Hello everyone, I am Anthony. Welcome to my channel.

Today I still want to continue to talk to you about Yangming's philosophy of mind.

After three weeks of delay, I think we should end this topic.

From May 24 to June 7, we used four videos in total.

This paper discusses the Chinese culture during the Tang and Song dynasties, the crisis encountered, as well as Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and Yangming's School of Mind, how to innovate through theory, trying to restore and establish the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues, the sacredness of the heaven-man system.

Of course we know, these efforts, because the defects of traditional thinking have not been overcome, on the contrary, they are regressing in their rational thinking ability.

Therefore, it did not really save traditional Chinese culture.

So today's show, let's talk about Yangming's philosophy of mind, revealed what kind of on the universal laws of the human spirit and its profound connection with the thinking mode of the Cultural Revolution.

Before the video starts, let me say, if you have anything you want to discuss with me and consulting topics, you can contact my email to make an appointment.

So let's get back to today's topic.

first, Let’s review first, Content of the June 7 video.

At that time we said, Yangming's philosophy of mind, Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, A more radical version.

Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism emphasizes the pursuit of knowledge through the investigation of things.

Through the care and understanding of the external natural order, Only in this way can we achieve harmony between the individual mind and the principles of nature.

But this is still a reluctant "external standard": The principles of heaven are in all things.

People need to reflect and introspect in all things.

When it comes to Wang Yangming, He directly put all external laws, order, The basis of the objective world, Take it back into people’s hearts.

Based on people's subjective feelings and self-perception, He emphasized that the universe is nothing but the unfolding of the mind.

All the truth, All the truth is in your heart, No need to seek outside.

Compared with the tranquility and tranquility of Song Dynasty Neo-Confucianism, Compared with the quiet and indifferent temperament, Yangming's philosophy of mind is full of fantasy, intense, Even a combative statement.

In Chinese culture, where self-denial and humility are the mainstream, Wang Yangming's passionate, excited and fervent expression, Looks so unusual.

However, Once we focus on Wang Yangming's specific way of argumentation, You will find, His Way of Thinking and Neo-Confucianism in Song Dynasty, There is no essential difference between "preserving the principles of heaven and eliminating human desires".

On the surface, Wang Yangming emphasized, You just need to go back to your original intention and do things, You will succeed.

This heart naturally has all the truth, No need to seek external verification.

However, the content of this original mind, the content of conscience, and the criteria for success, But it is not blank, It does not allow individuals to explore on their own.

It was already determined by saints and kings, That is loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness.

You can only exert your initiative and subjectivity, The freedom to implement these values, But there is absolutely no freedom to refute, doubt, or deconstruct them.

This reflects, The core of Yangming's philosophy of mind, In fact, it is quite conservative, rigid and illusory.

And to some extent, Towards witchcraft thinking, primitive thinking, and mysticism.

Let’s look at a conversation between Wang Yangming and his disciples.

Disciple said, There are too many and too diverse books written by Confucian scholars in later generations, May interfere with the learning of the saints.

Wang Yangming said: There is a natural law in the human heart.

The Book of Saints, It is just a rough description of the principles of heaven, Just to make it easier for people to understand.

Later generations went to write books, It is also a book of saints, A rougher depiction.

This is self-analysis, We are getting further and further away from the true principles.

Wang Yangming's words, It seems to emphasize that the works of saints cannot exhaust the truth, Need self-realization.

But he was just trying to avoid using public reason, To test the legitimacy of those laws.

He put all the text logic and argument, are considered limited, Will Tianli, It all comes down to the inexpressible spirit.

But this way of thinking, It is very mystical.

We say, Once the public nature of language and knowledge is denied, Then this knowledge power, Then quietly transferred to those "psychics", Or the "Revelator".

For example, Wang Yangming himself, Because this knowledge, Only in tune with the inner experiences of these psychics themselves, It is unspeakable, Only through mysterious induction and enlightenment.

This creates a, Authority structures that cannot be questioned or confirmed.

In the dialogue between Wang Yangming and his disciples, We also often see, That kind of didactic and authoritarian tone.

For example, there is a dialogue in the "Chuan Xi Lu".

It is said that Wang Yangming had a disciple named Meng Yuan, This person likes a good reputation.

Maybe I just like to show off myself.

Wang Yangming often criticized him for this.

One day I just finished criticizing, Another friend, I came to report to Wang Yangming my recent experience in self-cultivation.

After listening to this, Meng Yuan said, This is also my experience before.

Wang Yangming, your illness has recurred.

Meng Yuan is a little anxious, I want to make a few excuses.

Wang Yangming said, your problem has come back again.

Then Wang Yangming said, This is your big disease.

Like in a small piece of land, Planted a big tree, All the rain and nutrients, All of them were absorbed by this big tree.

As a result, you can't grow other crops, This tree must be cut down by the roots, To grow good crops.

Otherwise, no matter how you farm, In the end, it nourishes this big tree.

We saw this disciple named Meng Yuan, There is an urge to show myself, Maybe with a hint of showing off.

He is eager to share his experience with others, In modern educational concepts, It's the most normal thing.

But in Wang Yangming's view, This is selfish behavior.

As long as you like a good reputation, Trying to win praise from others, This is a sign that selfish desires have not been completely eliminated.

The teacher criticized you, You're trying to defend yourself, You still want to maintain your image, This shows that you are seriously ill.

This conversation easily reminds us of, In many Chinese families, companies, or Chinese studies classes and schools, Leaders, teachers and parents, I like to criticize a person for being self-righteous.

Always making excuses for yourself.

If a person tries to defend himself, This further proves that I am such a person.

But there's a very strange thing here, That is the meaning of "self-righteousness" in Chinese culture, Why has it become a derogatory term?

I think it comes from Mencius, It means a person thinks he is right, Unable to accept other people's opinions with an open mind.

However, People can only understand the world from their own perspective.

Even if you start accepting other people's opinions now, Think you made a mistake, That's you now, Criticizing your past self, You are essentially self-righteous.

so, opinionated, It's not a correctable mistake at all, It is the basis of all human psychological activities.

Since "self-righteousness" is absolutely inevitable, Then Chinese culture, Why should it be suppressed as a disease?

In fact, this reflects the Chinese cultural assumption that, The self itself is the source of error and sin.

As long as you try to defend, It means that your heart is not calm enough and sincere enough.

He doesn't mean to correct, Specific mistakes made by oneself, It is to correct one's own self.

But because of the self, It is impossible to truly eliminate it, So it cultivated, It can only be a self that always disagrees with itself.

A kind of surrendering everything to external authority, Immature state.

Same reason, Making excuses for yourself shouldn't be a mistake.

If the person's reasons for defending himself are not correct, You can point out the error in this reasoning.

But many people criticized, In fact, the motivation itself is to defend oneself.

As long as you try to defend yourself, You're making a mistake yourself.

This is of course a very profound and secret discipline.

in addition, We can also find, Wang Yangming likes to use a person's selfish desires, Metaphorically a disease or weed, It must be completely eliminated.

This metaphor itself is worth pondering.

for example, There is also such a passage in the "Chuan Xi Lu", A conversation between Wang Yangming and Xiao Hui.

One day Xiao Hui said, Teacher, I think my selfishness is too strong.

What should I do if I often can’t control myself?

Wang Yangming said, you think you are good to yourself, Just to make the eyes see more beautiful things, Let your mouth eat more delicious food, Make your body comfortable.

This is totally wrong, Really for yourself, Not the pursuit of sensual enjoyment, But let your five senses obey the guidance of heaven.

That is, do not look at what is indecent, do not listen to what is indecent.

Your heart is your true self, You are the master of your body.

But you need to always protect this heart, Be careful and vigilant.

Don't let the colorful things distract your vision, Otherwise you will lose money.

As long as there is the slightest indecent thought, It's like being cut by a knife, The pain is like being pricked by a needle.

Until you clear that thought completely.

The metaphors used by Wang Yangming are very distinctive, For example, cutting the grass and eradicating the roots, cutting with a knife and pricking with a needle.

These are easy to associate with, Physical pain experience.

If it is said that it is the method of cultivation of Zhu Lixue, It is to study things in nature to gain knowledge, Then the method of Yangming's philosophy of mind, It promotes a pathological form of self-censorship, and mental self-abuse.

A person should not only be aware of what he has done, Be more afraid of the thoughts and impulses you may have.

We must “nip problems in the bud”.

Once the idea comes, The body will lose, It's like being cut by a knife or stabbed by a needle, Must be removed.

Of course, the human body does not feel severe pain after all, Wang Yangming meant to say, You have to examine yourself, Any unethical thoughts, Then feel intense shame, fear, guilt, and self-blame.

This kind of mental self-abuse, Should reach the intensity of physical pain.

You have to keep proving that you are a good person, Always feel guilty, nervous and cautious.

But such people are indeed more easily manipulated by authority, because, He completely lost his mental boundaries.

Became a, An existence that can be checked at will by authority and adults.

In "University Question", Wang Yangming expounded, His understanding of adults and children.

He said: The adults, The one who regards heaven, earth and all things as one.

Such an adult, Able to see the whole world as one family, China as a Person, Everyone is equal, It's just part of this person.

If someone tries to differentiate himself from others, Trying to maintain your boundaries, Then this is the little man.

Wang Yangming believed, If a person cannot eliminate selfish desires, Then even if he has an adult heart, It will also look like a little person.

Even if a person has a mean heart, But if he could not be blinded by his own desires, Then he is a grown-up.

On the surface, Wang Yangming is elevating the individual, It seems to emphasize that everyone can be Yao and Shun.

Everyone's heart, There is a person who understands the universe, It seems to be a kind of universalism with humanistic care.

But in fact, This hides a highly authoritarian logic.

That is the key difference between people, It is whether you can eliminate selfish desires.

Then let another person change your mind, Help you get rid of selfish desires, It's not just not harmful to you.

It's for your own good, It is to punish past mistakes, prevent future ones, and cure diseases and save lives, Is helping you, Restore your original conscience.

If you fight against it, That just shows that your selfish desire is too deep, I need treatment more.

Therefore, Yangming's philosophy of mind, Seems to have an optimistic attitude towards human nature, But in fact, it is just to make people, Become a, Objects that can be transformed and destroyed by external means.

Provides a theoretical basis for intervening and disciplining others.

Wang Yangming's words "China is still one person", More than just a rhetoric and metaphor.

It just conveyed, A very dangerous political idea.

His vision for society, Not a community of difference and diversity, It is a need for unity of thought, A “body” that acts in unison.

Every individual, Just like a cell in this body.

And regard the whole country as one person, This means, Someone needs to represent this person's mind.

Other body organs, All must obey the arrangement and planning of this brain.

This way of thinking, Of course, it has also profoundly influenced contemporary China.

for example, Hunan is regarded as the center of Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming dynasties.

As early as the Southern Song Dynasty, Hunan formed the largest school of Neo-Confucianism.

Therefore, it can be said that it is the most orthodox and, One of the most conservative regions.

This of course profoundly influenced and shaped Mao Zedong's way of thinking.

We know, Yang Changji was familiar with Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and Yangming's School of Mind.

He was not only Mao Zedong's teacher, Also Mao Zedong's father-in-law.

In the previous video, We have mentioned many times, The letter from Mao Zedong to Li Jinxi in his youth.

In the letter, he expressed his desire to change China.

Such as parliament, constitution, president, Cabinet, military, industry, education, etc.

It's all details, What really matters is the origin.

That is, a person's inner morality and ideological awareness.

This great source, It is within everyone's heart.

This is almost the same as the saying in Lu Wang's School of Mind: "My mind is the universe." It is completely connected.

Once this universal truth is seen as common to everyone, It's just that some people are temporarily blocked.

Then "I will help you restore the truth", It becomes to others, Reasons for ideological correction and cleansing.

Mao Zedong then believed, You can use the great source as your call, To stir up the hearts of all people.

Once the hearts of the people of the world are mobilized, Then everything will be accomplished.

Then conversely, The reason why the masses do not act, It is not because of objective environment or structural constraints.

It's because their awareness is too low and their selfish desires are too strong.

So they need a "preacher" or "prophet" to wake them up.

The Yan'an Rectification Movement, This was the first large-scale practice of this kind of thought reform.

How the Red Sun Rises, The details of this transformation are recorded.

First, intellectuals should check the documents, Write a reflective note, Keep checking your history, Digging into your own private thoughts.

As we gradually dig deeper into our true self, Learners generally develop a sense of guilt.

I think that in addition to reading a few more books, It is of no value to the Party and the people.

And my own selfish thoughts will harm the revolution, It's a sinful thing.

The second is the pressure from the group, Everyone criticizes himself, We also need to expose and criticize others, You also need to accept criticism from others.

These, They all appear in the name of caring for each other.

for example, Leading cadres will visit in person, Guiding the parties with great care, Reflect on your own thoughts and historical issues.

This often makes the parties very moved, So I confessed my bad thoughts.

If the person refuses to reflect deeply, So based on the purpose of curing diseases and saving lives, The leaders will immediately hold a struggle session, Mobilize all the friends and acquaintances of the person involved, To conduct face-to-face disclosure.

Under this high pressure, The vast majority surrendered.

They often use mental self-abuse, Reveal all your thoughts and history.

For example, Zhu Ming, a female student at the Central Party School, I wrote down this reflection note.

She put her past aesthetics, conversation, ambitions, and work interests, Even childhood experiences, All of them are included in the framework of "class struggle", Self-flagellation.

Because I grew up in an exploiting class family, So now the words and actions feel, Even a subconscious reaction, They may all be the legacy of the old social culture.

for example, She reflected on how she had envied Zhou Enlai and others.

I have thought about taking a car and staying in a big hotel, This is the pursuit of vanity.

She reflects on herself, Motivation for joining the Russian Department of Yan'an University, It's actually impure.

On the surface, I said it was for better learning, I just want to be a diplomat.

Never realized, I should honestly obey the organization's arrangements.

Experience in childhood, She recalled the stories she had heard, They are all fairy tales like princes and princesses, I haven't heard any stories about workers and farmers.

In terms of aesthetics, She said she liked Turgenev better, Tolstoy's works.

I like Western classical art, On socialist literature, For example, How the Steel Was Tempered, Not very interested.

Zhu Ming's self-reflection is full of such self-insults, Finally admitted, Even my blood carries the elements of the exploiting class, It's dirty.

For this kind of ideological transformation, Xie Juezai, then member of the Northwest Bureau, I quoted Wang Yangming's words, Asking Party members to follow Mao Zedong's teachings, Eradicate all distractions from your mind.

He said that transforming oneself is like turning raw meat into cooked meat, Both boiling and steaming, Overcooked is not considered cooked, It will take a long time to train, Always be vigilant.

Once we have some understanding of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism, You will understand, This kind of thought reform method, It didn’t come out of thin air.

It was just that Mao Zedong institutionalized this way of thinking, It is concrete.

From a broader perspective, Whether it is Yangming's philosophy of mind or the Cultural Revolution, In fact, it reflects such a, Universal laws of the human spirit.

That is when a person, Or when the spirit of a nation falls into despair and powerlessness, His conventional rationality can no longer understand and respond, Reality, Increasingly stretched.

Then the mental state of the person concerned will be contrary to his normal state, From nothingness and loss, Sudden change to intense excitement, euphoria, and frenzy.

He will suddenly become very confident about everything, It seems like I have gained infinite energy.

But this confidence does not seem to be based on reason, It is a mysterious subjective experience, Or some kind of fantasy and self-hypnosis.

On the surface, it looks full of vitality and upbeat, It's actually a deep despair.

As, In this video on December 10, 2023, Mentioned, May Fourth Movement, Intellectuals generally advocate the kind of moralism, and top-down enlightenment.

Hopefully by changing people's hearts, Changing Thoughts, the Way of Mass Movement, To quickly transform China.

They celebrate the power of ideas, Precisely because, Chinese culture at that time, Faced with unprecedented challenges from external culture.

For example, China before the Cultural Revolution, It is also in a serious social crisis, and institutional failure.

But the ideology of the Cultural Revolution, But the hope for change is growing, Relying on the enthusiasm of subjective will and firm belief, Like a revolution in the depths of the soul, Fight against selfishness and criticize revisionism.

certainly, This is a phenomenon common to all human beings.

for example, Russia before 1917, It was an empire with political decay and sharp social contradictions.

In this desperate state, The Bolshevik Revolutionary Narrative, It provided the Russians with a historical theology.

Although, They call themselves internationalists and Marxists, But in the kernel, Russian Messianism, Believe, The Russian spirit has a special historical mission, It is to bring Europe and the world, Freed from the evil and corruption of capitalism.

For example, Weimar Republic, Also born in a social turmoil, The Age of Order Collapse.

The freedom and rule of law promised by modern enlightenment rationality have become weak, The public is beginning to dislike the diversity and compromise of democracy.

But I want a strong decision, Putting hope in a noble and sacred national will, Let's change all this quickly.

German National Spirit, Depicted as a polluted sacred being, A strong cleansing by the leaders is needed, To restore purity.

As Carl Schmidt believed, All important concepts in modern state theory, These are all secularized theological concepts.

When a society cannot find a modern rational order, He often resorts to more fanatical and radical concepts, To break the conventional mechanism, And give it justice and necessity.

These concepts are not necessarily religious, It may appear secular, Such as people, leaders, class struggle, etc.

But their commonality is unquestionable, Not for discussion.

That’s all for today’s video, The topic of Yangming's philosophy of mind is now over.

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