Study of the Taizhou School

Author: Ji Fangtong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: The Taizhou School is a branch of Wang Yangming's school during the Ming Dynasty. It played a significant role in spreading Wang Yangming's teachings and popularizing Confucian thought. Many of its viewpoints had enlightenment qualities and held positive implications for the transition of society towards modernity. This paper primarily explores some fundamental issues of the Taizhou School, clarifying its relationships with Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It particularly offers innovative research on Taizhou School doctrines such as "Great Learning," "Everyday Life as the Dao," "Sincerity," "The Doctrine of the Unfettered Child," and "The Doctrine of the Childlike Heart." Additionally, it compares the self-cultivation theories of the Taizhou School with those of the Jiangyou School and the Zhejiang School, and discusses the status and historical impact of the Taizhou School.