," and Gan Ganquan's "recognizing and verifying." This is learning, this is the marrow of learning. Beyond this, even if one exhausts the classics of past and present, accumulating countless books, it cannot be called learning, only "distracted by trivial matters and losing one's way."
In summary, Li Xueqiu's Academic Marrow takes education philosophy to an extreme subjective spiritual world of mystery, pushing the mind-nature theory and the methodology of "preserving reason and extinguishing desire" of Neo-Confucianism to an ultimate state. This is closely related to his decision to avoid worldly affairs and refuse cooperation with the Qing court while failing to find a place to settle his mind. In moral cultivation practice, both the theory and methods of the Academic Marrow are difficult to implement.
(2) The theory of mind-nature cultivation centered on "repentance and self-renewal."
The Repentance and Self-Renewal in The Collected Works of Erqu holds that human nature "obtains the principle of Heaven and Earth" and is "fundamentally perfect and free from evil, pure and flawless." However, it is gradually eroded by "inherent dispositions, emotional desires, customs, and changing times," leading to a decline into "petty people." Even if one becomes a "petty person," their "original nature" remains unextinguished, "like a clear mirror covered in dust, yet its lustrous body remains untouched." With polishing and cleansing, the dust and impurities are removed, and it remains bright and lustrous, without loss. The methods of learning throughout history, when discussing mind-nature cultivation, teach people to "polish and cleanse the mind-nature" to see the mind and realize the nature. Based on this perspective, the Repentance and Self-Renewal points out: "Throughout history, renowned scholars who advocated the way and saved the world are numerous. Some took 'maintaining reverence and exploring principles' as their central tenet, others 'establishing the great first,' some took the 'spirit of the mind' as the sage, some took 'naturalness,' some took 'restoring the nature,' some took 'extending innate knowledge,' some took 'recognizing and verifying everywhere,' some took 'correct cultivation,' some took 'knowing the limit,' and some took 'illustrious virtue.' Though their tenets differ, they all boil down to the four characters 'repentance and self-renewal,' always opening the way for repentance and self-renewal."
The theory of mind-nature cultivation centered on "repentance and self-renewal" affirms the essence of human nature in its original state and believes that human nature can be changed through post-natal learning and education. However, it firmly declares that "human desires" are absolutely bad and evil. To "preserve Heavenly Reason and extinguish human desires," it advocates "restoring the original body free from faults and returning to the path of constant renewal." Li Xueqiu points out that the Six Classics and the Four Books all teach the of "repentance and self-renewal." As long as the ruler from the emperor to the common people follow this principle, the goals of self-cultivation, family harmony, governance, and world peace can be achieved. Therefore, "repentance and self-renewal" is the fundamental learning, "the key to the advancement of all sages, and if one has no aspiration to be a person, then it is enough. But if one truly aspires to be a person, one must learn from this."
However, how to implement the learning of "repentance and self-renewal" in mind-nature cultivation? The text points out that if scholars pursue this learning, they must "secretly observe and verify at every arising and moving of thought. If even one thought is not pure in reason, it is a fault, and it must be repented and abandoned. If even one moment lags in diligence, it is not renewal, and it must be awakened and revitalized. For those who have not studied, they must first examine their own faults, then their faults of the heart, repent for past wrongs, and sever future ones, striving until no thought is impure and no moment is lax." This repentance and self-renewal is entirely an internal self-examination and cultivation, a conscious method of binding oneself with the feudal moral spirit. It is believed that when repentance and self-renewal reach the extreme of mind-nature cultivation, "one repents and repents until there is nothing to repent; one renews and renews until there is no end to renewal." As for the cultivation method of repentance and self-renewal, it remains the same as that advocated in the Academic Marrow: "seated meditation." "If we pay attention to this learning and still drift along, day after day, like those who have not studied, we will never achieve results. Therefore, we must meditate. Seated meditation is the foundation of the initial effort of the ancients." Why meditate? Because "the principle of Heaven and Earth does not gather or disperse, so without extreme stillness, one cannot transcend and realize. Moreover, the boundary between 'fault' and 'good' lies in subtle differences, which cannot be analyzed without precision. Only through seated meditation, by eliminating distractions, can one 'know the subtle' and achieve pure Heavenly Reason, realizing the mind and nature." The Repentance and Self-Renewal also cites many examples from ancient and modern times to encourage people, demonstrating that as long as one repents and self-renews, they will achieve the effect of cultivating virtue.
In summary, the theory of mind-nature cultivation centered on "repentance and self-renewal" primarily discusses the moral self-examination and cultivation methods of Neo-Confucian scholars, aiming to teach people to eliminate "human desires" and consciously internalize the feudal moral norms of external relationships, so that "one looks up without shame to Heaven, and looks down without guilt to people," becoming "complete people" or "sages."
(3) The theory of learning focused on "clarifying the mind, understanding the principle, and cultivating oneself."
A significant portion of The Collected Works of Erqu elaborates on the purpose and role of learning. In The of the Two Schools, it is pointed out: "Education must begin with schools; there can be no education without it in schools. However, education is not about empty talk of principles, but about clarifying the mind and understanding the principle." The mind is the same throughout history, but the purpose and nature of learning differ fundamentally—one is "learning for oneself," and the other is "learning for others." The so-called "learning for others" not only seeks fame and profit, which sages and sages reject, but even intelligence and talent are of no use." While "learning for oneself" merely involves clarifying the mind, understanding the principle, and cultivating oneself. Before the mind manifests, it must be nurtured; after it manifests, it must be examined. It is not outside the daily practice of rites and norms, but to "perceive and verify everywhere." Li Xueqiu believes that learning must take "learning for oneself" as its purpose and cultivate oneself to govern others. Because in this life, "one must have virtue and achievement to establish oneself, and merit and achievement to serve the world." Therefore, "establishing others and helping others all depend on teaching; changing customs and rectifying society all depend on teaching; restoring order and all depend on teaching; turning the world upside down and righting it all depend on teaching. For those above, it is virtue; for those below, it is the people—all of this depends on this."
To understand "learning for oneself," one must know the distinction between the true and false of learning. The Collected Works of Erqu criticizes the obscurity of learning in later generations, the decline of education, and the fact that fathers and brothers supervise, teachers and friends guide, officials encourage, and disciples follow trends—all confined to literary and fame-seeking. Beyond this, they are ignorant of the purpose of schools and the meaning of reading." The obscurity of learning leads "learning for others" to "kill the world and its descendants with learning"; while "learning for oneself" becomes obscure, "the mind is not upright," and "education and governance do not flourish." Therefore, The Collected Works of Erqu believes: "For today, the only solution is to clarify learning. When learning is clear, talent will flourish. When talent flourishes, customs will be rectified, and education and governance will be harmonious." The purpose of clarifying learning is to govern chaos. And "the governance or chaos of the world depends on the uprightness or corruption of the mind; the uprightness or corruption of the mind depends on the clarity or obscurity of learning; the clarity or obscurity of learning depends on the preferences of those in power." Here, Li Xueqiu attributes the clarity or obscurity of learning to the rulers' promotion of learning. He points out that what modern rulers pay attention to is merely "examinations and literary competitions, providing food and rewards." In light of this, Li Xueqiu points out in Rectifying the Current Affairs that: "The greatest root of the world is nothing more than the mind; the greatest key is nothing more than awakening the minds of the world. Yet to awaken minds, nothing is more important than clarifying learning. This is the most urgent task for today."
What kind of learning does The Collected Works of Erqu advocate? Or what kind of learning should be used to "awaken the minds of the world"? This is the so-called "learning of clarifying the principle and applying it." In The Answers from Zhouzhi, it is written: "One who can govern all things and participate in the universe is called a Confucian; one who practices the governance of all things and participates in the universe is called a scholar." "The learning of Confucians is the learning of clarifying the principle and applying it." Specifically, "in reality, the learning of the Way is the learning of Confucianism. To explore principles and extend knowledge, and to return it to the inner self, is to recognize the mind and realize the nature, truly practicing and verifying; to extend it to the outer world, is to open things and achieve affairs, benefiting and saving the people. This is called clarifying the principle and applying it." In The Answers from Fuping, it is also pointed out: "The Six Classics and the Four Books are the learning of clarifying the principle and applying it of Confucians."
However, whether reading the Six Classics and the Four Books can achieve the purpose of "clarifying the principle and applying it" depends on the purpose and method of reading. If one reads without seeking to clarify the principle and apply it, even if one's research is deep and one's writings are abundant, it is merely "showing off expertise and dazzling the world." Similarly, if one is scattered among complex theories or buried in textual exegesis, "one is indeed constrained by the trivialities of common learning." These learning methods cannot achieve the purpose of "clarifying the principle and applying it." If one reads the Four Books and the Six Classics but cannot clarify the principle and apply it, the main issue in the method is "heterogeneity." What is heterogeneity? It is "to tap it without exhaustion, to measure it without depth, to have rich knowledge but to be lost in distance, this is heterogeneous learning." Those who pursue heterogeneous learning waste useful spirit on trivial matters, "internally unable to clarify the way and preserve the mind, externally unable to govern the world and manage things, and it is only in vain." None of these learning methods can clarify the principle and apply it. Then where is the method? The Collected Works of Erqu, though written in the early Qing Dynasty, when the Qing rulers vigorously promoted Cheng Zhu's Neo-Confucianism and fiercely attacked Wang Yangming's learning, while scholars vigorously belittled Yangming's learning, Li Xueqiu believed that both Yangming's learning and Zhu Xi's learning were indeed "learning of clarifying the principle and applying it." The Answers from Fuping points out: "Later scholars do not know how to learn from Yangming's learning and Zhu Xi's learning. They think that Zhu Wang's learning is incompatible with water and fire, which is quite mistaken. Yangming's learning has the function of clarifying the principle, while Zhu Xi's learning has the significance of applying it. Therefore, it is necessary to 'extend innate knowledge to clarify the principle, and to maintain reverence, explore principles, preserve and examine to cultivate oneself.' From the subtlest thought to extreme caution, and from hearing, seeing, speaking, and moving to continuous cultivation, only then can the internal and external be fully achieved, and the essence of Yaojiang and Kaoting not be neglected. From learning downward to reaching upward, all is unified." Only in this way can one "clarify the principle and apply it." Li Xueqiu believes that whether learning can take "clarifying the principle and applying it" as its foundation is related to the brightness or obscurity of Confucian learning. The brightness or obscurity of Confucian learning is not only related to the prosperity or decline of scholarly customs but is also related to the well-being or suffering of the people and the rise or fall of the world. When Confucian learning is bright, the scholars practice the correct profession of clarifying the principle and applying it, with principles to uphold and actions to take, benefiting the people and making the world prosperous. When Confucian learning is obscure, the scholars pursue trivial skills like literary composition and rote memorization, without principles to uphold or actions to take, leaving the people with nothing to rely on, and how can the world not decline?"
From this, it is clear that the theory of learning focused on "clarifying the mind, understanding the principle, and cultivating oneself" in The Collected Works of Erqu is the so-called "learning of clarifying the principle and applying it," and its role and significance lie in "governing chaos" and "awakening the people."
(4) The teaching content and teaching plan of "learning of clarifying the principle and applying it."
The Collected Works of Erqu divides learning into "clarifying the principle" and "applying." The works under "clarifying the principle" include: The Collected Works of Xiangshan, The Collected Works of Yangming, The Collected Works of Longxi, The Collected Works of Jinxi, The Collected Works of Cihu, and The Collected Works of Baisha. These are considered "the principle within the principle." In addition, there are The Complete Works of the Two Chengs, The Complete Works of Zhu Xi, The Complete Works of Zhu Xi, The Collected Works of Wu Kangzhai, Xue Jingxuan's Records of Reading, The Collected Works of Hu Jingzai, Luo Zheng'an's Records of Overcoming Ignorance, Lü Jingye's Record of Sayings, and The Collected Works of Feng Shaoxu. These are considered "the cultivation of the principle." It is pointed out: "From Xiangshan to Cihu, the books elucidate the mind-nature, revealing all secrets. If one reads them carefully, they can see the great source of this way. Then, read the records of Cheng and Zhu, as well as the collections of Kangzhai and Jingxuan, to complete the cultivation of learning, to gather and preserve, to combine cultivation with the principle, and to complete the source from the present. Learning downward and reaching upward, internal and external, beginning and end, all are unified, and only then can one achieve actuality."
In addition to the above works, there are also The Collected Works of Zou Dongluo, The Collected Works of Wang Xinzhai, The Collected Works of Qian Xushan, The Collected Works of Xue Zhongli, The Collected Works of Geng Tiantai, Lü's Record of Lamenting Words, The Collected Works of Xin Fuyuan, The Collected Works of Wei Zhuangqi, and The Collected Works of Zhou Haimen, which can also be used as reference materials.
The works under "applying" include: The Elucidation of the Great Learning, The Supplement to the Elucidation of the Great Learning, The Comprehensive Examination of Documents and Facts, Lü's Record of Practical Governance, Xin Fuyuan's The Reed Gate's Rush, The Stone Painting of Governing the World, The Essentials of Governing the World, The Military Preparations, The Eight Principles of Governing the World, The Comprehensive Outline of the Mirror for Governing, The Grand Collection of the Ming Dynasty, The Collection of Declarations of Famous Officials of Past and Present, Laws and Regulations, The Complete Works of Agricultural Policy, The Complete Works of Water Conservancy, The Western Water Methods, and The Geographical Hazards. It is pointed out: "All of the above are related to the economy and should be studied with utmost dedication."
From the above list of academic works, it can be seen that the "learning of clarifying the principle and applying it" advocated by The Collected Works of Erqu takes "the principle" as moral and mind-nature cultivation, while "the application" refers to the governance of the world and its related politics, military, laws, agriculture, water conservancy, geography, etc. Li Xueqiu wrote comments after each book, pointing out the nature and significance of each book and its position in "clarifying the principle" or "applying." These reflect Li Xueqiu's academic value orientation. Most notably, he considered the works of Lu Jiuyuan, Wang Shouren, and others as "the principle within the principle," while he only considered the works of the Two Chengs and Zhu Xi as "the cultivation of the principle," reflecting his inclination toward the Mind School. In The Reply to Gu Ningren on Learning, Li Xueqiu pointed out: "To clarify the way and preserve the mind as the principle, and to govern the world and manage things as the application, then the principle is the true principle, and the application is the true application." To clarify the way and preserve the mind, and to govern the world and manage things, then to distinguish between ancient and modern words and phrases, to examine textual exegesis, or to seek between hearing and seeing, is merely seeking the superficial.
From this, it can be seen that although Li Xueqiu extensively discussed the cultivation of the mind-nature and the spirit of the Way, he ultimately aimed at practicality. Especially in the "application" aspect, he included works like The Essentials of Governing the World, The Military Preparations, The Complete Works of Agricultural Policy, The Complete Works of Water Conservancy, The Western Water Methods, and The Geographical Hazards in the teaching materials, indicating his genuine concern for practical knowledge. For example, The Essentials of Governing the World covers such topics as military settlement, water conservancy, salt administration, national finances, selecting generals, training troops, vehicle design, and fire warfare. The Military Preparations includes ancient and modern battle formations and the art of war, among which The Art of War of Sun Tzu, The Art of War of Wu Zi, The New Book of Military Training, and The Records of Military Training are all classic works of ancient military strategists. Works like The Complete Works of Agricultural Policy and The Western Water Methods are all new books of science and technology at the time. His inclusion of these works shows that his "application" of learning is aimed at governing the world and achieving practical results.
In The Order of Reading, Li Xueqiu provided scholars with a very detailed list, with a total of 34 books, and also mentioned dozens of reference books. The Collected Works of Erqu not only lists such a detailed book list but also points out the significance of each book. Moreover, in The Association Agreement of the Guanzhong College and The Learning Process, based on the difficulty and structure of the teaching content, in accordance with the teaching program and psychological characteristics of teaching, it included valuable teaching plans, providing specific explanations on the order of learning, knowledge and psychological preparation, and teaching methods. In terms of teaching principles, The Association Agreement and The Learning Process proposed "striving for renewal," "seated meditation to clarify the mind," "self-examination and self-recognition," "asking and thinking to clarify," "seeking near and reflecting," and "connecting and cutting."
The Collected Works of Erqu, as a classic work of ancient Chinese education, can be said to have unique ideological content and academic value. In terms of academic thought, it advocates learning that clarifies the principle and applies it, promotes learning to govern the world and manage things, advocates forming associations and societies, advocates taking governing the world and achieving practical results as the purpose of reading, and criticizes the empty and superficial learning style of scholars at the time. It has both the conservatism of a Neo-Confucian scholar and a focus on practicality. In terms of value orientation, it leans toward the Mind School, advocates the inclusiveness of learning, and transforms the content of education under the principle of clarifying the principle and applying it. These should be affirmed. However, the moral theories and methods of moral cultivation in The Collected Works of Erqu—such as "seated meditation to clarify the mind," "repentance and self-renewal," and "clarifying the mind and recognizing the principle"—have aistic and mystical color and the essence of feudal asceticism, which are incompatible with the anti-Neo-Confucian enlightenment trends of the late Ming and early Qing, showing its backwardness and limitations.