Songming Neo-Confucianism and Political Culture: The Collected Works of Yu Yingshi (Volume 10)

Author: Yu Ying-shih
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This book consists of two parts. The first part focuses on the origins and development of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty and its intricate and complex relationship with political culture. The second part examines the relationship between Neo-Confucianism and political culture in the Ming Dynasty. The entire book constructs a comprehensive historical landscape based on primary historical sources. Through the historical context and specific circumstances of the Song Dynasty, it reconstructs the actual process of the development of Neo-Confucianism from its inception to completion. The author emphasizes from a historical perspective that the origins and development of Neo-Confucianism (or Daoism) must first be placed within the unique political and cultural framework of the Song Dynasty to achieve a more comprehensive understanding. The book provides a political interpretation of the literature on Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism (such as the Two Cheng brothers, Zhang Zai, Zhu Xi, etc.), revealing a political culture of the Song and Ming Dynasties that differs significantly from the traditional construction in academia. Grounded in profound scholarship and historical awareness, the author extensively masters historical sources, meticulously weaves together the interpretation of textual and historical materials, and delves deeper into the subtle layers of the inner thoughts of ancient scholars. As a result, the book not only presents grand conclusions but also offers detailed dialectical analysis, inevitably challenging the established views in academia and opening up new perspectives for the study of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism.