Neo-Confucianism - 理學, Lixue

The emergence of Neo-Confucianism further expanded on the 'unity' between Heaven and humanity, or tian ren he yi, as exemplified in the works of Zhang Zai (張載，1020–1077) and Wang Yangming (王陽明，1472–1529):

The Western Inscription《西銘》by Zhang Zai (張載)

乾稱父，坤稱母；予茲藐焉，乃混然中處。

故天地之塞，吾其體；天地之帥，吾其性。

民，吾同胞；物，吾與也。1

"Heaven is my father and Earth is my mother, and even such a small creature as I find an intimate place in their midst. Therefore that which extends throughout the universe I regard as my body and that which directs the universe I consider as my nature. All people are my brothers and sisters, and all things are my companions."2

Analysis.

 

Inquiry on the 'Great Learning'《大學問》 by Wang Yangming (王陽明)

陽明子曰：大人者，以天地萬物為一體者也。

其視天下猶一家，中國猶一人焉。

若夫間形骸而分爾我者，小人矣。

大人之能以天地萬物為一體也，

非意之也，其心之仁本若是，

其與天地萬物而為一也，豈惟大人，

雖小人之心亦莫不然，彼顧自小之耳。

是故見孺子之入井，而必有怵惕惻隱之心焉，

是其仁之與孺子而為一體也。

孺子猶同類者也，見鳥獸之哀鳴觳觫，

而必有不忍之心，

是其仁之與鳥獸而為一體也。

鳥獸猶有知覺者也，

見草木之摧折而必有憫恤之心焉，

是其仁之與草木而為一體也。

草木猶有生意者也，

見瓦石之毀壞而必有顧惜之心焉，

是其仁之與瓦石而為一體也。3

English translation.

Endnotes

[1] Zhang, Zai 張載. Western Inscription.《西銘》The Epoch Times: Wenhua Wang 大紀元：文化網.

<http://www.epochtimes.com/b5/1/9/1/c4687.htm>.

[2] Zhang, Zai. Western Inscription, in de Bary and Bloom, Sources of Chinese Tradition, 683.*

[3] Wang, Yangming 王陽明. Inquiry on the 'Great Learning'.《大學問》Wang Yangming Anthology. 王陽明文選

<http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~duhbauruei/5rso/texts/7song/te68/04.htm>.