Issue

9th Issue (September, 2008)

Neo-Confucianism: The Reciprocal Truth of Phenomena and Principle

Wong Weng Hon

Introduction

Neo-Confucianism is the Chinese philosophy conglomerated esoterically from Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism by four early Neo-Confucian architects, namely Chou Tun-I (1017-1073), Chang Tsai (1020-1077), Ch’eng Hao (1032-1083) and Ch’eng I (1033-1108) 1. It was resurrected and revitalized by the celebrated Chinese Neo-Confucian rationalist philosopher, Zhu-xi (1130-1200 C.E). Philosophical conglomeration is the fusion of the communal Truth of Wisdom between the religious or philosophical systems. Only the identical esoteric Truth can be synthesized. The variable exoteric truths, such as ritualism and exoteric practices can not be synthesized. The Neo-confucianists believed that the true Way or Tao for the self-cultivation of an individual and improvement of the society and the world expounded by Confucius and Mencius had not been transmitted after their demises. 2. They felt the need to resurrect the wisdom of Confucianism to harmonize governance as well as the life of family and society. The Way or Tao must be repossessed and resurrected before Confucian legacy became extinct. The resurgence of Confucianism was synthesized by fusing its ethical system and philosophical wisdom with the transcendental wisdom of Taoism and Buddhism so that the realm of principle and that of material force are better comprehended. The wisdom of comprehension is aimed at improving human relationship at all levels human intercourses.

During the era of Chinese imperialism, Neo-Confucianism was so influential that it was transmitted to Korea, Vietnam and Japan whose national cultures were and are still being influenced by Neo-Confucianism hitherto. The Japanese ruler of the period of Tokugawa period, Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867 C.E) imported Neo-Confucianism to construct her ethical and harmonious government bureaucracy 3.

In the 17th century C.E, Japanese Fujiseika Seika was wise enough to digest the wisdom and ethics of Neo-Confucianism and utilized it to manage and transact business and commerce 4. Thus, he sowed the seed of excellent Japanese work and management culture of diligence, consensus, loyalty, mutualism, propriety which constitute the characteristic features of modern Japanese culture and holistic wisdom of business management. These Japanese ethics are mirrored from their whole life employment, consensus of brain storming, Quality Control Circle (QCC), in-house union, zero-effect, zero inventory, harmonious labour-management relationship and so forth employed to raise national productivity and international competitiveness. They are the fruits of the great influence of Neo-Confucianism transmitted from imperial China in the past. Of course, western scientific technology and knowledge economy have also fueled economic rise of Japan after the Second World War.

Even Japan was defeated and partially destroyed by the nuclear attacks of the United States, Japan could still maintain to be an intimate, harmonious alliance with the United States hitherto. The alliance of civilizations between western Americans and Eastern Japanese has enabled Japan to emerge as the second super-economic power house today. The Tao of Neo-Confucianism does play a crucial role to adopt the path of good relationship and harmony. Good relationships among the superpowers preserve global stability and peace. Japanese economical miracle and her current affluence are supported by Tao transmitted from imperial China during the Song Dynasty. Economic liberalization and globalization has obliterated the cold war between the superpowers.

The Japanese are always to adept to learn from the wisdom or genius of others. They have been astute copy cats transformed into supercats to innovate and contribute further. Japanese economic miracle after the world war two could be traced back to the positive influence of Neo-Confucian philosophical wisdom. The Japanese, Korea and overseas Chinese have brilliantly syncretized the western civilization of capitalism, democracy, and freedom and the eastern civilization of the Chinese Neo-Confucianism to invigorate ethical values with the wisdom of Tao. The self-cultivation helps construct their economic supremacies today. Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam’s corporate leaders or business men also knowingly and unknowingly manage their business and daily life with the edifying influence of Neo-Confucianism transmitted from generation to generation. Neo-Confucianism embodies normative and deontological ethics spiritualized with the two-fold Truth of the reciprocal relationship between Phenomena and Principle. This reciprocal relationship is parallel to the reciprocal relationship between the world and God in Monotheism. On the practical level, Neo-Confucianism emphasizes meritocracy, and harmony. These two principal values preserve unity. Supported by genuine unity, all things are possible.

 In China today, there is a resurgency of Confucianism activated by modern Chinese Confucian scholars or intelligentsia who generously contribute their Confucian knowledge to spiritualize the mundane intellect and conduct of the ordinary Chinese. They also diffuse it globally without the selfish motive to convert but to impart the communal Truth of Wisdom to masses for self-cultivation and for fostering unity and harmony in human society. Such a hidden agenda is lofty, esteemed and extolled.

 Even Confucian humanism has been recognized by the United Nations Organization as modern icons civilization in terms of promoting mutual respect for fundamental human rights. Confucian colleges have been set in many countries globally. This Chinese philosophical legacy is a beautiful, edifying gift to the world. The communal Truth of Wisdom of Neo-Confucianism is non-sectarian and universally applicable. In fact, it is the Chinese ‘Bible’ communicating the message of God called Tao – the two-fold Truth of the manifest phenomena and the hidden absolute Principle. In actuality, the communal Truth of Wisdom at the esoteric dimension of all religions is non-sectarian and universally applicable. Otherwise, inter-faith dialogue and understanding will not bridge the alliances of civilizations in all parts of the world.

Like all other major esoteric religions, Neo-confucianists advocate the two-fold Reality of the world : the manifest world of phenomena and the unmanifest Principle. The former is compatible with Buddhist notion of conventional truth (saṃvṛti satya世俗諦); the latter is compatible with Buddhist notion of ultimate Truth (paramārtha satya勝義諦) or Emptiness (Śūnyatā).

 Neo-confucianists designate the ‘Phenomena’ as ‘Qi’ (氣) in the context of right worldview. The Principle is labelled as ‘Li’ (理). There are two schools of Neo-confucian Thought pertaining to Li and Qi. The first school of Neo-confucianism is known as the Neo-confucian School of Li (理學) founded by Neo-confucianist, Zhu-xi. The Second school of Neo-confucianism is Neo-confusion School of Mind or Intuition (心學). It was established by Neo-confucianist Wang Yangming (1472-1529 C.E).

Zhu-xi expounded that the knowledge of Li can be acquired by Insightful Investigation of things (格物致知) until the ultimate relationship between Li and Qi is insightfully penetrated into 5 (知之至也). This Chinese philosophical doctrine of Zhu-xi, elucidating the relationship between Li and Qi, is known as the Total ‘Substance(體) and Great Functioning (用)’ 6. The ‘Substance’ refers to the Principle and the ‘Functioning’ refers to Qi. The substance supports the function or activity. For instance, the lamp is the substance which supports the light which is the function. In other words, Zhu-xi prescribes acquisition of knowledge of wisdom first. Then the wisdom acquired is applied to improve moral character. This is compatible with the Buddhist gradual cultivation to develop wisdom through gradual enlightenment (漸悟). This school of philosophical thought is compatible with the Shen-hsiu’s (605-706 C.E) Northern School of Chan during the Tang Dynasty of imperial China.

Wang Yangmin recommends intuitive approach of discerning Li and Qi in opposition to Zhu-xi rationalist approach. Zhu-xi approach is that knowledge is gained through investigation of things until the ultimacy of Truth is discerned. The knowledge is gained initially to guide moral actions subsequently. However, Wang Yangmin prescribes intuitive discernment in which the inner Heart or Principle is discerned by intuition not by acquisition of knowledge. He expounded that knowledge and action are unified (知行合一).7 The wisdom realized is simultaneously manifested through the external conduct. The knowledge of wisdom is discerned in the inner Heart directly and lived in the form of supreme virtues of a self-cultivated man. This is compatible to Mahāyānists’ Chan approach of instantaneous enlightenment. It is a direct insightful penetration into the human mind and realize that Man is innately supreme and pure. This school of Neo-confucianism is parallel to Hui-neng’s (638-713 C.E) Southern School of Chan also in the Tang Dynasty.

Wang Yangmin also expounded that objects do not exist entirely apart from the mind because the mind shapes them. It is not the world that shapes the mind.8
He also suggested tranquil meditation to develop intuitive discernment. It is therefore evident that Wang’s worldview is parrallel to Mahāyāna Yogācāra’s Doctrine of Consciousness Only (Cittamā̄tra) which states that everything is purely mind made and external world is illusive. Wang Yangming expounded further thus :

The principle is the inner Heart. The inner Heart is the principle. When the inner Heart is not concealed by selfish desires, the principle is manifested. Annihilation of self-centric ego manifests the Principle.9

Buddhists perceive the inner Heart as the Buddha-nature concealed by self-centric ego. Obliteration of self-centric ego unveils the Buddha-nature. The unchangeable Principle or Great Ultimate is the Buddha-nature.

Wang Yangming’s self-cultivation method is similar to the Chan teaching of instantaneous enlightenment(頓悟). Sudden enlightenment can be actualized by penetrating into the human mind and intuitively discerning the original supreme nature of Man (明心見性). Wang Yangmin’s view concurs with the Chinese 6th Chan Patriarch, Hui-neng’s right view that the inner Heart of Man is originally pure.There is no necessity to polish it any further.10 The original inner Heart is empty of self-centric ego. Whoever intuitively discerns his original Self is true knower of the Principle. A true knower applies his right knowledge or wisdom of insight to all his or her sense activities. Wang Yangming asserted that if one claimed that one knows and yet one does not apply it, one actually did not know (知而未行只是未知) 11.

Conclusion

Any one who has intuitively penetrated into ultimacy of the Principle (知之至也) applies the Principle spontaneously or naturally. <知之至也> connotes intuitive discernment of the innate supreme virtue of Man (明明德). Having discerned the innate supremacy of Man, one is self-redeemed and the self-centric ego is obliterated. The obliteration of self-centric ego redeems the original pure, infinite consciousness of Man. The redemption of pure consciousness is known as self-rectification (正心). Self-rectification consummates self-cultivation(身修). Self-cultivation harmonizes human relationship. If a ruler is a harmonizer of good human relationship, he would be a righteous and benevolent ruler loved by his subjects. Governance of imperial China was fundamentally constructed upon the philosophy of Neo-confucianism. Not only the emperors and bureaucracy supported Neo-confucian ethics spiritualized with the wisdom of the Principle or Tao, the ordinary populace cherished the philosophy too. The deontological ethics of reciprocal relationship spiritualized by the Principle or are:

1. Filial piety towards the Parents (事父之孝)
2. Royalty to the Ruler or Leader (事君之忠)
3. Trustworthiness in Friendship (交友之信)
4. Benevolent Governance (治民之仁)