He should be regarded as the person with the highest comprehensive ability in the Ming Dynasty
The second is Yu Qian
The following is his introduction in the encyclopedia
Life story
Wang Shouren was born in Yuyao, Zhejiang during the Chenghua period of Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty. His father, Wang Hua, won the first prize in Xinchou (1481), the 17th year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty. Wang Shouren moved to Peking (Beijing) with his father.
The "History of the Ming Dynasty" records that Wang Shouren was named Wang Yun when he was born, but he could not speak at the age of five. He told others and changed his name to Wang Shouren, and he spoke. Wang Hua was very strict with his son's tutoring. Wang Shouren studied literature and martial arts very hard when he was young, but he liked playing chess very much and often delayed his homework for this. Although his father repeatedly scolded him, he never changed his mind. In a fit of anger, he threw the chess piece into the river. Wang Shouren was shocked and realized immediately, and immediately wrote a poem to express his ambition:
Chess is a joy all day long, but the pain of being strictly loved is once lost.
The soldiers fell into the river but were not saved, and the general drowned and rested together.
A horse travels thousands of miles and goes with the waves, just like an elephant wanders into three rivers and follows the waves.
The sound of a cannon and the earthquake in the sky suddenly startled Wolong Chou.
He used Zhuge Liang to describe himself and was determined to make a career. After that, he studied hard and made great progress in his studies. He became more and more proficient in riding, archery, and the art of war. In the twelfth year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty (1499), he passed the Jinshi examination and was awarded the title of head of the Ministry of War. At that time, everyone in the court knew that he was a learned man, but Zhang Zhong, the eunuch in charge of military affairs, believed that Wang Shouren was appointed as the head of the military department as a scribe, so he despised Shouren. Once he actually forced Shouren to shoot an arrow in public, hoping to make a fool of himself. Unexpectedly, Shouren raised his bow and shot three arrows, hitting three hits. The whole army cheered, making Zhang Zhong very embarrassed.
Wang Shouren worked as the chief of the Ministry of War for three years. He suddenly suffered from lung disease and retired due to illness. He settled in Yangming Cave next to Longrui Palace in Kuaiji Mountain. In his old life, he was called Mr. Yangming. After Wang Shouren recovered from illness and resumed his duties, he was demoted to Yi Cheng in Longchang (the county seat of Xiuwen County) in Guizhou because he opposed the eunuch Liu Jin in the first year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (1506). After Liu Jin was executed, he was appointed as the governor of Luling County and became the Shaoqing of Nantaipu Temple. At that time, Wang Qiong was appointed Minister of the Ministry of War. He believed that Shouren had extraordinary talents and recommended him to the imperial court. In the eleventh year of Zhengde (1516), he was promoted to the censor of Youqiandu and succeeded him as governor of southern Jiangxi. He mounts his horse to govern the army and dismounts his horse to govern the people. He is a civilian official who controls military talismans. He combines civil and military strategies. He is smart in his work and uses troops quickly. For suppressing the peasant uprising and quelling the "Chenhao Rebellion", he was worshiped as the Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing and was granted the title of "Xinjian Bo". Later, he was banned because of his outstanding achievements, so he resigned and returned to his hometown to give lectures. He founded academies in Shaoxing and Yuyao to preach "King's Learning". In the sixth year of Jiajing's reign (1527), he was again assigned as governor of the military affairs of Guangdong and Guangxi. Later, due to worsening lung disease, he begged to return home and died of illness in a boat in Nan'an, Jiangxi. Posthumous title Wencheng.
Childhood life
Wang Yangming was born on September 30, 1472, in the eighth year of the Chenghua reign of Emperor Xianzong of the Ming Dynasty, into a scholarly and official family. His distant ancestor was a great scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty Calligrapher Wang Xizhi. His father, Wang Hua, won the first prize in the 17th year of Chenghua (1481) and later became the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing. According to the Chronicle, on the eve of his birth, his grandmother dreamed that someone was sending her son from the clouds. When he woke up from the dream, Wang Yangming happened to be born, so his grandfather named him Wang Yun. The villagers also called the place of his birth Ruiyun Tower. However, he was still unable to speak when he was five years old. One day, a senior monk passed by, touched his head and said, "What a good boy, it's a pity to tell the truth." This means that his name "Yun" revealed the secret of his birth. His grandfather suddenly came to his senses and changed his name to Shouren, after which he began to speak. This story is a bit mythical, but it can be seen from this story that he did not show intelligence and talent in his childhood.
When he was ten years old, his father was the top scholar in high school. Wang Yangming went to Beijing with his father. When passing by Jinshan Temple, his father had a gathering with friends. At the banquet, someone suggested that he write a poem in praise of Jinshan Temple. Everyone was still thinking hard, and Wang Yangming had already Completed in one step: "The golden mountain is as big as a fist, breaking the sky under the Weiyang water. The moon is leaning on the wonderful high platform drunk, and the jade whistle blows through the cave where the dragon sleeps." The four people were all amazed, and asked him to write a poem about the moon-covering mountain house. Wang Yangming casually said He recited: "If the mountain is near and the moon is far away, I feel the moon is small, so I say that the mountain is larger than the moon. If a person has eyes as big as the sky, he will see that the mountain is even wider when it is small." It shows extraordinary imagination and profound cultural literacy.
When he was studying in the capital at the age of 11 or 2, he asked his private school teacher, "What is the first-class thing?" The teacher said, "Only by studying can you get a rank in the imperial examination." Studying to gain the rank should be done by studying and learning to be a sage.” Despite this, he has never followed the rules since his youth, and all records describe him as "bold and unruly" from an early age.
For example, after his mother died at the age of 13, his stepmother treated him badly. He bribed a witch to play tricks on his stepmother, so that she would treat him well from then on. He did not study very hard and often led his companions to play military games. When he was young, he traveled to the border areas, practiced horseback riding and archery, and read various secrets of military art. When he met guests, he often used the formation of fruit cores as a game.
Evolution of Thoughts
When he was seventeen years old, he went to Nanchang to marry the daughter of Zhu Yanghe, but on the wedding day, no one could find him. It turned out that that day he wandered into the Taoist Iron Pillar Palace and met a Taoist priest meditating there. He asked the Taoist priest for advice. The Taoist priest told him about health-preserving techniques, so he sat in meditation opposite the Taoist priest and forgot to return until the next day when his father-in-law Only then did he get him back. Since then, he often discussed health issues with Taoist priests in various places.
When he was 22 years old, he failed to pass the Jinshi examination. Li Dongyang, the chief assistant of the cabinet who was equivalent to the prime minister at the time, smiled and said: "You failed this time. You will be the number one scholar when you come to the exam. Try to write the number one scholar in the exam." Wang Yangming wrote and completed it immediately, and all the elders in the court were astonished as a genius.
Jealous people commented that if this young man won the top prize, he would be arrogant. When he took the exam again at the age of twenty-five, he was suppressed by the taboos and failed again.
At the age of twenty-eight, when he took the examination of the Ministry of Rites, he did well in the examination and ranked among the best. He was awarded the Jinshi and was appointed as the head of the Ministry of War. In his early days, Wang Yangming respected Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. In order to practice Zhu Xi's "investigation of things to achieve knowledge", he once determined to find out the principles of bamboo and studied bamboo for seven days and nights. He found nothing but fell ill because of it. From then on, Wang Yangming had great doubts about the "Gewu" theory.
In the first year of Zhengde of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty (1506), because he opposed the eunuch Liu Jin, he was banished to Longchang, Guizhou (70 miles northwest of Guiyang, where Xiuwen County is governed) as a postmaster. He came to the mountainous area of ??southwestern China, where Longchang Mountains were thin and thick, and Miao and Liao people lived together. This gave him a new understanding of the central idea of ??"The Great Learning". Wang Shouren believed that the heart is the root of all things, and everything in the world is the heart. product. Realizing that "the way of the sage is self-sufficient in nature, it is wrong to seek truth from it." This is known as Longchang Enlightenment in history. During this period he wrote "All the Lives in the Dragon Training Field". Many of his disciples were puzzled by his theory of "no reason outside the mind, nothing outside the mind" and asked him for advice: The flowers and trees in Nanshan bloom and fall by themselves, what does it have to do with my mind? He replied: "When you didn't look at the flower, the flower and your heart were silent together. When you looked at the flower, the color of the flower became clear for a moment. Then you knew that the flower was not outside your heart."
[Edit this paragraph]Military achievements
Pinging down Jiangxi
In the twelfth year of Zhengde (1517), civil uprisings broke out in southern Jiangxi and the mountainous areas at the junction of Jiangxi, Fujian and Guangdong. The mountain people rely on the mountains to build strongholds in caves and build their own armies, covering an area of ??nearly a thousand miles. The local officials had no choice but to report to the Ming court. The Ministry of War recommended Wang Shouren, then the censor of Youqiandu, to patrol Jiangxi and suppress the civil uprising.
In the first month of the thirteenth year of Zhengde (1518), Wang Shouren pacified the tribe of Chi Zhongrong (Chi Dawan), and petitioned for the establishment of Heping County and the construction of county schools. In March, Shouren arrived in Jiangxi to take up his post. He quickly mobilized troops from the three provinces to suppress the uprising in Xinfeng and other places. In July, Wang Shouren thought that the war had caused huge damage, so he petitioned the imperial court for permission to recruit troops. The Ming court then entrusted local military and political power with the authority to act expediently. In October, Wang Shouren led his troops to defeat the strongest Lan Tianfeng and Xie Zhishan military strongholds in Zuoxi, Chongyi County, Jiangxi, and joined forces in Zuoxi. Wang Shouren personally went to persuade them to surrender. In November, Wang Shouren sent envoys to recruit troops and defeated Lan Tianfeng's tribe.
Capturing King Ning
Wang Shouren's greatest military achievement in his life was to quell the Chenhao Rebellion of King Ning in Nanchang. When Wang Shouren was about to go to Fujian to suppress bandits (without a large number of troops), his troops had just arrived in Fengcheng when the Ning King Zhu Chenhao suddenly raised his troops and rebelled. Therefore, Wang Shouren actively prepared for war, allocating military rations, repairing equipment, and then issued a proclamation against thieves, announcing King Ning's crimes, and asking various places to raise troops to serve the king.
At that time, what Wang Shouren was most worried about was that Ning Wang Zhu Chenhao would send his troops eastward to occupy the old capital of Nanjing. If Nanjing falls, King Ning will have the capital to proclaim himself emperor, and he will also gain geographical advantage, so it will not be easy to eliminate him. Wang Shouren bluffed and used false information to disrupt King Ning's vision, forcing him to make a wrong judgment and believe that all armies had formed an encirclement situation. At the same time, countermeasures were used to make King Ning suspicious of his subordinates' strategy of attacking Nanjing. King Ning was indeed fooled. He hesitated for half a month and was at a loss, and did not dare to send troops to attack Nanjing. Wang Shouren took advantage of this opportunity to prepare to defend Nanjing, making it impossible for King Ning to attack Nanjing.
In July, King Ning led 60,000 people to capture Jiujiang and Nankang, and crossed the Yangtze River to attack Anqing.
At this time, Wang Shouren had mobilized 80,000 troops (mainly militiamen and farmers from various places), which was known to the outside world as 300,000. Someone pointed out that Anqing should be rescued. Wang Shouren said: "Now Jiujiang and Nankang have been occupied by the enemy. If we cross the river to rescue Anqing from Nanchang, we will be attacked from both sides. Nanchang is empty now, and our army is full of energy and can defeat the enemy in one fell swoop. Hearing that Nanchang is lost, he will definitely return to rescue him. If we attack him at Poyang Lake, we will definitely win."
Nanchang was quickly conquered. After two days of rest, Wang Shouren sent his generals to divide. Five routes met King Ning's army returning to aid Nanchang. The troops were divided into four groups to welcome the advance, and an ambush was set up along the way. After the battle, King Ning's army was quickly attacked from both sides and was divided into several parts. Later, it was ambushed and suffered a heavy defeat. It fled and retreated to the Bazinao area. Seeing that the situation was not good, King Ning hurriedly mobilized the elite troops from Jiujiang and Nankang to attack. Wang Shouren sent several armies to fight and take Nankang.
This battle was quite fierce and it was a crucial battle. The officers and soldiers retreated for a time, and Wang Shouren's general Wu Wending immediately killed those who retreated and ordered the troops to fight to the death. Finally, the enemy was defeated. The enemy retreated to the Qiaoshe area and formed a phalanx of ships. King Ning rewarded the soldiers with gold, silver and jewels and asked them to fight to the death.
But Wang Shouren saw flaws in the phalanx of King Ning's army, so he decided to imitate the Battle of Chibi and set fire to the ship. The next day, King Ning and his ministers gathered together and were holding a "morning court" meeting on the boat. Wang Shouren's army arrived, loaded the boat with grass, set it on fire in the wind, and burned King Ning's auxiliary boat, the palace officials below Princess Lou, and civil and military officials. They all committed suicide by diving into the water. King Ning's ship ran aground and was unable to move. He hurriedly changed to a small boat to escape, but was caught up by Wang Yangming's subordinate Wang Mianbu. Other civil and military ministers of King Ning also became prisoners. Soon, Nankang and Jiujiang were also captured by the army, and King Ning's rebellion was completely suppressed in only thirty-five days. Wang Shouren was therefore known as the "Military God of the Ming Dynasty".
Later, Ming Wuzong went on an expedition under the pseudonym of "Mighty General Zhu Shou". The eunuchs intended to release King Ning, so that Wuzong could fight King Ning and capture him himself, in order to please the emperor. Wang Yangming showed affection and reason to the eunuch Zhang Yong, explaining that more people would die if he did so. The final coordination result was: let Ming Wuzong arrive in Nanjing, and then release Prince Ning to let the emperor be captured, which would make him happy.
The full text of King Pingning's "Monument of Merits":
In Zhengde Jimao, Yihai in the sixth month, Chenhao rebelled in Nanchang and called his troops to Xiangque. Defeated Nankang and Jiujiang, attacked Anqing, and shocked people far and wide.
In the seventh month of Xinhai, the minister Shouren returned to Nanchang with troops from the following counties. He was captured by Chen Hao and the rest of the party was settled. At that time, the emperor was furious when he heard about the change, and personally unified the Sixth Division to attack him, so he captured Chen Hao and returned.
With the majesty of the emperor, the divine force will not kill. Like the shock of thunder, it breaks when struck by force. The artifact has its home, who dares to steal it? The sky is in view of Chenhao, and the emperor's spirit is revealed to bring peace to our country.
At the end of the first month of Zhengde Gengchen, the governor of the military affairs department and the censor of the capital, Wang Shouren wrote. The subordinates of the enlisted officials are listed on the left.
[Edit this paragraph] Educational Thoughts
"Zhuan Xi Lu" is divided into three volumes: the upper, middle and lower volumes. It is contained in "Wang Wencheng Gongquan Shu", which is one to three volumes, and there is also a separate version. . The first volume contains quotations from Wang Shouren's lectures, including the "Lukewu Lun" and "Heart is Reason" that he mainly discussed in his early lectures, as well as issues related to the nature of Confucian classics and the nature of mind; the volume mainly contains seven letters written by Wang Shouren to his contemporaries and disciples. The letter is actually seven letters on theory, in addition to "Social Dogma" and so on. The most influential among the volumes are "Reply to Gu Dongqiao" (also known as "Reply to Human Theory") and "Xun Meng Da Yi Teach Reading Liu Boxong, etc.", which focus on the "unity of knowledge and action" and "the unity of knowledge and action". "To Conscience" theory; the second part of the volume is lecture quotations, and the other part is "Zhu Xi's Final Comments on His Later Years". "The Conclusion of Zhu Xi's Later Years" includes the preface written by Wang Shouren and the thirty-four self-reproaching words in Zhu Xi's posthumous writings compiled by him, which are intended to allow Zhu Xi to make self-criticism and self-denial, proving that Zhu Xi did have some problems in his later years. The "mind-study" tendency of "returning to the roots and seeking truth". The quotations from Wang Shouren's lectures collected in the second volume mainly discuss "conscience" and "promoting conscience". "Zhuan Xilu" was edited by Wang's disciples Xu Ai and Qian Dehong. It includes the main viewpoints of Wang Shouren's theory. It has always been regarded as the "canon" of Yangming School and is an important material for studying Wang Shouren's educational thoughts. The quotations in it were recorded separately by the disciples of the Wang Clan. The editor only did the compilation work and indicated which items were recorded by whom, but did not further organize them. Therefore, there is no internal logical connection between the items.
The seven letters are written by Wang Shouren and are representative works of Wang Shouren's academic books. However, when reading these letters, if combined with other related academic letters, they more reflect Wang Shouren's relatively mature educational thoughts in his later years. However, due to the editor's For example, important works such as "Jishan Academy Zunjing Pavilion Records" and "Great Learning" are not included in it. It is obviously insufficient for understanding and researching Wang Shouren's educational thoughts. Therefore, when reviewing the book "Zhuanxilu", it is necessary to contact other chapters in "Quanshu".
[Edit this paragraph] Ideological achievements
Wang Shouren was the master of subjective idealism in the Song and Ming dynasties of my country. He developed Lu Jiuyuan's theory to counter the Cheng-Zhu school. He said: "There is no good or evil in the body of the heart; there is good and evil in the body of the heart; knowing good and evil is conscience; doing good and eliminating evil is the object of investigation." He took this as the purpose of his lectures. He asserted: "The principles of everything are not in my heart" and "the clear mind is the principles of heaven"; he denied that there are reasons, things and things outside the heart. He believes that for learning, "learning is the only way to get the heart", "the heart is the root of what is planted." Those who learn are those who cultivate and irrigate, those who support and delete and hoe, it is nothing more than doing something at the root. That's all." It requires this kind of inner cultivation method to achieve the so-called "all things are one" state. His theories of "the unity of knowledge and action" and "the simultaneous advancement of knowledge and action" are aimed at opposing the views of Song Confucian scholars such as Cheng Yi who "know first and then act" and various views that separate the relationship between knowledge and action. When talking about children's education, he opposed "whipping and fettering, as if they were imprisoned", and advocated that "it must be encouraged and centered with joy" in order to achieve "natural transformation over time." His teachings appeared in an "anti-traditional" manner. After the mid-Ming Dynasty, the Yangming School was formed and had a great influence. He recruited disciples all over the world. After his death, although "Wang Xue" was divided into several schools, they all came from the same sect and each had its own strengths. His philosophical thoughts spread far and wide overseas, especially having a great influence on Japanese academic circles. Japanese general Togo Heihachiro has a waist card that says "I will bow my head and worship Yomei for the rest of my life." His disciples and spiritual studies have influenced many people: Xu Jie, Zhang Juzheng, Hai Rui, Tao Xingzhi, etc., and they are famous overseas!
Wang Shouren is not only a philosopher and educator, but also a famous poet. He loved the mountains and rivers of his hometown very much. When he returned to his hometown, he often visited places of interest and left many popular poems. For example, he wrote "Remembering Longquan Mountain":
I love Longquan Mountain, and the mountain monks are quite wild.
I sit on the railing of a well all day long and sometimes lie under a pine tree.
Farewell to Yunshan overnight, and travel by horse and carriage for three years.
I am ashamed to kill the spring under the rock, and it will clear it day and night.
Wang Shouren also visited Xuedou Mountain in Fenghua. The poem "Xuedou Mountain" he wrote is bright and elegant. It has been recited by people for hundreds of years.
The road in the poor mountain is cut off and it is difficult to come alone. After crossing thousands of streams, you can see the stone altar.
The bell in the high pavilion is ringing and the monk wakes up from his sleep. In the deep forest, the flowers are cold and the clothes are cold.
The valleys and thunders are faintly linked to the rock waterfalls, and the mountains and rain reflect the bamboo poles.
Don’t be surprised that all the peaks look familiar. I once looked at the painting.
Wang Shouren wrote a lot during his life. After his death, his disciples compiled the thirty-eight volumes of "Wang Wencheng Gongquan Shu", among which the most important ones in philosophy are "Zhuan Xi Lu" and "Great Learning".
He condensed his mental knowledge into four sentences:
There is no good or disgusting body,
There are good and evil actions.
Knowing good and knowing evil is liangzhi,
Doing good and eliminating evil is qingwu.
There is a stele pavilion commemorating him in the "Four Stele Pavilions" in Yuyao. The inscription reads: The hometown of Wang Yangming, the sage of the Ming Dynasty. Couplet: The university was once famous for teaching, and there are still high-rise buildings with auspicious clouds. Banner: True Three Immortals.
"Unreasonable"
Wang Shouren adhered to Lu Jiuyuan's teachings and promoted Lu Jiuyuan's thoughts, so they were called the "Lu Wang School". Lu Jiuyuan started from the theory that "the heart is the reason" and believed that the starting point of studying things is to realize the original heart. Wang Shouren was not satisfied with Lu Jiuyuan's explanation. He said: Lu Xiangshan's learning, "his intellectual speculation and his words of knowledge and investigation, although it is not exempt from the burden of inheritance."
Wang Shouren opposed Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi’s method of “studying things to gain knowledge” by pursuing “perfect principles” in everything. Because there are endless things, it would be tiresome to study them, so he advocated searching for “reasons” from one’s own heart. ", believing that "reason" is all in people's "heart", and "reason" transforms all things in the universe, heaven and earth, and people uphold their elegance, so the human heart itself upholds its essence.
As Lu Jiuyuan said, "The heart is connected with the reason, and the heart is the reason." Why seek outside? Therefore, if you understand the "original mind", you will understand the "natural principles".
Therefore, Wang Shouren emphasized: "The heart is just one. It is called benevolence in terms of its overall compassion, its meaning in terms of appropriateness, and its principle in terms of its organization. You can't seek benevolence outside your heart, and you can't seek it outside your heart. Righteousness, can we only seek reason from outside our heart? Knowing and doing are two things; seeking reason from our heart is the teaching of the unity of knowledge and action."
"Knowing and doing are one. 1"
In terms of the relationship between knowledge and action, Wang Shouren started from the idea that "all things in heaven and earth are one and I am one", and he opposed Zhu Xi's theory of "see before you act". Wang Shouren believed that since he knew this truth, he should practice it. If you just claim to know something without practicing it, it cannot be called true knowledge. True knowledge is inseparable from practice. For example, when you know the principle of filial piety, you will already be very filial and caring towards your parents; when you know benevolence, you will already treat your friends around you in a benevolent way. The true unity of knowledge and action lies in actually acting according to what you know. Knowing and doing happen simultaneously. His purpose is to "overcome the unwholesome thought if there is any unwholesome thought at the beginning. It needs to be thorough and thorough to prevent that unwholesome thought from lurking in the chest."
Wang Shouren understood Zhu Xi's "See before you act" and other theories that separate knowledge and action in the "Chuanxi Lu" compiled by his students. The ancient sages saw that many people combined a large number of They spent time and energy on knowledge and neglected action. They thought that if this continued, it would create a trend of exaggeration, so they began to emphasize the need to know and even more to do. People in later generations understood it to mean predicting before acting, which was a wrong understanding. The meaning of sage. Beijing Jiaotong University, Northeastern University, and Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics use it as part of their school motto.
"To Conscience"
Wang Shouren has experienced hundreds of deaths and thousands of hardships in life. At the age of fifty, he put forward the finishing touch of the theoretical purpose "To Conscience": "Something like this The theory of conscience is derived from hundreds of deaths and thousands of difficulties. I have no choice but to explain it to others in one sentence. I am afraid that scholars will find it easy, play with it, and fail to practice it, which will lead to the failure of this knowledge."
< p>"Only seek truth"Wang Yangming advocated the "seeking truth" style of study that "a gentleman's study should only pursue truth", and he has elaborated on it in many ways. To this day, the spirit of "seeking truth" is still very important. Zhejiang University uses it as part of its school motto.
"Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce"
Volume 7 of Gu Yanwu's "Rizhilu" states that "Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce are called the four peoples, and the theory begins with Guanzi (Guan Zhong)." Wang Yangming believes that scholars , agriculture, industry, and commerce "their essence lies in the way that is beneficial to life, and it is just one thing." He further explained the view that "in ancient times, the four peoples had different careers but the same way, and they all dedicated themselves to the same thing." He put the traditional concept in Industry and commerce, which has always been regarded as a "low industry", were put on the same level as scholars. ("Table of Jie'an Cemetery") Wang Yangming's "Supplementary Materials of Zhuan Xi Lu" said: "Although he has been doing business every day, it will not affect his becoming a saint or a virtuous person." This theory is called the "New Four Theory of the People".
"Four Sentences"
"Four Sentences" is a comprehensive summary of Wang Yangming's philosophical thoughts in his later years, that is, "There is no good or disgusting body, and there are good and malicious actions." "Liangzhi knows good and evil, and does good and eliminates evil." Four sentences.
See "Those Things in the Ming Dynasty" for details
[Edit this paragraph] Monument of Merit
In ancient times, after a great battle, the victorious party They would carve stones near the battlefield to record their achievements. There is also a place like this in Lushan Mountain.
Under the Li Jing reading desk in Xiufeng, there is a stone wall several feet square. There are three stone carvings on the stone wall: in the middle is "Seven Buddhas" written by Huang Tingjian, a great poet and calligrapher of the Song Dynasty, on the right is a poem by Xu Dai of the Ming Dynasty, and on the left is an inscription written by Wang Yangming here to record his achievements after quelling Zhu Chenhao's rebellion. Monument of merit. The inscription contains a total of 136 characters. The font is solemn and powerful, and it penetrates into the stone. Later generations commented on the inscription: This mountain is immortal at this moment, and the wind and thunder protect the forest's light.
Wang Shouren, courtesy name Bo'an, was known as Mr. Yangming because he built a house and studied in his hometown of Yangmingdong. Wang Yangming, a native of Zhejiang, was a famous philosopher, educator, politician and military strategist in ancient my country. He once served as the censor of the military affairs capital. On June 14, the 14th year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty (1519), Zhu Chenhao, king of Ning of the clan, launched a rebellion in Nanchang. The rebels, numbering 100,000, were so powerful that they fell into Nankang and went down the river to Jiujiang. Along the way, they defeated Anqing and forced Nanjing. They had the potential to march north and directly seize the capital. The Ming court was shaken and panicked. At this time, Wang Yangming, the governor of southern Gansu who was stationed in Fengcheng, quickly rushed to Ji'an, made a decisive decision, mobilized troops, and attacked Nanchang, the base of the rebels.
Chen Hao heard the news and hurriedly returned to rescue. Wang Yangming fought with the rebels at Poyang Lake. In just 35 days, Wang Yangming defeated the rebels and captured Zhu Chenhao alive in Shengmi Street near Nanchang. A major rebellion that endangered the country and the country was put down almost with laughter. However, for Wang Yangming's great achievements, instead of being rewarded by the court, he suffered a series of slanders and frame-ups. Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty even felt that Wang Yangming had lost face by easily putting down the rebellion so quickly. He believed that in such a battle, he should personally lead the troops to the south in order to show his "imperial power". The eunuch Zhang Zhong and others falsely accused him of colluding with Chen Hao. Wu Zong actually asked Wang Yangming to let Chen Hao go and let him lead his army to fight Zhu Chen Hao again... In this case, Wang Yangming rushed to Qiantang overnight and handed Chen Hao over to the eunuch. , and at the same time followed Wu Zong's will, reported victory again, and attributed the victory in countering the rebellion to Wu Zong. In this way, the emperor's face was saved and Wang Yangming's wealth and life were guaranteed.
On the 30th day of the first lunar month of the second year, Wang Yangming went to Kaixian Temple (now Xiufeng Temple) and carved stones to record his merits. The merit stele extols the emperor's "imperial majesty and martial prowess" and "pro-unification of the Sixth Division before the attack, and then captured Chen Hao and returned home." In the short inscription, Wang Yangming also vaguely expressed his unspeakable complex feelings.
Perhaps when he was carving stones to record his merits, Wang Yangming was deeply impressed by the scenery around Kaixian Temple, and he loved this place very much. In March of this year, he came to Kaixian Temple again. Wandering in the forest, meditating on the waterside, the quiet mountains and rivers, the forest, the springs and the numerous cultural relics reminded him of his ups and downs in the officialdom and the ups and downs of his life. In addition to feeling emotional, he wrote several poems to express his inner worries.
His "Revisiting the Wall of Kaixian Temple Again" says:
Zhongcheng was confused about official matters and looked around the mountains to find the temple.
I still keep my salary for my wife and children, but I haven’t been able to retire from office yet.
I came twice at the beginning of March, but the door for monks and guests in the temple was not open.
The mountain spirit seems to dislike the vulgar people, and the stream wind blocks the road and blows people back.
Don’t you see, a man of wealth is like a man of wine, it takes five measures to wake up.
As long as I enjoy the mountains and rivers, why should I be famous?
There is also a song "Sitting in Longtan at Night" that says:
Where can the fragrance of flowers enter the night? The sound of thatched cottage in the stone forest across the stream.
Every time the lonely man goes out alone when the moon comes out, the bird roosting in the sky will sing.
The dew on the grass is always wet, and the wind in the pine trees makes the clothes light;
I want to write the meaning of orchids when I am in the flow, and there is endless love in the north and south of the Yangtze River.
The poem expresses how lonely, depressed and heavy the author feels. The memorial monument under Li Jing's reading desk is still clear and eye-catching hundreds of years later. After reading this inscription of more than 100 words, and then reading the two poems mentioned above, facing the stone wall is like facing a page of profound thoughts. history, through the inscriptions praising the power of the emperor, we can see the true face of the history that has been covered up.
Attachment: The full text of the "Stele of Record of Merit":
In Zhengde, in Yihai, the sixth month of Ji Mao, Chenhao rebelled in Nanchang and called his troops to Xiangque. Defeated Nankang and Jiujiang, attacked Anqing, and shocked people far and wide.
In the seventh month of Xinhai, the minister Shouren returned to Nanchang with troops from the following counties. He was captured by Chen Hao and the rest of the party was settled. At that time, the emperor was furious when he heard about the change, and personally unified the Sixth Division to attack him, so he captured Chen Hao and returned.
With the majesty of the emperor, the divine force will not kill. Like the shock of thunder, it breaks when struck by force. The artifact has its home, who dares to steal it? The sky is in view of Chenhao, and the emperor's spirit is revealed to bring peace to our country.
At the end of the first month of Zhengde Gengchen, Wang Shouren, the censor of the military affairs department, wrote a letter. From the official list, he is listed on the left side
[Edit this paragraph] Political opinions
Advocates clarifying "rewards and punishments" to improve the effectiveness of governance, and practicing ethics and ethics to prevent "crime". He believes: Rewards and punishments are the "grand ceremony of the state" and should be fully valued and used correctly. At that time, the increasing number of "thieves" was due to excessive "appeasement". Excessive "appeasement" was due to insufficient military strength. The insufficient military strength was due to the failure to implement rewards and punishments well, so that "they would die without the advice of a reward." If you retreat and run away, you will not be killed." If the laws are unclear and rewards and punishments are not believed, even if there are millions of troops, it will be useless. He also advocated that "rewards should not be delayed, and punishment should not be delayed." He believed that rewards that were delayed were equivalent to no reward, and punishment that was delayed was equivalent to no punishment, and they would not have the effect of encouraging good and punishing evil. The purpose of these propositions is to improve the efficiency of governance and "break the thieves in the mountains". He also advocated moral education to ease class conflicts and reduce crimes and rebellion. He said: "When people are poor, there will be thieves." He believes that the people are already extremely poor and want to continue to collect money endlessly, which is tantamount to driving them to become thieves.
Therefore, it is necessary to "remove the salary of redundant personnel, lose the rewards that are not urgent, stop unknown expeditions, economize on expenses", implement "relief" and "rent-free" for the victims, so that they "will not abandon themselves and become thieves". Therefore, he opposed "disregarding morality and relying solely on laws" and advocated "establishing schools to change customs" immediately after suppressing the people's uprising, in order to achieve long-term peace and stability. He taught the lower-level officials that if county magistrates can devote their efforts and intelligence, sincerely "love the people" and implement the policy of "nurturing and educating", even barbarians can be influenced; even if they produce " The place where thieves and thieves are strong can also be turned into a place where "courtesy and righteousness can be crowned". He emphasized that the purpose of this aspect was concentrated on one point, which is to use a soft hand to "break the thief in the heart." But there is a limit to a soft hand. He emphasized that punishment is the guarantee of "moral education". "If there are stubborn and tyrannical people who refuse to submit to political governance," they must be "captured immediately and governed by military law. Do not tolerate thieves and encourage stubborn people."
Stressing that law enforcement requires "excellence of feelings and laws" and treating him differently, he opposed "killing for the sake of merit, regardless of jade or stone." For example, when dealing with the rebels in the "Chenhao Rebellion", it was advocated that only the principal offender should be sentenced to death. As for the "rebellious" offenders, it was believed that "the original situation is not necessary, and if you forgive them, it will be taken lightly, and beheading will be like hurting someone." "serious", it is better to "comply with public opinion" and be sentenced to eternal exile in the army, so that "emotions and laws can be balanced", and "it is benevolent to keep the guilt in doubt". In another "announcement", he even announced that those who coerce and "make trouble" will be exempted from prosecution, "all will be allowed to surrender their heads to avoid death, and will be given physiological conditions for returning to work." Doing so not only made "the police aware of flattery and the national constitution clear", but also showed the "mercy" of the court. This is the specific legal application of his "Sui Rou Liu Thief" strategy. In addition, he also advocated that the application of the law should be based on the specific local conditions at that time, especially in remote areas where "the land is far away and the state and religion are not accessible" and when "the common people have no knowledge of the laws", all "litigation is a waste of money and food" All matters such as these can be dealt with expediently based on the actual conditions of the place at that time: "Those who apply should apply, and those who should initiate revolution should initiate revolution. We must ensure the welfare of the livestock and the people, and there is no need to interfere with the law." Under the principle of "enforcement of law to enhance prestige", he has noticed the issue of flexibility in the application of law.
Seeking to pay attention to "discipline", purge the officials who enforce the law, and put an end to "extra-legal punishments". He believes that "if the law does not work, you must violate it from above." It is necessary to deal with the illegal behavior of those children of wealthy and powerful families who have stolen official positions, such as those with malicious intentions, "harassing the road, taking advantage of power to take credit, taking rewards for no work, slacking off the warrior's spirit, and creating resentment for border guards". Vigorous efforts should be made to rectify the situation, and strict requirements should be imposed on law enforcement officials who are "violent to the law" in particular. However, he pointed out that in judicial trials, "criminal proceedings are conducted in prisons" and things are "complicated and difficult to handle." They are often suppressed and restrained by the powerful, so that the words to end the prison according to the law "have not come out of their mouth, but the humiliation has been imposed on themselves; the matter has not been solved, but the opportunity has been caught in a trap." Under such circumstances, it is difficult to make them "resolutely adhere to the law and not suffer disaster". In particular, we must start with purifying the administration of officials and strictly enforcing rewards and punishments to eliminate obstacles to the enforcement of the law. He also advocated strengthening prison management and putting an end to "extra-legal executions." He pointed out that the "prison hall" in the capital was an important place where "all the prisons in the world are located." Officials responsible for prison must be treated with caution, especially for "prisons" "The delay of shackles, the opening and closing of keys, the different defenses against cold and heat in the morning and night, the special care for hunger, thirst and diseases", even things as trivial as "broomsticks, knives and cones", "cleaning away dirt", all should be carefully paid attention to. To "experience it personally". In this way, we can not only prevent the "risk of unexpected changes", but also prevent the prisoner from being "abandoned to death". He also emphasized that the "crimes" committed by prisoners in prison were not all due to "lack of protection". There were also reasons for improper supervision that prompted them to commit crimes again. Therefore, only by ensuring that "orders are strict but tight" in prisons so that prisoners are protected from "extra-legal punishment" can "harmful crimes" be avoided.