Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism
Although Wang Fuzhi is considered an important summarizer of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism, his criticism of the traditional relationship between Heaven and human (<i>tian ren guan xi</i> 天人关系), especially the ensuing religious implications, has not been thoroughly examined. This essay aims...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Xiaopeng Xu Yun Chen |
| author_facet | Xiaopeng Xu Yun Chen |
| author_sort | Xiaopeng Xu |
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| description | Although Wang Fuzhi is considered an important summarizer of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism, his criticism of the traditional relationship between Heaven and human (<i>tian ren guan xi</i> 天人关系), especially the ensuing religious implications, has not been thoroughly examined. This essay aims to illustrate his reconstruction of Confucianism’s Heaven–human relationship and its ideal this-worldly religious way of life. He believed that Confucianism’s theory of human nature was based on the vision of man and that it was wrong to establish a static theory of human nature with the perspective of Heaven. The Heaven–human relationship is similar to that between father and son, which is different in form and separate in essence (<i>xing yi zhi li</i> 形异质离) and can only be balanced in a dynamic relationship. In addition, he pointed out that the traditional static relationship would lead to hypocrisy and asserted that this tendency might destroy this-worldly life of Confucianism. He attempted to integrate the different degrees of understanding of the Heaven–human relationship into a holistic and historical way of life through the Confucian classics. This-worldly life is continually aware of its own ephemerality through the feeling of the Heaven–human relationship as well as the transmission of experience. The historical life of a particular this-worldly religion is thus established. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7f3ccd4329054a55ba982f6d7bc52453 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
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| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj-art-7f3ccd4329054a55ba982f6d7bc524532025-08-20T02:43:02ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442025-03-0116339310.3390/rel16030393Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of ConfucianismXiaopeng Xu0Yun Chen1Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaDepartment of Philosophy, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaAlthough Wang Fuzhi is considered an important summarizer of Song–Ming Neo-Confucianism, his criticism of the traditional relationship between Heaven and human (<i>tian ren guan xi</i> 天人关系), especially the ensuing religious implications, has not been thoroughly examined. This essay aims to illustrate his reconstruction of Confucianism’s Heaven–human relationship and its ideal this-worldly religious way of life. He believed that Confucianism’s theory of human nature was based on the vision of man and that it was wrong to establish a static theory of human nature with the perspective of Heaven. The Heaven–human relationship is similar to that between father and son, which is different in form and separate in essence (<i>xing yi zhi li</i> 形异质离) and can only be balanced in a dynamic relationship. In addition, he pointed out that the traditional static relationship would lead to hypocrisy and asserted that this tendency might destroy this-worldly life of Confucianism. He attempted to integrate the different degrees of understanding of the Heaven–human relationship into a holistic and historical way of life through the Confucian classics. This-worldly life is continually aware of its own ephemerality through the feeling of the Heaven–human relationship as well as the transmission of experience. The historical life of a particular this-worldly religion is thus established.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/3/393Wang FuzhiConfucianismrelationship between Heaven and humanhistorical living |
| spellingShingle | Xiaopeng Xu Yun Chen Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism Religions Wang Fuzhi Confucianism relationship between Heaven and human historical living |
| title | Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism |
| title_full | Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism |
| title_fullStr | Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism |
| title_short | Wang Fuzhi on the Problem of Heaven and Human in the Religious Tradition of Confucianism |
| title_sort | wang fuzhi on the problem of heaven and human in the religious tradition of confucianism |
| topic | Wang Fuzhi Confucianism relationship between Heaven and human historical living |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/3/393 |
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