Hello everyone, I am Anthony Welcome to my channel

I want to start a new series today I want to talk to you about Wang Yangming's philosophy of mind

actually There have always been netizens who hope that I can discuss this topic

I also think this is very interesting Worth digging deeper

But because this topic is quite complicated I haven't started writing yet.

just I recently read some literature on Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism.

We know Yangming's philosophy of mind is an important part of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism It can also be regarded as the pinnacle of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism.

I am a person with a strong sense of reality I'm following It is not a Confucian thought that existed in history. But his connection with contemporary China

Many times History repeats itself

Through our discussion I believe everyone will find Although most Chinese people do not understand science But it actually profoundly influenced and shaped Chinese history And the Chinese way of thinking

Therefore, Neo-Confucianism and Xinxue as a spiritual structure It's far from history.

so Today's video We will be the beginning of this series Let’s talk about the nature of psychology

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.

Why do we want to talk about Yangming's philosophy of mind?

This is primarily because it is In China’s middle class A popular discipline

In contemporary China Why Wang Yangming's philosophy of mind is so popular Not only because he himself had politicians in the Ming Dynasty, The triple identity of a military strategist and a thinker A successful person in Chinese culture More importantly, his thoughts provide a paradigm for spiritual practice.

In various corporate training, Chinese studies courses, Success Lectures, Body, Mind, Spirit, and Cultivation and growth psychology books Yangming's philosophy of mind is frequently cited and praised Almost becoming the contemporary China One of the pillars of spiritual and Chinese studies

Another person similar to Wang Yangming is Zeng Guofan He is also a popular IP in Chinese success studies.

You may not know Wang Yangming But you must have heard of To Conscience, Unity of knowledge and action, nothing outside the mind, study of things to gain knowledge

These words were not all originally written by Wang Yangming But he did give it a new meaning.

These words seem to emphasize the following idea: The inner soul of an individual Or conscience Possessing supreme practical ability and cognitive abilities No need to seek outside

It is at this point Yangming's philosophy of mind presents an extremely attractive Narrative of Personal Independence and Self-Awakening

It does not depend on any specific knowledge or material conditions. or interpersonal support Instead, it encourages people to reflect on themselves, Intuitive Insight and Spiritual Practice Get rid of troubles Achieving a stable and happy psychological state

Putting aside the words of Yangming's philosophy of mind We say This way of thinking is also quite common.

Sometimes, some Western psychology Or in the form of philosophy But it is ultimately a kind of oriental wisdom.

I believe everyone still remembers We have done 4 video discussions The Thinking Style of "The Courage to Be Disliked"

actually This book has a distinct trace of Yangming's philosophy of mind.

We know Yangming's philosophy of mind had a profound influence on Japan Especially in the Meiji Restoration and its ideological circles before and after, An important position in politics

Japan since the Edo period Yangming School By the mid-19th century Yangming's philosophy of mind It has become an important factor affecting the Japanese national spirit and One of the important philosophies of political culture

Togo Heihachiro, Saigo Takamori, etc. Major Figures of the Meiji Era Both were deeply influenced by Wang Yangming

The Japanese government designated the founder of Yangming's philosophy of mind Nakae Fujiki Established as a moral role model and national hero And from Yangming School A series of Serving Japanese nationalism and the ideology of the imperial system

Entering the 20th century Some Japanese scholars feel Japan was affected by the wave of total Westernization Determination from Eastern Philosophy Unearthing theoretical resources to confront the West Yangming's philosophy of mind is one of them.

Although it is impossible to determine Did Ichiro Kishimi himself systematically study Yangming's philosophy of mind? But he was unconsciously influenced by psychology. It is entirely possible

Because he presents in the book That extreme emphasis on personal courage The kind of subjective determinism that borders on mysticism They are very similar to Wang Yangming's thoughts

This can also explain Why this book became a bestseller in China Because its core Maybe it was originally exported from China

If we say that Yangming's philosophy of mind is popular in China today Because He seems to be closer to the psychological growth of individuals Then his deeper and more lasting influence on China Still reflected in In the communist revolutions of the 20th century

I personally think The influence of Yangming's philosophy of mind Maybe it's beyond Marxism itself.

Because we know Mao Zedong himself highly respected Wang Yangming Many of his thoughts are placed in the context of Yangming's philosophy of mind. It is easy to understand.

Mao was influenced by Confucian classics in his early years In his youth, he repeatedly read the "Chuan Xi Lu"

Before us Mao Zedong's letter when he was young has been quoted many times In the letter, he proposed The key to changing China is to grasp the fundamental source Start from the base All minor issues can be resolved

This book sounds mysterious. But it is entirely from the Neo-Confucianism of Song and Ming The concept derived

For example Mao wrote the poem "Six hundred million Chinese are all Shun and Yao" in 1958 This can almost be regarded as A replica of Wang Yangming's "The streets are full of saints"

At Wang Yangming's Everyone has a conscience So everyone can be a saint.

In Mao This view became Everyone can make a revolution from the depths of their soul

From the Rectification Movement to the Cultural Revolution Thought reform, which is very familiar to all Chinese people Principles of criticism and self-criticism Compared with the introspection and self-cultivation in Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism, sincerity and uprightness, The effort of studying things to acquire knowledge are highly interlinked

About this We will discuss this in more detail in a future video.

Yangming's philosophy of mind They were the scholar-official class of the Ming Dynasty. A popular idea of ​​introspection and self-cultivation But in the 20th century It promoted the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. A series of radical political practices

This seems like a distortion. In fact, there is a profound inevitability in Chinese history.

Discover connections between seemingly unrelated events It's very interesting

But before discussing Wang Yangming's philosophical views We will find There are two contradictions and strange points about him

First, Yangming's philosophy of mind seems extreme. Emphasis on self-awareness and human subjectivity It is the foundation of the universe

From the outer nature to the inner heart The so-called "there is nothing outside the mind, "There is no reason outside the heart" Not only in the heart Even the "things" are in my heart

That's pretty extreme.

His concept of unity of knowledge and action Emphasizes that a person does not need external laws and guidance As long as you are sincere and just Actions are natural and reasonable

This seems to acknowledge the inner Have complete and sufficient cognitive abilities and moral endowment

However Such a theory seems quite self-aware. But appeared in the Ming Dynasty Such a highly authoritarian and repressive era

We say that although the Qin system was established by the Qin Dynasty And promote it to the whole country However, this system really reached its peak But in the Ming Dynasty

Imperial power in the Ming Dynasty From the beginning It expanded in a barbaric and brutal way. And throughout the entire dynasty

This is reflected in Appalling literary inquisition and torture The emperor established a and is above the regular judicial system Secret Police and Secret Court

For example, the Ming Dynasty The imperial power established a household registration system that was far more stringent than that of the previous dynasty.

In contrast to the expansion of imperial power Confucian scholars More thorough self-domestication and self-deprecation

As we mentioned in our June 22nd issue last year What is said in the Chinese success story After Song Dynasty More and more scholars and officials expressed their gratitude to the emperor. Using the derogatory self-proclaimed title of "虮職小臣"

In the Ming Dynasty The humble situation of the literati Reaching new heights They increasingly compare themselves to dogs, horses, bugs, and mice.

This reflects the increasingly low status of the literati in the Ming Dynasty.

This personality breakdown of the Ming Dynasty Confucian poets This is reflected in their literary works.

for example Tang Bohu of the Ming Dynasty was famous for his unrestrained talent. But this is the kind of person But he wrote this sentence: I endure the dusk, the suffering, the joy, and the pain. I endure hunger, cold, and bullying.

I said 16 ninjas in a row. This reflects from the side Ming Dynasty poets expressed their feelings about the ups and downs of officialdom. A deep worry about the unpredictable fate

Including Wang Yangming himself He was also tortured by the eunuch Liu Jin with a cane and was almost secretly executed

In this era Yangming's philosophy of mind That kind of temperament that looks quite free and easy It seems very strange and abrupt

Another contradictory point This is reflected in the contrast between Wang Yangming's thoughts and his actions.

Wang Yangming advocated "the unity of all things" that is All things in the world share and are permeated with the spirit of benevolence

A sage is one who can consciously regard heaven, earth and all things as one. Treat everyone in the world as your own family To educate and support

At the time of death Disciples asked Wang Yangming what his last words were Wang Yangming said that his heart was upright Nothing to say

But in reality Wang Yangming was by no means a gentle Confucian scholar A very experienced general.

The reason why he often wins It is inseparable from his vicious means

The Ming History records Wang Yangming's Process of Suppressing the Jiangxi Civil Rebellion

He first created a festive atmosphere Surrender the rebel leader Invite the leader to the banquet Then execute these leaders one by one

Maybe someone will say This was the routine operation of Confucian bureaucrats at that time.

but What Wang Yangming did next was even more outrageous.

After executing these leaders He immediately led his troops to attack the rebel camp. Kill all the remaining people

The Ming History records that more than 2,000 people were killed.

Therefore, Wang Yangming It leaves people with the impression of "many frauds"

Another incident was the suppression of the Yao ethnic group uprising in Guangxi

In fact, the entire Ming Dynasty The ethnic groups in the southwest are constantly rebelling This is directly related to the exploitation and corruption of the imperial court.

However, Wang Yangming's attitude was mainly to eliminate

In many of his orders and documents to his subordinates, They repeatedly emphasized When dealing with rebels, we must “eradicate all the roots and prevent any future troubles” "Search and dig, and leave nothing behind"

That is to say, we must resolutely eliminate Carry out a massacre to eradicate the roots This includes the elderly and children. Because many people rebelled with their families.

He reminded his subordinates in his orders Despite defeating the main force of the rebels But we must continue to eliminate Don't think that dead ashes can't be rekindled We must continue to mobilize and maintain high pressure

Wang Yangming also invented the ten-card method Ten households form a group, and a group leader is appointed. The sign indicates the population, place of origin, and occupation of each household.

If there is a family that harbors thieves The other nine families will be punished together

If there is a population change All must be reported to the government Otherwise, you are a black household.

In Chinese history Many thieves can't survive. Ordinary people taking risks

The imperial court is nothing more than the biggest bandit Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhang Xianzhong both have similar backgrounds

Although the thief did a lot of bad things However, after Wang Yangming's army occupied Nanchang His men continued to burn, kill and loot. He only symbolically punished a dozen people.

So There is not much difference between bandits and the imperial court

Wang Yangming's operation of eradicating the roots of the problem Although it can quickly stop the rebellion But it also made the civilian rebels It is no longer possible to communicate with the official Any trust and consensus

This is reflected in The peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty That unprecedented state of despair and mutual harm

For example, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong Once the Ming Dynasty's royal family and officials are captured The most brutal method Torture them to death

Wang Yangming's Thoughts and Behaviors It is easy for us to think of Zeng Guofan

This Confucian saint In various family letters and diaries Repeatedly mention self-cultivation and family harmony View all actions as opportunities for moral cultivation

But this did not prevent him from being extremely cruel to civilians. For example, the massacres in Anqing and Nanjing And use fraudulent means to completely wipe out the surrenderers

Maybe someone will say You can't use a person's actual behavior To deny the rationality of his ideas Thoughts and actions can be separated

Regarding this "principle of tolerance" I agree

After all, many great thinkers in history They all have controversial lives No one's morality is perfect.

But the problem is Wang Yangming's Thoughts and Behaviors Not unrelated Quite the opposite His thoughts and actions are completely mutually supportive.

This is not to criticize Wang Yangming or Zeng Guofan. Make moral judgments

What we are concerned about is Yangming's philosophy of mind On the one hand, I advocate that this mind is bright Nothing outside the mind But from the perspective of the person involved's life He didn't seem to give us a Feeling of spiritual freedom

Instead, it became a place to maintain the imperial autocracy. An efficient and ruthless killing machine

The secret of this contrast It is hidden in his theory

To understand this mystery We need to trace back to the source of his thought That is, science itself

We will find From Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism to Yangming's School of Mind This path of thought In fact, it is a continuous involution. A road that continues to close itself off

He is also the epitome of the entire Chinese culture

Next video Let’s talk about the crisis of Chinese culture How did physics come about? And how to grasp his spiritual essence

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