China people's way of thinking

What you can see and touch will eventually be destroyed. To achieve true immortality, we must transcend the limited existence of self. The sages of China regarded Tao as an eternal existence beyond all tangible things. But this "Tao" is not an elusive and lofty god. It is "affectionate and trustworthy", among all things. The acquisition of ideal personality lies in the conscious harmony with Tao and nature.

Although Tao is "affectionate and trustworthy", it is beyond words. In order to be in harmony with the Tao, we need to transcend all forms and our own lives. Only in this way can we achieve infinity in finite and eternity in reality. Intellectuals in China are accustomed to self-restraint and self-improvement, instead of thinking physically and pursuing a certain spiritual realm, which is the embodiment and application of this way of thinking in reality.

Self - realization

The purpose of China sages is to realize their moral humanity in practice and get real spiritual enjoyment from it, which is the so-called "paradise in the heart". This realization is completely secularism, which advocates the realization of the highest ideal in secular life and does not need eternity and happiness on the other side. Because eternity and happiness are already in your heart, you can realize and benefit at any time. China people regard "moral integrity, making meritorious deeds and making statements" as the "three immortals" in life, which reflects the secular characteristics of China culture in value orientation.

However, this secular self-realization also leads to utilitarianism, familism and individualism of China people. In sharp contrast to the pursuit of eternal spiritual realm. This shows that everything is a "double-edged sword". This kind of self-realization focusing on the present world not only shows that China people are easy to be satisfied with their own lack of progress and long-term satisfaction with the life of small farmers, but also achieves the virtue of diligence and patience of the Chinese nation.

doctrine of the mean

As China's traditional way of thinking, the golden mean is mainly reflected in the following five aspects: (1) Two-pronged approach, without going to extremes, such as the description of saints, "broad and chestnut, strict and warm, soft and straight, fierce and benevolent". (2) Everything is not excessive, avoiding paranoia, not being extreme, and pursuing peace. The most obvious manifestation is the regulation of yin and yang in traditional Chinese medicine. (3) Don't waste time, time waits for no one, pursue time. Up to now, there is still an agricultural proverb about planting wheat, "White dew is early, cold dew is late, and planting wheat in autumn equinox is just the time". (4) Allow yourself to keep balance. (5) compromise in principle.

The golden mean mode of thinking had a great and far-reaching influence on agriculture, medicine, politics and interpersonal relations in ancient China. It stabilized the political life of ancient society, eased the class opposition and the gap between the rich and the poor, and coordinated the relationship between man and nature, which is still of great significance to the world.

intuition thinking

Ancient thinkers in China paid little attention to logical thinking and were used to intuitive experience. However, this kind of intuitive thinking does not exclude rational thinking, but interacts with rational thinking and complements each other, which has the characteristics of typical mixed thinking (holistic thinking and systematic thinking). Its purpose is to grasp the overall representation characteristics of the object, and its basic form is often expressed by "epiphany". The enlightenment of Taoism, the breakthrough of Confucianism and the enlightenment of Buddhism are all concrete applications of this thought.

As far as the accuracy of thinking is concerned, intuitive thinking is a vague way of thinking. This is because the essence of nature or the universe cannot be grasped by reasoning or analysis, but only by intuition. Many concepts and opinions of China people are ambiguous, which is caused by this kind of thinking. The so-called "harmony between man and nature" and the so-called heart connecting everything are the inevitable results of this kind of thinking.

Holistic thinking

Holistic thinking, also known as systematic thinking, holds that the whole is organized by various parts in a certain order and needs a holistic and comprehensive perspective to grasp the characteristics of the object. The overall thinking of ancient people in China mainly has the following characteristics: (1) formed the overall structural model of eight diagrams, sixty-four hexagrams and five elements, which embodies the * * * identity of everything in nature and even human society. (2) The universe as a whole and the concrete things as a whole have a unified structure and follow the same evolution law, from which it is concluded that heaven and earth are unified, everything is a horse, and the universe is holographic.

The influence of holistic thinking on China's historical and cultural life is enormous. China's thought of "unification", the holistic therapy of "treating the headache and treating the foot pain" in Chinese medicine, and the emphasis on synthesis, weak analysis and vague concept of China culture all reflect the influence of this way of thinking.

imaginal thinking

Thinking in images, also known as symbols, is to explain an abstract concept or principle with some concrete images, which is a leap from concrete to abstract. China's traditional thinking mode in images can be divided into three categories: (1) symbolic thinking in images, symbolizing some mysterious natural laws with some symbols, such as "-"and "-"in the Book of Changes, and various Taoist and Buddhist symbols. (2) Metaphysical imagery thinking, using the selected imagery symbols to symbolize the metaphysical essence of things or something, such as the Tao of Laozi and Zhuangzi, the nihilistic essence in metaphysics, and Zhu Tai Chi. (3) Aesthetic image thinking, through shaping aesthetic images to achieve a certain artistic and interesting ideological realm, such as Wang Wei's poems, Su Shi's poems, China's landscape paintings, etc. It is the concrete embodiment of this way of thinking.

The advantages of China's traditional thinking in images are full of inspiration, jumping and creativity, while the disadvantages are imprecise, inaccurate and unscientific. From this kind of thinking, we can understand why China ancients were good at literary and artistic creation, but lacked scientific and technological innovation (many people explain this problem like this; But I am still skeptical, because in a long historical period, China's ancient science and technology has always been ahead of the world, which no one can deny. So, the answer to this question may not be here.

When things go to extremes, they will develop in the opposite direction.

People in China generally believe that the movement and change of things always change in the opposite direction. For example, the Book of Changes: "Evil without peace, never go", and Laozi: "The strange after recovery, good after recovery as a demon." So, when did things change? That is, everything will change in the opposite direction when it reaches perfection or peak. Since Huainanzi in the Han Dynasty clearly put forward the proposition that "extremes must be reversed", it has become a traditional way of thinking of China people. The "pole" here is actually a kind of limit and vertex. The reason why extremes meet, because everything contains two opposites of Yin and Yang, and when one side's strength rises to its peak, it turns pale; On the other hand, the situation is just the opposite, it grew up from extinction. At this time, extremes meet.

cyclic change

The ancients in China thought that "extremes meet" is only half the journey of things' movement and change. If we look at the whole process of movement and change of things, it is a cycle of repeated movement. On the one hand, Lao Tzu said that Tao gave birth to everything, and at the same time everything returned to Tao, and the whole universe was in this great cycle. I ching also advocates the idea of change, that is, there is always a way of beginning and repeating. The ancients in China not only used this concept of cyclic change to explain everything, but also used it to explain social movements and the rise and fall of dynasties. Zou Yan's theory of "Five Virtues in the End" and Dong Zhongshu's theory of "Three Righteousness and Three Unity" have brought the history of China into an eternal cycle. Even today, people often say that "the general trend of the world will be combined for a long time, and it will be combined for a long time." "The emperor took turns sitting on the ground today and came to my house."

consistent

The sages of China, whether Confucianism or Taoism, pursue the highest realm of "all things are one with me". This state of "everything is one with me" is manifested in the kindness of Confucianism to everything, which holds that every grass and tree in everything is closely related to me. In this realm, "people are not only relatives, but also sons and sons." Even think that insects, fish, birds and animals have their reasons for existence. There is no distinction between subject and object here. Things are different from me. Man is nature, and nature is man. The reason why nature "flies like a kite, jumps like a fish and is full of vitality is because people's loving hearts are projected in it, which is the result of subjective experience". In Taoism, it is manifested as "chaos". People and birds and beasts live in one place, and everything is nurtured. They don't know the difference between a gentleman and a villain, and they don't know the difference between cattle and horses. Everything develops according to its own nature, and * * * forms a natural whole. The reason why nature is free and full of vitality is the result that people project spiritual experience beyond all barriers into everything.

Heaven and man are one. /Man is an inseparable part of nature.

This is the most basic way of thinking of China people, which is reflected in the relationship between heaven and man. It holds that man and heaven are not a relationship between subject and object, but a relationship between part and whole, distortion and original appearance, or the highest state at the beginning of learning. The most important thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in ancient China advocated "the unity of man and nature".

According to Confucianism, "heaven" is the source of moral concepts and principles, and both "heaven" and "earth" in people's minds have moral principles. This "harmony between man and nature" is a natural but unconscious unity. However, because human beings are blinded by all kinds of fame and desire, they can't find their own moral standards. The purpose of human practice is to get rid of the blind of external desires, "seek their peace of mind" and achieve the state of consciously fulfilling moral principles, which is what Confucius said: "At seventy, do what you want from your heart, and don't exceed the moment."

In Zen's view, human nature itself is Buddha's nature, only clinging to secular ideas and desires without consciousness. Once you realize that these thoughts and desires are not true, you will eventually reach the realm of becoming a Buddha. So they put forward that "worry is bodhi, and ordinary people are buddhas." What is the real state after awakening? In a sense, it is still a bit like everything that conforms to nature in Taoism. Therefore, there is such a saying in Zen quotations: "It is wonderful to get enlightenment and carry firewood and water." "Zen is like this old cow, thirsty to drink water and hungry to eat grass."

In Taoist view, "heaven" is nature, and "man" is a part of nature. Therefore, Zhuangzi said: "Someone, the sky is also; One day is also one day. " Heaven and man are one. However, because people have formulated various laws, regulations and moral norms, people have lost their original natural nature and are not in harmony with nature. The purpose of human practice is to "abandon wisdom", break down these barriers imposed on human body, liberate human nature, return to nature again, and reach a spiritual realm of "all things are one with me".

Thoroughly understand the truth of things and the essence of human nature.

Almost all ancient philosophers in China talked about poverty and perfection, but the "reason" of their poverty is that talents are people. "Sex" is a "sex" or code of conduct with human social significance. In fact, reason and sex should be integrated. "Reason" is said from the external or heavenly perspective, and "sex" is said from the internal or human perspective. The combination of the two is through the "destiny", so there is a saying in the Doctrine of the Mean: "Destiny is called nature." In fact, the "fate" here is the individual life-the concrete experience of life, not the "fate" and "fate" with feudal superstition.

In fact, "Li" is essentially "Li", which is the general name of social, political, ethical principles and all hierarchical order relations. This principle was originally formed by human society for a long time. However, ancient philosophers raised it to the universal principle of cosmic nature, and then by means of "destiny", it became the "nature" of all things. Exhaustion is to understand this "natural order" and practice it personally, so as to achieve the realm of self-unity.

Therefore, China people talk about poverty, although they also show some extroverted thinking tendencies in classics such as Xunzi, Mozi, Gongsun Zilong and Yijing, which reflects some characteristics of exploring physics. However, due to the achievements of the sages in locating the meaning of life in their own spiritual realm, the poverty of these people will eventually come down to "exhaustion or even death." Although Hui Shi (a figure with the same name as Gong Sunzilong) explored foreign objects, he was criticized by Zhuangzi as "clinging to everything and not rebelling". It can be seen that the reason why China people's scientific thinking is weak (on this issue, I still insist that logical thinking can't solve all problems, and there is a causal logical connection between some things, but it is not necessarily a decisive relationship, that is, some things have a cause and may not have a result. Therefore, according to these characteristics or performances of ancient people in China, it is unconvincing to draw the conclusion that "ancient people in China were weak in scientific thinking".

Emotional experience

China people attach great importance to thinking in images at the level of emotional experience, and personal emotional needs, evaluations and attitudes play a vital role in thinking and doing things. Because of overemphasis on emotional factors and spiritual experience, China people lack the clarity and certainty of concepts in their thinking, and have not formed a formal and axiomatic thinking tradition.

Grasping the meaning of things directly from personal spiritual experience, or abstracting general principles from concrete feelings, makes China people naturally project their subjective feelings into everything in nature, and makes everything in nature have human characteristics. It is not only reflected in philosophers' attitudes towards foreign objects, such as Yuefu by Ceng Dian and Joy of Fish by Zhuangzi, but also in writers' creative themes, such as Du Fu's Where to Tears, Six In the snow by Guan Hanqing and Marriage between Wood and Stone by Cao Xueqin.

In addition, China people believe that mountains and trees have aura, and the combination of Zen and offering sacrifices to rivers is also the embodiment of this way of thinking.

Find your true self

This is the Zen way of thinking or becoming a Buddha. Since Zhu Daosheng advocated that "all beings have Buddha nature" in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Buddha nature has been pulled back to everyone's heart from the sacred shore. So Huineng said, "Buddha comes from the heart, not from the outside."

The so-called "knowing each other" is to understand your own "original heart" and see your own "nature". This heart is bodhicitta, and this "nature" is Buddha nature. Whether you can become a Buddha depends on whether you can realize the true face of "initial heart" and "nature" If you realize this true face, even ordinary people can become Buddhas, but if you can't realize this truth, even Buddhas will become ordinary people. There is no difference between Buddha and ordinary people, only "fascination" and "enlightenment"

Enlightenment thinking

The idea of gradual enlightenment runs through the thoughts of various schools in ancient China. Its characteristic is that the subject makes necessary preparations from the object and content of thinking, and suddenly realizes the integrity and authenticity of things after a certain opportunity. Realizing the truth or all of things is called "enlightenment" in Taoism; In Confucianism, it is called "breakthrough"; In Buddhism, it is called "becoming a Buddha".

In Confucianism, it is most obviously embodied in Cheng Yi's "breakthrough point" and Zhu's "breakthrough point" theory. They believe that only when knowledge is accumulated to a certain extent can a "sudden breakthrough" be achieved in the long-term efforts. Therefore, Xunzi summed up the gradual enlightenment: "Think about it, think about it, think about it, ghosts and gods must pass, not ghosts and gods, think about it."

In Buddhism, gradual enlightenment is also called "karma sees nature". It is believed that only by virtue cultivation can one become a Buddha. The most famous is Shen Xiu's gradual enlightenment: "Being a bodhi tree is like a mirror. Always wipe it clean, don't get dust. "

Confused thinking

The most obvious manifestation of chaotic thinking is that the world as a whole is unspeakable and unspeakable. Therefore, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism all regard the final understanding of the world as a personal intuitive experience. This is a realm of "this statement is reasonable, and I want to argue and forget what I said." To this end, Zhuangzi once quoted an interesting story of chaos.

"The emperor is called Shu, and the emperor of Beihai is called Hu; The emperor of the central country called chaos. Suddenly, he often goes to chaos to play, and chaos is good for them. Suddenly want to repay the kindness of chaos. The discussion said: "Everyone has seven senses, namely, listening, breathing and eating, while chaos does not. Let's chisel one for him! "So they dug a hole every day for seven days, and all seven holes were broken, but chaos died.

The result of chaotic thinking is to realize that "everything is one". This is not only the result of understanding, but also a spiritual realm of personality improvement. No matter how different the views of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are, the final realm is the same. For example, Zhuangzi's "Heaven and earth are one finger, and everything is a horse", Cheng Hao's "Benevolence and things are the same", Seng Zhao's "Heaven and earth are the same root as me, and everything is one with me" and so on.

Devote oneself to one's duties

The purpose of studying in China is to achieve noble personality, which cannot be achieved through knowledge accumulation. Therefore, with the knowledge of virtue, it is natural to form a thinking of practicing the words of saints. It is embodied in how to combine the teachings of saints with their own words and deeds and eventually become saints and sages. Therefore, after listing eight items in three schemes, the university directly said, "First, everyone is based on being a man." Only by devoting oneself to practice can an individual become a sage and be respected. Otherwise, they will be dismissed as people like Zhao Kuo and Ma Su, and will not understand the truth that "what you get on paper is shallow, and you never know what to do".

Of course, regardless of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, the emphasis on practice is different from that of western scientific experiments. The piety and practice of the ancient people in China are the faith and practice of the sage's words. There is no doubt here, only confirmation. If you can't prove it, it means you have a problem. Don't find fault with the sage's words. Its purpose is to achieve the realm of "seventy for yourself, not exceeding the moment".

To study/investigate the nature of things in order to gain knowledge

The cognitive method of China's Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties was first seen in Da Xue, which is two of the eight items. There are two explanations: rationalism and psychology. The rationalist school, represented by Cheng Yi and Zhu, believes that "respecting things" is the truth of exhausting things, including the natural laws and moral principles of things; And "knowledge" is to popularize what has been obtained to everything by analogy. Its concrete method lies in reading and discussing, and it is necessary to find something in concrete things. When it accumulates to a certain extent, it will suddenly connect and reach the realm of integration of all things.

The theory of mind is represented by the views of Lu Jiuyuan and Wang Yangming. They think that "mind is reason" and "personality" is just heart, so that we can know the real heart and keep it on the right path. As for foreign objects, they don't care. "Knowledge" is to extend the moral principle in my heart, that is, conscience, to everything, so that everything has a conscience in my heart.

However, Zhu Cheng and Lu Wang finally understood the essence of the heart, that is, the essence of morality, in order to reach the Confucian "sage realm"

Look for reasons from oneself

China people believe that the purpose of learning is not to understand foreign things, but to achieve themselves and improve their spiritual realm. Therefore, it has become one of China people's ways of thinking to "seek for oneself" and observe whether one's behavior conforms to the standard of the highest value of life. Confucius said, "Don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you." Mencius said: "On the contrary, justice is not in me, even a humble person, I will not intimidate him;" Ask yourself, justice is in me. Although there are thousands of troops, I am not afraid. "Xunzi also said:" A gentleman can achieve wisdom and wisdom by reflecting on himself three times a day and then not doing anything wrong. "

So, what is the so-called reflection and self-questioning thinking and questioning? In short, a clear conscience. When a person is doing something, ask his conscience. If he is at ease, he will do it. If he is upset, he will lose the meaning of reflection.

The purpose of reflection is to achieve one's virtue, not just the accumulation of knowledge. Through self-reflection, I realize that moral principles belong to me and consciously follow them. This is called "enlightenment". On the other hand, if you don't realize your own essence and simply pursue the accumulation of knowledge, you will be criticized as "clinging to everything and not looking back."

Epiphany thinking

Huineng, the sixth ancestor of Zen Buddhism, put forward a unique way of enlightenment. It opposes all the accumulation of knowledge, and only relies on being clear-headed, going straight to the theme, going straight to the source of truth, and reaching the realm of becoming a Buddha. But the epiphany of Zen is not completely unpredictable, and it also has methods to guide enlightenment.

The first is questioning method, who asks questions, arouses doubts, thinks for a long time, suddenly gains something and seeks enlightenment. How did you come from the west? Say: cypress in front of the window. "

The second is the suggestion method, which inspires people to solve it wholeheartedly by suggesting instead of giving the answer directly. For example, in Zen Buddhism, "finger-breaking and enlightenment".

The third is the cover-up method, that is, the cloud shines on the moon. For example, when Huineng realized God (according to the Tanjing, I thought or should be "Huiming"), he once said: "If I don't think about good and evil, I will know the true face of this seat." This is a revelation.

Beyond Buddha and ancestors.

Denying the Zen way of thinking of the sacred idols on the other side and relying on one's own beliefs and consciousness can achieve spiritual transcendence in real life and one's own heart. This realm is not divorced from reality but transcends reality, not divorced from self but transcends self, which is a kind of transcendence different from other religions. As the Zen saying goes, "Drinking water is the source." . This state can only be felt and enjoyed by oneself. This way of thinking eliminates the difference between the other shore and this shore, cancels the idol of the other shore, and realizes infinity and eternity in the limited existence.

That makes sense. Sartor knows others himself.

"Lu Chunqiu Cha Jin": "Look at yourself and know people, and look at the present and know the past. Ancient and modern, people and me. " Therefore, people should recognize the inner natural nature, not distinguish the external things. Because my nature is human nature, it is enough to know foreign things and others and know myself.

The so-called inherent humanity mainly refers to the same hobbies, desires and ideals. Different schools have different interpretations of these hobbies, desires and ideals. Lu's Spring and Autumn Annals holds that everyone advocates the same order and has similar desires or ideals. Taoism believes that everyone has a similar nature of advocating nature; Confucianism believes that everyone has the same moral essence, likes reasonable and just things, and hopes to realize a "great harmony and benevolence" society. These are all the same or similar, in a word, because all schools think that there is a kind of "* * * knowledge" in people's minds. Under this kind of * * * knowledge, we can push others and learn from ourselves.

The idea of "don't do to others what you don't want others to do to you" (from The Analects of Confucius), which has been popular all over the world, also comes from this.

dialectical thinking

China's sages are good at understanding and grasping things from the organic connection of unity of opposites, which is embodied in the rigid and flexible opposition of Yin and Yang, the unity of opposites in which one divides into two and becomes one, the method of "living in harmony with reality", the method of "insisting on dual use" and the concept of development and change of "extremes meet". In particular, the principle of "the best of both worlds" has formed the national characteristics of China people's generosity and love; The world outlook of "extremes meet" will help China people to look forward to and hope for the future in the face of difficulties and obstacles, so that our nation will never be depressed and will always be in the midst of vitality and struggle.

Live in peace.

There are many things in life that are beyond one's ability and desire. Knowing that you are beyond people's ability and still want to pursue it desperately, you can't help but get into trouble. So the sage of China relieved people's troubles from the heart. Confucius said, "Do your best and listen to your destiny." Mencius also said: "I don't know how it came, but it is destiny takes a hand." People should be calm and try their best in front of these things. As for those who can't reach them, they have to let nature take its course. Zhuangzi, on the other hand, suggested that we should not only acknowledge the destiny, but also accept it happily and conform to it, so that our mind can always be at ease. So he said: "People who can get in touch with the real situation of life do not pursue things that have nothing to do with life;" People who understand the truth of fate are helpless without discussing what human reason is. "Only in this way can we keep pace with the times and be happy.