What were the criticisms of traditional Confucianism in Ming and Qing Dynasties?

Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty were the last two feudal dynasties in China, and the feudal system at this time has fallen behind the times. Therefore, there have been some critical voices, and in the feudal dynasty, since the Han Dynasty ousted a hundred schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone, the mainstream of traditional thought was Confucianism. Therefore, the criticism of Confucianism began to rise in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the most important of which was the criticism of autocratic monarchy, being divorced from reality and pursuing fame and fortune advocated by Confucianism.

1. Criticizing absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy has existed in China for nearly two thousand years. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, some progressives obviously felt the disconnection between culture and economy. During the Ming Dynasty, the seeds of capitalism appeared in China, and the autocratic monarchy did not meet the requirements of the times. Among them, Gu and Huang Zongxi are the main representatives. Huang Zongxi opposed absolute monarchy, while Gu criticized corruption under absolute monarchy.

Second, what is the criticism advocated by Confucianism that is divorced from reality? Initial heart? Know something? His thoughts are more about thinking and studying hard for the imperial examination. Especially in the Ming Dynasty, because of the literary inquisition, people's thoughts were bound, and stereotyped writing appeared, which made some literati criticize traditional Confucianism from reality. One of the most famous is Gu's view that knowledge needs to be discovered in practice, not empty talk divorced from reality.

3. A Dream of Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin, a writer in Qing Dynasty, has a great reflection on the criticism of seeking fame and gain. Jia Baoyu's deviance in A Dream of Red Mansions is Mr. Cao Xueqin's criticism of society's excessive pursuit of fame. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the development of commerce was very close to modern times, but due to traditional Confucianism? Scholars, farmers, businessmen? Under the thought of Wu's Scholars, taking Fan Jinzhong's residence as an example is a typical example.