Дисертації з теми "Contemporary Confucianism"

In recent years, literature in Taiwan has developed dynamically in a context of rapid social change and intense debate in intellectual circles over ideology. Chu Tien-wen (1956- ) is the eldest daughter of the most notable literary family in Taiwan; the principal founder of the "Three-Three" literary coterie in the late 1970s and the most successful screenwriter of the Taiwanese New Cinema in the 1980s. However, as yet no book-length study has been devoted to the works of this important figure in the contemporary Taiwan literary scene. The present thesis is a study of Chu T'ien-wen's work up to 1996, with chapters arranged broadly in chronological order. It traces the formation of her early sinocentric, utopian political and social beliefs, and their modification in the light of her increasing contact with Taiwan-centred Nativist ideas. This study endeavours to address the many facets of Chu's writing identity (Chinese tradition - Taiwan identity - Feminism - Creative writing), and examine how her works reflect her maturing understanding under the influence of changes in society. Forced to re-evaluate her ideas by the clash between her vision of Confucian Chinese ideals and the development of Taiwan-centred Nativism, Chu broke through to her unique style in Splendour of the End of the Century, a collection of stories which won immediate critical acclaim both for its unconventional subject matter and its unorthodox style. Since then Chu, in writing about the moral and spiritual decadence of modern urban life in The Notebook of a Desolate Man, has maintained her basic belief in the role of the shih, but, at the same time, she has yielded to the inevitability of destruction of traditional values. Nonetheless, her writing on previously unmentionable subjects has broadened the parameters of what is acceptable in literature. This study will demonstrate that in writing her "decadent" fiction, and through her depiction of sensual refinement, Chu showed that social changes in Taiwan had forced her to accept the fact that Confucian thought has irretrievably lost its primacy in intellectual life, and that her original utopian vision is no longer attainable. As she accepts democracy more, she has had to leave behind her early ideal, be more pragmatic, and become a "decadent" writer philosophically.

The process of modernisation has created tension and confusion in selfidentity in spite of its various new opportunities. This impact of modernity is more intense in a non-western society. Korea is experiencing a unique pattern of the dynamics and dilemmas modernity has presented. Korean women are experiencing clashes between modernity and tradition, capitalism and Confucianism, and Western and Korean cultural values. The gap created from these tensions is widely mediated by the logic of consumerism. This process is clearly revealed in women's values and attitudes towards food and eating. Although rapid economic development and social changes have considerably modified people's eating habits, women's roles and expectations in regard to food and eating are much more ambiguous and confusing than in the past. Korean advertising displays sharp contradictions of these aspects. While advertising reflects and actively reshapes the prevailing images of women, women constantly reconstitute their identities by selecting, rejecting and negotiating with the public messages in their everyday lives. This thesis aims to examine the changing female identities in contemporary Korea in the process of modernisation and Westernisation by exploring the tensions and contradictions in regard to women's values and attitudes towards food and eating, through the examination of the representations of Korean advertising and women's everyday experiences and negotiations.

This thesis examines the rationale behind the work of Thomé H. Fang 方東美 (Fang Dongmei, 1899-1977) and Tang Junyi 唐君毅 (1909-1978), two of the most important Confucian thinkers in twentieth-century China, who appropriated aspects of the medieval Chinese Buddhist school of Huayan to develop a response to the challenges of ‘scientism’, the belief, widespread in their times, that quantitative natural science is the only valuable part of human learning and the only source of truth. As the status of Confucianism in China had declined from the mid-nineteenth century, non-Confucian ideas were appropriated by Chinese thinkers for developing responses to ‘scientism’, adopting the principle of fanben kaixin 返本開新 (going back to the origin and developing new elements). Buddhist ideas from a range of schools played an important role in this. Unlike other thinkers who turned to the schools of Consciousness-Only and Tiantai, Fang and Tang, for reasons of their own, saw the thought of the Huayan school as the apex of Buddhism and so drew on selected aspects to support and develop their own views. Fang regarded Huayan thought as a fine example of the idea of ‘harmony’, since in its vision of the perfect state all phenomena co-exist without contradiction. Interpreting the explanation of this given by Dushun 杜順 (557-640) in his own way, Fang argued that human beings are able to integrate physical, biological and psychic elements of the ‘natural order’ with values such as truth, beauty and goodness which belong to the ‘transcendental order’. He thus proposed that scientism’s view of humanity as matter could be incorporated without contradiction but also without excluding ‘non-scientific’ aesthetic, moral and religious values. By contrast, Tang stressed the characteristics of Huayan’s theory of ‘doctrinal classification’, as developed by Fazang 法藏 (643-712). Interpreting this to mean that different ideas could be applicable in different periods, Tang argued that the worldview of ‘scientism’ may indeed help solve problems in its own sphere, such as the desire for scientific development. Other paradigms, however, are preferable in discussing moral issues. In other words, this Buddhist theory allowed him to claim that both Confucianism and ‘scientism’ have their own value. Neither of them should be negated in principle. I argue that Fang’s and Tang’s selective appropriations of Huayan thought not only paid heed to the hermeneutical importance of studying ancient texts in order to be more responsive to modern issues, a concern hotly debated in the field of Chinese philosophical studies, but also helped confirm the values of Confucianism under the challenge of ‘scientism’. In short, by absorbing ideas from Huayan thought, both Fang and Tang, to different extents and in different ways, provided responses to the challenge of ‘scientism’ which gave a place to science without rejecting the importance of human faculties such as aesthetic appreciation and moral judgment or asserting the dominance of perception and cognition over other human faculties, the ultimate cause, as they saw it, of ‘scientism’.

La présente étude questionne les origines du renouveau confucéen et s’intéresse en particulier à la figure et à la pensée de Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073). La filiation de la Voie (daotong) offre à Zhou Dunyi une position suprême et établit le cosmologique Diagramme du Faîte suprême (Taiji tu), son Propos (Taiji tu shuo) et Traverser les Mutations (Tongshu) comme les textes fondateurs du néo-confucianisme. Or, comment le point de départ de ce mouvement intellectuel majeur pourrait-il être attribué à un quasi inconnu des Song ? De surcroît, comment Zhou Dunyi pourrait-il être le fondateur du néo-confucianisme, puisque la notion centrale de sa pensée (cheng 誠) a été évincée au profit de la notion de principe (li 理) élaborée par l’école Cheng-Zhu ? L’examen de la vie, des influences et des centres d’intérêt de Zhou Dunyi permet de comprendre son engagement dans la vie intellectuelle, politique et sociale des Song. L’analyse étymologique et philosophique de la notion de cheng, abusivement traduite par « sincérité », permet de cerner son interprétation jusqu’aux néo-confucéens majeurs des Song et de constater son importance dans la pensée de Zhou Dunyi. La traduction de ses textes principaux et secondaires, assortis des commentaires de Zhu Xi (1130-1200), offre une base solide pour commenter sa pensée, étudier les polémiques qu’elle soulève ainsi que les liens qu’il entretenait avec le bouddhisme et le taoïsme. Enfin, le constat d’une première modernité du confucianisme des Song conduit à se pencher sur l’évaluation de la pensée de Zhou Dunyi et de la notion de cheng par la deuxième modernité du confucianisme, et en particulier par Mou Zongsan (1909-1995)
The aim of this doctoral dissertation is to discuss the origins of Neo-Confucianism focusing on the figure and thought of Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073). The transmission of the Way (daotong) raises him to a supreme position and establishes the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji tu), its Explanation (Taiji tu shuo) and Penetrating the Book of Changes (Tongshu) as the founding texts of Neo-Confucianism. But how could the founder of a major school of thought be almost unknown during his lifetime? Moreover, how can Zhou Dunyi be considered as the founder of Neo-Confucianism when his major notion (cheng 誠) has been evicted in favour of the Cheng-Zhu school leading notion of principle (li理)? The study of Zhou Dunyi’s life, influences and interests provides an understanding of his commitment to the Song intellectual, political and social life. The etymological and philosophical analysis of the notion of cheng, inappropriately translated as “sincerity”, allows us to clarify its interpretation up to Song major Neo-Confucians and to perceive its importance into Zhou Dunyi’s thought. The translation of his primary and secondary texts, assorted with Zhu Xi’s (1130-1200) commentaries, provides a solid ground to comment his thought, study the debates it raised and the relationships it entertained with Buddhism and Taoism. Finally, the first modernity of Confucianism leads us to study the evaluation of Zhou Dunyi’s thought and the notion of cheng by the second modernity of Confucianism, and by Mou Zongsan (1909-1995) in particular

This study introduces and examines the thought of Mou Zongsan 牟宗三 (1909-1995), generally recognised as the most creative and systematic Xin Rujia 新儒家 (New Confucian) thinker. Because very little about his thought has been written in English, this study contributes to the understanding and interpretation of Chinese thought by filling a gap in Western scholarship on a key twentieth-century Ru thinker. The study accomplishes four objectives. The first objective is to examine the making of Mou’s thought by tracing the various influences that shaped his philosophical thinking. Mou’s thought is multi-faceted and complex. It reflects the historical time he lived in, the person he was, and the many ideological and intellectual influences that shaped his thinking. Scholars usually regard Mou’s thought as a contemporary moral metaphysical reading of Ru thought based on the Lu-Wang Learning of the Mind, the stream of Song-Ming Ruxue (Neo-Confucianism) associated with Lu Xiangshan 陸象山 (1139-1193) and Wang Yangming 王陽明 (1472-1529). Yet, as this thesis shows, Mou’s thought is also cultural nationalist, anti-Communist, moral idealistic, Hegelian, and Kantian. The second objective of this thesis is to introduce Mou’s thought as a contemporary reading of Ruxue—in the form of a moral metaphysics based on the Lu-Wang Learning of the Mind. Mou’s moral metaphysics reflects his understanding of the human mind as informed by the teachings of Mengzi 孟子 (Mencius) (ca 372-289 B.C.), the Lu-Wang Learning of the Mind, and the writings of Song-Ming Ru thinkers besides Lu and Wang. It seeks to elucidate the metaphysics of the Lu-Wang Learning of the Mind using Mahāyāna Fo (Buddhist) paradigms and Kantian terminology. The third objective is to reveal the strong Han cultural nationalism that drove Mou’s philosophical career. While most scholars recognise that a major, if not the most significant, contribution of Mou is in the metaphysical development of Ru thought, much of his writings can be seen as a relentless attempt to provide a systematic and theoretical grounding for his proposal for China’s cultural reconstruction, a proposal known as the santong 三統 (three-unities) proposal. My aim is to show that Mou’s moral metaphysics and cultural nationalist discourse are entwined. I examine his conception of Chinese culture and Ruxue and his notion of the third epoch of Ruxue. I also study his santong proposal, his new daotong 新道統discourse (new genealogical account of the transmission of the way), which is based on his revisionist assessment of Song-Ming Ruxue, and the key role he played in the Xin Rujia movement. The last objective is to examine critically the scholarly reception of Mou’s thought and discuss how the legacy of Mou’s Xin Rujia thought has lived on. Mou’s system of thought is rigorously logical and coherent when assessed in terms of its internal philosophical premises and paradigms. Supporters embrace and acclaim it. Distracters, however, find fault with it, sometimes harshly. I highlight the major merits and deficiencies of Mou’s thought as perceived by his critics.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 2010

碩士
國立中山大學
政治學研究所
102
Abstract In the past, the Confucian culture, which was followed by the East, had been considered as one decayed ideology obstructing the economic development. This kind of thought has not changed until the rise of Japan and the rapid expansion of East Asia. Some scholars start to discard negative viewpoint, and claim that the Confucian culture is an important element for the rising of East Asia. After that, the Confucian culture has become an upsurge within the academia. In the research area of Cultural Political Economy, most scholars have done the research by the foundation of philology, historiography, and philosophy. However, the Taiwanese economist Wei Wou has done his research of Cultural Political Economy by the foundation of economics. And by the research of Wei Wou, some fresh viewpoint and ideology would be aroused within the Cultural Political Economy.Wei Wou’s viewpoints and ideology, which have related to the essence of Chinese culture and economic thought, would be demonstrated by this thesis. Furthermore, the process of Wei Wou’s ideology, and “the theory of three elements,” that is developed for the explanation of national economic development, would also be illustrated by this thesis.

博士
國立中央大學
哲學研究所
105
The aim of this dissertation is to discuss the typology and argumentation of New Politics or external kingliness (xin wai wang) in the context of contemporary New Confucianism. In the middle of 20th century, Tang Junyi, Mou Zongsan, and Xu Fugang already began to discuss the relations between Chinese culture and democracy. They all agreed that New outer kingliness (wai wang) is different from the virtue politics (dezhi) of traditional Confucianism but rather fulfills the requirement of democracy. Regarding the relations between morality and democracy, Mou proposed a concept of self-negation of moral consciousness (liang zhi ziwo kanxian). Unlike the relation of direct linear development between traditional inner sagehood (nei sheng) and outer kingliness, he argued the relation between morality and political legitimacy is indirect. There are many academic debates about how to understand self-negation, including Kantian and Hegelian explanations. Unlike mainstream interpretation, I adopt the concept of public sphere to illustrate Mou’s self-negation and this is the core concern of this dissertation. Introducing public sphere into interpreting Mou’s self-negation, it will conceptually lead to deliberative democracy rather than aggregative democracy. Before dealing with the core concern, I have to discuss the compatibility between Confucianism and democracy first. This is because in the context of traditional inner sagehood and outer kingliness, the outcome of political regime will conceptually lead to virtue politics rather than democracy. Moreover, democracy originates from western culture. Thus, if Confucianism can conceptually lead to democracy, the first question to deal with is the compatibility between Confucianism and democracy. In chapter two, I adopt an intercultural approach to analyze the compatibility between Confucianism and democracy and argue that they are compatible. In chapter three, I extent the Mencian idea of “Everyone can become a Yao or a Shun” as a principle of the co-originality of morality and political legitimacy. This is the key to understand Mou’s self-negation of our moral consciousness. Self-negation does not deny morality. For Confucianism, the relation between morality and political legitimacy is equiprimordial. In other words, contemporary Confucianism shall view morality and political legitimacy as equiprimordial. It differs from traditional Confucianism that views political legitimacy derived directly from morality. This is the principle of Confucian democracy. Furthermore, the meanings of “Everyone can become a Yao or a Shun” can be fulfilled by the four pillars of deliberative democracy, namely inclusiveness, political equality, fairness, and publicity. Thus, I argue that the new outer kingliness of Confucianism can be understood by deliberative democracy. Finally, I put Mou’s self-negation into the context of contemporary western Philosophy debates, especially the debates of the relations between morality and political legitimacy between Rawls and Habermas in order to demonstrate the contemporary meaning of Mou’s self-negation, that is, politics separated from the traditional ethical Five Cardinal Relationships rather than from morality.

博士
國立臺灣師範大學
體育學系
84
This dissertation examines the influences of Pre-Chin Confucian and Taoist"Body Concepts" on the contemporary societies. The underlying strategy of thewhole work is Derrida''s concept of double reading with the following pointsof convergence. 1. The body has been socially constructed as the conveyance of convictions, such as moral, instrumental, playful, free, transcendent body. This shows some traces of pre-Chin Confucian and Taoist body concepts in the contemporary societies. 2. The body as the field of manifestation has been treated both in pre-Chin Confucianism and Taoism. To further study the body concept in our contemporary societies, one finds that it coexists, on the one hand, with the concept of social control and domination and the traditional Confucian concept of commitment. On the other, the reactionary tradition to it is the concept of liberation and free-play with strong affiliations with Taoism.

碩士
淡江大學
中國文學系碩士班
104
The main goal of this thesis is to analyze the interpretations of the Zhongyong by scholars of contemporary Confucianism and Western Sinology and to find, through reflection and discussion, a system of interpretation that is more fitting for the ideology of the Zhongyong. Secondly, by capitalizing on the research findings of other scholars, this thesis seeks to reinterpret the principles of Zhongyong in order to construct a modern interpretation which is coherent, logical, and can respond to issues confronting contemporary Confucianism. The discussions in the thesis are structured into three parts. First, the thesis analyzes the interpretations of the Zhongyong by Chun-Yi Tang(唐君毅), Tsung-San Mou(牟宗三), and Si-Guang Lao(勞思光), representatives of contemporary Confucianism. The strategy of analysis is to comb through these scholars’ appraisal of the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius and then link that appraisal to their viewpoints about the Zhongyong. After analyzing the systems of interpretation of these three scholars, we try to arrive at, through theoretical reflection, an appropriate reading of the concept of “Heaven and Human Relationship” from Confucius and Mencius down to the Zhongyong. Secondly, the thesis analyzes the interpretations of the Zhongyongby Wei-Ming Tu(杜維明) and Roger T.Ames(安樂哲), representatives of Western Sinology. From the analysis, we can see that the approaches of these two scholars actually inherit partially the viewpoints of contemporary Confucian scholars and then extend to the discussion of the "sociality" and "religiousness" in Confucianism. Similarly, after analyzing these two scholars’ viewpoints, we will reflect on the problems in their interpretations of the Zhongyong in the hope of obtaining a proper intellectual orientation for the “the Confucian theory of human nature” of Confucianism. Lastly, we compare the interpretations of the key concepts in the Zhongyong by scholars of contemporary Confucianism and Western Sinology to shed light on the paths for advancing the ideology of the Zhongyong. Furthermore, we hope to bring out, through reinterpretation, the profound meaning in the Zhongyong through a reading of these scholars’ interpretations of such core concepts as “Mandate of Heaven”, “Xing”, and “Cheng” in Confucianism.

博士
國立臺灣大學
哲學研究所
106
If we view from the content, traditional Chinese thought is almost identical with Chinese philosophy. However, if we focus on the structural pattern, the main difference between traditional Chinese thoughts and Chinese philosophy is, the former usually express itself through interpretations of classics, the latter expresses itself through problem-settings and understand ancient texts as descriptions, explanations or solutions of these philosophical problems, so the ancient theories could be endowed with systematic form. This is a reconstruction of Confucianism, during this process, the problem-settings decided by researcher build the logical structure of ancient theories, and shape the main content of research result. Therefore, quality of problem-settings determines the evaluation of research results. Mou Zong-San and Lao Sze-Kwang both consider Confucianism as a doctrine of becoming sage, emphasize the independence of discourse of self-cultivation as a philosophical problem. The discourse of self-cultivation is about how we cultivate ourselves into ideal personality, it could subdivide into several parts, such as the practical guideline, realm of sage, and intuitive experiences. However, Mou and Lao have different opinions on dealing with the transcendental basis of cultivated practices. Mou set metaphysics to distinguish two theoretical systems: longitudinal system and horizontal. Lao set metaethics(what is the basis of value) to distinguish three theoretical types: Tien-Dao, Ben-Xing, and Xin-Xing. Mou raises "moral metaphysics", emphasize Ni-Jiue-Ti-Jeng, claim that Xing has the ability to justify Tien-Dao and create all beings. Lao raises the theory of Xin-Xing, emphasize the moral consciousness of subject. The substantial difference is, Mou considers that cultivated experiences must have its effectiveness for philosophical argument, but Lao disagrees with it. So Mou comprehends Tien-Dao as metaphysical substance, and add concrete contents to it through cultivated experiences; But Lao comprehend Tien-Dao as projection or extension of the moral consciousness of subject, which means that Tien-Dao could be reduced to moral consciousness. Although the argument based on cultivated experiences may not really work, from the view of reconstruction of Confucianism, Mou guarantees the understandableness, universality, and necessity of discourse of self-cultivation through cultivated experiences. It shows a positive perspiration of philosophizing intuitive experiences and explains why Confucians attach great importance to Tien-Dao operation and all beings creation. According to the reflection on Mou and Lao, I have several suggestions about the method of reconstruction of Confucianism: First, we must consider the accumulation of cultivated practices. Mou and Lao both notice that there are several kinds of cultivated activities, such as restrain selfish desire, purify will and arouse moral consciousness. In addition, they distinguish several contradictory types or systems, exacerbate the difference of cultivated activities into inconsistent. In fact, the accumulation of cultivated activities and experiences is a necessary condition for becoming sage. Therefore, Confucian''s discourse of self-cultivation is whole and coherent only if we point out how different cultivated activities complement each other. Second, we should offer appropriate problem-settings to deal with the transcendental basis of cultivated practices. Mou solves metaphysical problems by the content of discourse of self-cultivation, however, do cultivated experiences really have the effectiveness of philosophical arguments? On the other hand, the value problem offers by Lao is hard to explain some important claims of Confucianism. Apparently, we must consider new problem-settings to deal with the Confucian''s transcendental thinking appropriately, and to justify the understandableness, universality, and necessity of discourse of self-cultivation adequately. Third, we must not compulsorily discriminate several theories which contradictory to each other. In other to maintain the consistency of discrimination, Mou and Lao sacrifice the accuracy of text interpretation. For example, they comprehend Chu-Xi''s view as no Ni-Jiue-Ti-Jeng, nor the moral consciousness of subject, and claim that his theory lacks any moral motivation, only the development of moral habits. In fact, Chu-Xi''s theory has its own concern about cultivated experiences, it just has been ignored intentionally or unconsciously. The main goal of Confucianism is becoming sage, if there is no contradictory in ideal personality, all theories and the transcendental basis of self-cultivation will be consistent certainly.

手稿本(cops. 2-3複印本)
Thesis (Ph. D.)--香港中文大學.
Shou gao ben (cops. 2-3 fu yin ben)
Includes bibliographical references: leaves 392-399.
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue.
前言 --- p.1
Chapter I --- 後設倫理學與規範倫理學
Chapter II --- 後設倫理觀點的抉擇 --- p.16
Chapter 一 --- 描述主義 --- p.17
Chapter A --- 描述主義的理論及批評 --- p.17
Chapter 1 --- 描述主義的論記 --- p.18
Chapter 2 --- 自然主義的繆誤 --- p.42
Chapter 3 --- 實然與應然的關係 --- p.55
Chapter B --- 描述主義的兩種形態 --- p.76
Chapter 1 --- 相對主義 --- p.78
Chapter 2 --- 直覺主義 --- p.97
Chapter 二 --- 指令論 --- p.12
Chapter A --- 指令論的理論 --- p.12
Chapter 1 --- 道德判斷的指令性 --- p.12
Chapter 2 --- 道德判斷的普遍化可能性 --- p.17
Chapter B --- 普遍指令論所引申的效益主義 --- p.19
Chapter 1 --- 現代效益主義 --- p.19
Chapter 2 --- 對現代效益主義的批評 --- p.25
Chapter III --- 為何我應該道德 --- p.276
Chapter IV --- 儒家對「為何道德」的解答 ── 人禽之辨 --- p.306
Chapter V --- 儒家與效益主義 ── 義利之辨 --- p.327
Chapter VI --- 儒家與指令論──知行合一說 --- p.338
註釋 --- p.350
參考書目 --- p.392

Personnage central du néoconfucianisme contemporain, Mou Zongsan (1909-1995) a écrit un nombre impressionnant de livres philosophiques. Loin d’ignorer les penseurs d’autres courants, il les intègre à ses théories pour en utiliser les forces. Ainsi, il s’intéresse au concept d’enseignement parfait (yuanjiao圓教). Cette notion fut introduite par l’école bouddhique Tiantai (Tiantai天台). Après une classification de tous les enseignements bouddhiques, il fut conclu que l’enseignement parfait consiste en un enseignement complet reflétant parfaitement l’intention ultime du Bouddha. Mou considère quatre critères pour déterminer quelle doctrine est conforme à cette idée : la préservation de tout ce qui existe, la possibilité pour tous d’atteindre l’illumination, englober tout sans distinction et utiliser un langage qu’il qualifie de non analytique. Dans cette étude, nous allons examiner l’utilisation faite par Mou du concept d’enseignement parfait. Il démontre la nécessité pour l’être humain d’avoir un esprit qui saisit à la fois la sphère phénoménale et nouménale. De cette façon, tout ce qui compose la réalité, pur et impur, est conservé. Il emprunte ensuite le concept du summum bonum kantien, c’est-à-dire le ratio proportionnel entre la vertu et le bonheur, et le révise à l’aide de l’enseignement parfait. Le résultat est tout à fait étonnant : l’être humain possède l’intuition intellectuelle, normalement réservé à Dieu chez Kant, et est ainsi responsable de son propre bonheur grâce à l’accomplissement d’actions morales. Cependant, le bouddhisme ne fournirait pas le cadre théorique idéal pour la notion très importante du summum bonum puisque l’aspect moral n’y serait pas assez développé. Mou affirme que, malgré leur origine bouddhique, les critères qui définissent un enseignement parfait peuvent être appliqués à d’autres courants de pensée. Il propose donc le confucianiste Wang Longxi王龍溪 (Wang Ji王畿 1498- 1583), dont les théories correspondent aux caractéristiques de l’enseignement parfait, pour établir un concept du summum bonum novateur.
Mou Zongsan (1909-1995), a central figure in the emergence of New confucianist thought, wrote an impressive number of books on philosophy. One of the most interesting aspects of Mou’s writings is that he distilled and integrated concepts of other philosophical schools he considered relevant and valuable for his works. One example for this notion is his extensive use of the concept of the perfect teaching (yuanjiao圓教), which was originally introduced by the Buddhist school of Tiantai (Tiantai天台). They first classified all Buddhist teachings before concluding that only the doctrine of perfect teaching truly reflects the ultimate wisdom envisioned by the Buddha. Mou determines that this concept fulfill four necessary criteria: (1) the preservation of all that exists, (2) the possibility for all sentient beings to achieve illumination, (3) to encompass everything without distinction, and (4) to utilize a non-analytical language. In this study, we will analyse Mou’s use of the concept of perfect teaching. He argues that the human mind must be capable of perceiving both the phenomenal and the noumenal world. This postulate ensures the preservation of all realities, inclusive of both what is ‘pur’ and ‘impure’. Mou utilizes the summum bonum, a Kantian concept that postulates that virtue and happiness are proportionally linked, and modifies it with the help of the perfect teaching. As a result of this fusion of occidental and oriental thought, human beings are attributed intellectual intuition, which according to Kant is God’s privilege. As a consequence, humans ultimately determine their own happiness by their moral behavior. Although Mou uses the originally Buddhist doctrine of perfect teaching to revise the concept of summum bonum, he also concludes that the lack of a moral foundation renders Buddhism ultimately unfit to act as the theoretical framework of summum bonum. However, Mou claims that the four characteristics that define a perfect teaching can, irrespective of their origin, be applied to other schools of thought. Therefore, he proposes that the theories of the confucianist Wang Longxi王龍溪 (Wang Ji王畿 1498- 1583) fulfil these attributes, and uses them to establish a revised concept of summum bonum that preserves the proportionality of virtue and happiness but bypasses the requirement of God as the sole proprietor of intellectual intuition.