Volume 4,Issue 6
Cheng and Teaching: The Ontology of the Way of Teachers in Zhou Dunyi’s Philosophy and Its Moral Education Implications for Contemporary College Students
As the founder of Neo-Confucianism of the Song and Ming dynasties, Zhou Dunyi’s thought on Cheng inherits from The Doctrine of the Mean and the Commentaries on the Yi, and inspires Cheng, Zhu, Lu, and Wang, achieving a coherence from “cosmology” to “moral theory.” He elevated Cheng to the philosophical height of unifying the cosmic noumenon and the source of morality, establishing the metaphysical foundation of the Confucian learning of inner sagehood and marking the starting point of the ontological construction of Neo-Confucianism. Taking Cheng as the cosmic noumenon and moral source, he further grounded “teaching” on Cheng, thereby providing ontological support for the way of teachers. Teachers are not transporters of knowledge but witnesses and transmitters of Cheng. The essence of education lies not in instilling norms but in awakening the Cheng inherent in students. This thought of “establishing teaching on Cheng” has important theoretical reference and practical implications for solving the problems of disconnection between knowledge and action and nihilism of belief commonly existing in the moral education of contemporary college students.
[1] Huang Z, 2003, On Zhou Dunyi’s Moral Theory and His Pioneering Contributions to the Moral Theory of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. Journal of Jiaozuo University, 17(2): 1–5.
[2] Wu FM, 2008, An Interpretation of the Principles of the Book of Changes in Zhou Lianxi’s Doctrine of Sincerity. Jiangxi Social Sciences, (6): 59–62.
[3] Wu JM, 2011, An Analysis of the Philosophical Connotations of “Exhausting Principle and Fulfilling Nature to Reach Destiny” in the Yi Zhuan. Journal of Religious Philosophy, (8): 97–113.
[4] Huang ZL, 1993, Wuji (The Ultimate of Non-Being): The Highest Category in Zhou Dunyi’s Philosophy. Journal of Jiujiang Teachers College, 12(3): 13–15.
[5] Cai XL, 2005, “The Necessity of Tautology”: On the Non-Logical Characteristics of Translation. Chinese Translators Journal, 26(3): 3–7.
[6] Fan HF, 2002, The Ontologization of Ethical Categories: The Evolution of the Concept of Cheng (Sincerity) from the Pre-Qin Period to the Song Dynasty. Morality and Civilization, (6): 47–50.
[7] Gong K, 2006, “Five Foundations”: The Essence of Traditional Chinese Culture. Scientific Socialism, (3): 78–81.
[8] Zhang GM, 2005, On the Connection Between Liu Zongyuan’s and Zhou Dunyi’s Educational Thought. Journal of Kaifeng University, 19(4): 6–9.
[9] Xia J, 2010, On the Relationship Between Li (Rites) and Yue (Music). Confucius Studies, (2): 51–57.
[10] Liu YH, Xu W, 2010, The Thought of Three-Teachings Harmony in Daoism as Seen from Yuan Dynasty Daoist Historical Texts. Journal of Huaiyin Normal University (Philosophy and Social Sciences Edition), 32(2): 214–221.
