Introduction of Zhu Xi

Zhu Xi (1130-1200), the word Yuan Xi, fork Zhong brick, No. Xi An. The Southern Song Dynasty, a famous thinker, educator, the Song Dynasty set of reasoning of the master; also after the Song Dynasty, a resident of important philosophers, far-reaching educational thinkers.

Guan Gan's moral cultivation advocates

1, Zhi Zhi

Zhu Xi believes that scholars should first Zhi Zhi, set up a clear and noble aspirations. He said: "Asked for the study of kung fu, to what first? Day: but also, as said before, specifically in the people from the will. Both know this truth, do solid heart, one flavor forward, why do not think of progress. I only think that the will is not firm, only listen to people's words, read people's words, but ultimately no gain in the already". He also said, "If you don't memorize a book, you can memorize it if you read it well. Righteousness is not refined, think carefully can be refined. But the will is not established, straight is no force. Nowadays, people are greedy for profit and not greedy for moral righteousness, to be a nobleman and not as a good person, are the will not establish the disease.

The so-called "to set up the will" is to set up the goal to be Yao, Shun, or sages." The scholar should set up a great ambition", "to be a sage is also to be talented", "the so-called ambition is not to cover others, just straight to learn Yao Shun". However, most of the self-abandonment people are unable to set up a clear and noble purpose of being a sage. He said: "Today's scholars probably have two diseases: one thought that the ancient sages and sages are only this, so they are not willing to do the work; one of them said that they could not be sages, and they are not willing to do the work. Self-violent people do not care to do sage, self-abandonment of people do not dare to do sage, these two kinds of people can not set a will, so they are not willing to do good work. To set up one's will, one must also be courageous and resolute in order to make progress. He said, "Scholars must be taught to be courageous and resolute in order to make progress. What is courageous and resolute? It is the attitude of being hungry for food and thirsty for drink. Therefore, he also said, "The determination should be like hunger and thirst for food and drink. It is only when there is a long time is the will is not established."

Ju Xi believes that the establishment of ambition should be clear and noble, courageous and resolute, so that there is strong confidence, why do not you worry about not advancing?

2, the main respect

Cheng Yi said: "the so-called respect, the main one of the so-called respect; the so-called one of the so-called one of the so-called one of no fit". Zhu Xi inherited Cheng Yi's ideas, that the main respect contains the following meanings.

First, the so-called main respect, is to cultivate a serious or not reckless moral attitude. Zhu Xi said: "To honor means not to be wanton". The so-called "non-indulgent" is the attitude of seriousness and honoring of the rituals and laws. So he also said, "respect is just convergence to", "respect is just this heart to be the master". That is to say, the mind is to be the master of the whole body and to cultivate the ability of self-discipline.

Secondly, the so-called mastery of respect is to cultivate a moral attitude of prudence and caution. He said, "Honor is only a word of fear. The word "fear" means "like living under a burning house or sitting in a leaky boat", and "fear" is an attitude of vigilance.

Thirdly, the so-called "Lord of honor" is to cultivate an attitude of spiritual concentration or consistency. He said: "The main one is to be dedicated"." The one who honors is the one who abides by this and is not easy to say," and "Honoring is always one thing."

Ju Xi attaches great importance to the work of the main respect, that is to cultivate a serious, cautious, consistent mental attitude, throughout the process of good upbringing of the whole of the whole of the time, so he said, "respect for the work of the word, is the first meaning of the Holy Door. It is the first meaning of the Sacred Sect. It is complete and thorough, and cannot be broken in a moment". Some people say, "What is the use of respect? How to do the work of honoring? He replied, "Just no delusional thinking inside and no delusional movement outside. This is a very concise statement.

The so-called "no delusional thinking within" means that one should keep heavenly principles in one's mind and remove human desires. The so-called "no delusional movement", that is, in the appearance, dress, attitude, action should be neat and serious, "sitting like a corpse, standing like a fast, head straight, eyes end, feet heavy, hands heavy, mouth stop, gas solemn, all the respect of the eyes. No delusional thinking within" is the control of the latent inner spiritual life; "no delusional movement outside" is the domination of the significant external body movements. As long as one is able to dominate the movements of the body, one is able to influence one's heart and life; and vice versa. When there is no delusional movement outside, there is naturally no delusional thinking inside; and when there is no delusional thinking inside, there is naturally no delusional movement outside. He called this the "internal and external hold". This claim of his is inseparable from his worldview of Chinese nationalism and his theory of human nature.

He also drew on Buddhism's element of "meditation" in his practice of worship. He was against the religion of not wanting the famous religion, but the asceticism of the religion contained in the famous religion in the confinement of people's mind, which shows the characteristics of his rational education thought.

3, the survival of the nurturing

Meng Zi said, "Nurturing the heart is not better than the lack of desire", "the man who is the survival of the shedding of the idea of death. Zhu Xi inherited the ideas of Mencius, he started from the idea of "nature is the reason", that moral cultivation must pay attention to all not bad "heart" to save up, to converge its body and mind, so that the spirit is always concentrated here, and do not be lost in oblivion. He said, "Now we have to work, and must be dignified to maintain, alone to see the original Zhaokuang. Do not waste your efforts, drilling words on paper. To be stocked with this clear insight, conscious of no many obstacles, Jiao when the party to take the text to see, then naturally have meaning, the reason is naturally thorough, things are naturally easy to meet

and solution, are not many diseases. The so-called "keep your heart and mind" is specifically referring to the heart. From the other side, that is, do not forget the heart, "if the heart does not exist, the body will have no master", "the sages a thousand words, as long as people do not lose their original heart".

But the human "heart" is mixed with materialistic desires and righteousness, so Zhu Xi believes that the "stocking up" as long as the convergence of the heart, so that it is settled in the righteousness of." Scholars for learning, not between its knowledge and practice, and to clean up this heart, so that there is a place to put. If the convergence of all settled in righteousness, no many nonsense, think long time since the material desires on the light, in the righteousness of the heavy". Therefore, sometimes he links the cultivation and the poor reason: "Scholars must be cultivated. If you don't cultivate, how can you be poor in reason?

4, Gu Cha

Zhu Xi believes that "just one person's heart, the bottom of the reasoning is heavenly justice, favoritism is human desire, just in the equal division of treatment will be". Therefore, on the one hand, on the one hand, people advocate the establishment of the will, the main respect, storage and maintenance; on the other hand, on the human desire, he put forward the work of the "province of inspection". He agreed with his students: "The human heart, not to survive or die, and there is no time not to survive or die. Therefore, a breath of time, do not mention the provincial efforts, will fall into the death without realizing it". Cultivation of the province can play a role in advancing, "to the cultivation of the more familiar, the more refined the province of investigation.

"Province" is introspection, "inspection" is inspection. The work of the so-called "inspection" is to require students to reflect on the selfishness of human desires at the "time of the hair" and "after the hair". After one's own hair has been dispersed," he said, "one should reflect on and inspect the selfishness of one's desires. He said, "The one who says that one should examine at the time when one is about to be sent out, says that one should be careful to establish oneself at the beginning of one's thoughts and considerations. It is also said that after the hair has been sent, it is said that after the words and actions have been seen, it is also scrutinized. The idea of the sprout, but not without caution; words and deeds of the outstanding, and can not not be inspected".

Ju Xi's "inspection" work, that is, "seeking peace of mind" work. He believed that the adverse environment and all material desires obscured so that the spirit of the faint flavor, the natural goodness of the loss of heart, "Taoist heart" dominates, can not dominate the "human heart", "the human heart" but to dominate, dominate the "Taoist heart."" The effort of "introspection" is to be sober and prudent at all times, to suppress words and deeds that violate the Divine Principle, and even more so, to stifle any germs of such thoughts in their minds. To "examine" the heart, to remove the blindness, so that the heart of the "reason" always remain clear, this is Zhu Xi's moral education and cultivation of the important task

(a) Zhu Xi's reading method

1.orderly and gradual

The so-called orderly, is to follow the objective sequence of teaching materials and the student's subjective ability to stipulate the course or progress of learning. The so-called gradual progress, is the meaning of not seeking speed. According to Zhu Xi's view, reading "to two books, then through a book and then and a book. To a book, chapter, text, sentence, the first and last order, but also orderly and not chaotic. The amount of effort and carefully guarded, the word to seek its training, the sentence to find its purpose. Not get before, then do not dare to seek after; not through this, then do not dare to ambition. If so, the will be clear, and do not step on the easy mausoleum of the problem carried forward. If the journey while the limit, always hastened, then look at the same. Recently, I realized that this disease is not a small matter. Yuan Lai Taoism is not clear, not above the lack of work, is below the root foot

."

2. Read and analyze

The so-called familiar reading, that is, to memorize the books. The so-called fine thinking, that is, repeatedly searching for the meaning of the text. According to Zhu Xi's view, "I have said that there are three to reading: heart to, eyes to, mouth to."" Xunzi said, recite the number of coherent. When I saw the ancients reciting books, I also memorized the number of times. I know that Hengqu taught people to read and recite, the first meaning of Taoism

. The number of times is sufficient, but not yet become a recitation, must want to become a recitation. The number of times is not enough, although it has become a recitation, must be full of times. But a hundred times, since it is strong fifty times; two hundred times, since it is strong one hundred times. Today, so can not remember, said not to go, if the heart of the existence of the death, are for the fine not familiar with the problem. This is why people are not as good as the ancients, only to fight for these children. Scholars look at the book, read the text, remember the notes, into the recitation of familiar, the note in the training and interpretation of the meaning of the text, things, name pieces, invention of the intertwined, one by one to recognize, such as their own out of the bottom of the general, so that we can taste again and again, upward to the point of penetration. If not, it is just a false argument, not for the study of the already."

3. The so-called false heart HanYong

The so-called false heart HanYong, that is, the attitude of objectivity, but also the original face of the ancient books, and do not cling to the old, accept the concise and correct interpretation, but not good high service odd, chiseling and different. According to Zhu Xi's view, "Zhuangzi said, I am with the false and the snake. Both false, but also to go with his twists and turns. Reading must be false heart, only. Sage said a word is a word. I only calmly to weigh him, can not make a gray fabrication. Scholars look at the text, do not have to set up their own say, only remember the former sages and the family said it. Today's people reading, mostly under the heart first have a meaning, but the sage's words to make up his meaning, which does not fit, they will be chiseled will be."

4. Cutting the body to realize

The so-called cutting the body to realize, that is, when reading, make the book reasoning and their own experience or life combined, and the book reasoning to guide their own practice. According to Zhu Xi,

"The door to the Way is to put oneself into the reasoning, and gradually become close to it, and become one with it. Nowadays, the Tao is here, and the self is outside, and there is no connection. Scholars study, must be the words of the sages, body in the body. Such as the restoration of etiquette, such as going out to see the big guests and other things, must be on their own body to restore, I can really restoration of etiquette, the main respect line of forgiveness? If every piece is like this, then it will be beneficial."

5. Tighten the force

The so-called tighten the force, that is, with the spirit of perseverance and courage to read, to persevere to the end without slackening the spirit of reading. According to Zhu Xi's view, "wide with the deadline, tight with the course. For learning to be resolute and decisive, leisurely does not help. And such as anger and forget to eat, happy to forget, is what spirit, what sinews! Today's scholars, all have not been angry. Straight to shake the spirit, such as putting out fires and curing diseases, such as supporting the water boat, a penny can not be slowed down."

6. Jiu Jing Zhi Zhi

The so-called Jiu Jing, that is, to collect the assured, serious and spiritually dedicated attitude. The so-called holding the will, that is, to set a specific goal, or according to a special problem to collect and organize the information in the book. According to Zhu Xi's view, "Mr. Cheng Yun, cultivation must be used to respect, learning is in the Zhi Zhi Zhi, this is the most important. Square nothing, respect to hold themselves, where the heart can not be put into the countryside without any, must be convergence in this. And when it is time to do something, respect to do something, when reading, respect to read:-then naturally the coherence of movement and static, the heart is not in. Today's scholars say that the book is mostly twisted together, but not detailed and familiar. This disease is not a disease of the book, but a disease of the heart. Covering the heart is not dedicated to quiet and pure, so the thought is not refined. It is necessary to cultivate the virtual bright and concentrated quiet, then the reason from the inside of the flow of good."

(2) teaching principles and methods

Zhu Xi "in the Meanwhile" on the "erudition of the, interrogation of the, prudent thinking of the, Ming discernment of the, Dudu line" as the teaching process, and that "learning to think of the four, so poor reasoning also". In the teaching process, he put forward several teaching principles and methods

.

1. automatic and timely inspiration

Ju Xi attaches great importance to the issue of automaticity of learning, he believes that learning is their own thing, is not replaced by others. He said: "reading is self-study, for learning is self-study, not a thousand others a line of business, others to help their own shall not."" The road can not sit still and wait for it to come, just wait for others to pay attention to, to put in their own mouths. According to his view, to do learning mainly rely on their own subjective efforts, with a positive attitude to master knowledge or seek truth.

In that case, what is the role of the teacher? He said, "Guidance is the work of the teacher," and "The work of the teacher and friend, but can be shown in the beginning, and corrected in the end." He also said of his own experience, "There is a certain place where there is little talking and much practicing. Everything with your own to pay attention to, to self-awareness, to self-cultivation. The book with your own to read, the reason with your own to explore. I just do a guide to the bottom, do a proof of the bottom, there are doubts and difficulties, with the discussion only. He believes that teachers in the teaching process, although occupies an important position, but can not replace the role of students. Teachers just do a "guide", in the beginning of the students to give guidance and guidance; in a stage of learning at the end of the study, to check whether the students are learning correctly, whether it is effective, to give appropriate evaluation, proof and judgment; when the students encountered difficulties, together with the discussion. In the process of discussion, the teacher should inspire at the right time. He said in the "Analects" "not angry not start" chapter note: "indignant, the heart seeks to pass but did not get the meaning; sentimental, the mouth wants to speak and failed to look." It is also said: "This five so-called rain of the time. Such as planting things, manpower with their own additions. But just that time of the year, want to happen not happened when, but owed some small rain, suddenly get these small rain to, business can not be imperial also". I'm sorry, but I don't want to be a sentimentalist, it's hard to teach; to be a sentimentalist, it's a clear understanding of the situation.

Ju Xi believes that the full mobilization of students' enthusiasm and initiative, not to weaken the role of the teacher, not passive waiting for students to spontaneously appear initiative, but by the teacher proactively inspire students, mobilize the positive initiative of students. He said: "reading no doubt, must be taught to have doubt, doubtful, but no doubt, to here is the long way forward. Make no doubt that there is doubt, there is no doubt that there is doubt, so that the leading role of the teacher and student learning initiative combined, which is a very valuable insight.

2. The courageous and vigorous and learning from the past

The so-called "courageous and vigorous" refers to the beginning of learning, mobilizing all the energy to learn in a courageous and vigorous spirit, should be like a soldier at the beginning of the war, holding the determination to advance without retreat, with the determination of the dead without life. He said, "The sages have spoken a thousand words, but they have only said this. It is necessary to encourage this heart, to be courageous, to set aside the heart and soul, and to do with him, like beating the drums of war on both sides, not asking how the front is, only recognizing that the roll will go, so that the work can be done. If you are half up and half down, half down and half up, how can you help?"

He also compared learning to alchemy, decoction, cart. Beginning with a fierce fire to refine the elixir, "Fang good slight fire to raise teach achievement."" Like decocting medicine, first decocting with fierce fire, hundreds of boiling and rolling, and then pouring out the body, and then you can raise it with slow fire."" It is like pushing a car; at first you use some force to push it, but after the car is moving, your own family depends on him for its livelihood." That is to say, the beginning of learning, should mobilize all the energy, with a courageous attitude to do learning, in order to overcome the objective difficulties and subjective inertia.

But Zhu Xi's metaphor of "fierce fire" followed by "micro-fire" is not the same as saying that later learning can be slackened off, so he put forward the principle of "warming up the old times".

According to Zhu Xi's view, "time learning" is important. He said: "People do not learn, there is no way to know what they should know the reasoning, no way to be able to do what they should do. Learning without practicing, although know its reasoning, can be its business, but also raw and dangerous, and can not be self-security. Learning and not time, although the day of learning and its efforts intermittent, a storm of sunshine, and ultimately not enough to become the work of its learning carried forward. That is to say, if you do not study, you can not get the necessary knowledge and skills; if not always review or practice, you can not consolidate the knowledge gained

knowledge and skills; if not always review or practice, you can not receive the effect of review. He also said: "Learning through the time to learn, must be mindful of the above, no matter not to learn, no time not to learn, no place not to learn". The so-called "learning from time to time", that is, with the matter, at any time, everywhere are reviewing, practicing the process of knowledge they have acquired, that is, uninterrupted

"Warm up" process. He said, "Whenever I review, I feel that the flavor is deep and long, and that I have gained something new."" Must be the old to know the new, if you do not ask to know the new, then the new can not get to know, but also can not get to seek carry on". He believes that the old is the basis for knowing the new.

"Warming up the past" can be the knowledge they have learned to integrate, transformed into skills, and endless applications. He thought that the kind of mechanical repetition of old news and can not touch the people, can not be a teacher. So he said: "to know the old and to know, only the old and do not know the new, it is not enough for the teacher". Zhu Xi kind of both emphasize learning to be courageous, and advocate perseverance; both the importance of learning the old, but also do not ignore the idea of exploring new knowledge, we are still inspiring.

3. Teach people in order not to take, etc.

Zhu Xi inherited Zhang Zai's ideas, also put forward "teach people in order not to say, etc." principle. He said: "Things are big and small, the reason is not big and small, so teach people in order, but not to say etc.". He also said: "A gentleman teaches order, first passes on the small and the near, and then teaches the far and the big." He paid close attention to the near to far, from easy to difficult, from shallow to deep, from known to unknown, from concrete to abstract. He said, "For example, when climbing a mountain, people want to go to the high place, but they do not know that if they do not pay attention to the low place, they will not be able to go to the high place." He also said,

"In the obvious place of easy to see, then the bottom of the secret from the mileage. And in the proximity of additional work". Also said: "According to a look at the way of learning is only in front of the bottom of the daily use is, the first no deep and mysterious". That is to say, learning must be from the low to the high, from the easy place to the subtle place, from the immediate day-to-day use of the bottom to the deep and far from the subtle bottom. The low, the easy, and the immediate daily use are the foundation.

How to progress step by step? Zhu Jia said: "Learning can not step, can not be rash, futile effort, according to the order, such as the law to pay attention to, once familiar with, other books are also body. He also said: "reading must be all over the circumference of the full, I thought that rather detailed, rather than abbreviated, rather than under the high, rather clumsy, rather than clever, rather close than far. The next study is the foundation of the upper reach, learning to do the work of the next study

, laid the foundation, there is the possibility of the upper reach. He said, "the sages teach people to learn from the next up to, in order, so engaged in the intermediary, Bo and have to, about and not alone, no forgetfulness Rah Rah of the ills. Today's words of scholars class more anti-this, so its high fall into the empty fantasy, the humble drown in the hearing and seeing, devouring the unknown will be the home of the an". Zhu Xi believes that, not first engaged in the lower learning and delusion on the up to, that is, step across, will fall into the empty fantasy; dedicated to the lower learning and do not want to up to, although not step across, but indulge in the heard and seen. The former is "not in order and follow up", the latter is "although in order and not progressive", are not good, will only waste energy and can not achieve the purpose. He believed that only by following the stages from easy to difficult, from near to far, and force learning, it has its own progress.

4, Dugong

Zhu Xi inherited the Confucian idea of Dugong, in teaching the role of the line. He said, "in vain Ming not work, then Ming not all, empty Ming only; in vain line is not clear, then the line is not asked, a certain line only". What he means is that if one knows but does not act, one's knowledge is empty knowledge, and if one acts but does not know, one's behavior is meditative behavior. Therefore, knowledge and action should go hand in hand, and should not be emphasized or neglected. If from the time of occurrence, Zhi Zhi Zhi is the first, and Li Xing is the second; but from the importance of moral cultivation, Zhi Zhi Zhi is light, and Li Xing is heavy. Therefore, he said, "In terms of priority, knowledge comes first; in terms of lightness, behavior comes first."

He also put forward the idea that "knowledge and action are necessary". He said: "the eye without the foot can not, the foot without the eye do not see". He used this common example to profoundly express the inseparable relationship between knowledge and action. Not only that, he also went on to put forward the knowledge is to rely on the practice to test the idea, he said: "Fang its knowledge, but the line has not been reached, the knowledge is still shallow; both in person in its domain, the knowledge of the bright, not the meaning of the day before". In his view, know but not, the experience is not deep; see in action, the understanding is more clear. He is this kind of practice for the sentence knowledge still need to test the idea, is profound.

5. Combination of erudition and specialization

Ju Xi believed that learning should start from erudition, and then make erudition and specialization combined. What does the so-called erudition mean? He said: "erudition, that is, the theory of heaven and earth and all things, repair has been the party of governance, all when learning."" How many things are there in order to learn to cultivate oneself and rule others. Such as astronomy, geography, rites and music, system, military, criminal law, are all really useful cause, not their own local affairs. He also said: "We should pay attention to the big things, such as heaven and earth, yin and yang, and the small things, such as insects and plants. If you do not pay attention to one thing, you will be lacking in the reasoning of that one thing." ...It must be open before it can be expanded."

Ju Xi is the importance of erudition, he built a house as an example, attaching importance to "broad open base, wide open site plant that erudition is to build a good broad and solid foundation. He also said: "Meng Zi day: erudite and detailed, will be to counter say about it. Language cloud: Bo I to the text, about me to the ritual, must be the first Bo and then to about, how will be the first about it? If a person first to simple mind, do not know the erudition, questioning, careful thinking, discernment, and behavior, the future will be into the heresy to go". There is no broad foundation, it is difficult to specialize, only a general broad knowledge without specialization, that can not make a difference in the academic. Therefore, he emphasized that the study of "through the special and not expensive Bo. Covered only dedicated to be able to know the meaning and get its use, in vain, but the anti-Bo suffering from the clutter and shallow no gain.

To sum up, Zhu Xi's teaching ideas are very rich, has touched on the teaching process of teaching principles of some of the basic issues, the automaticity of learning, learning and thinking, learning and practice, learning and practice, teaching and learning, Bo and about and so on; also involves the teaching of the purpose of the nature of the positive, a good start, consolidation, amount of force, practical, extensive, specialization, and so on. His teaching experience and theories accumulated over a long period of time in China's ancient times have been summarized, sorted out, summarized, transformed and systematized. Many of these insights are thought-provoking and are a legacy worthy of our reference. (End)