Wang Wang’s Theory on “Conscience” and its Influence

Abstract of Speech

Academic Forum on Wang Wang’s Theory

Guizhou, China

Dr. Tong Yun-kai

Confucian Academy

September 2005

Dear Leading Cadres, Scholars, Experts, Ladies and Gentlemen,

              The famous Chinese philosopher, educationist and master of Lu and Wang’s Theory of the Mind, Mr. Wang Yangming came to Longchang of Guiyang in 497 A.D. and got enlightened despite the tough living environment and hardships.  The occasion we have today indeed bears great significance in the re-establishment of the moral values of modern Chinese people and promotion of Wang’s thought.

              Since childhood, Wang Yangming was dedicated to “Studying to emulate the sages and men of virtue” rather than “Studying to pass the imperial examinations.”  Ever since he was exposed to “Neo-Confucianism” at the age of eighteen, he was greatly influenced by Zhu Xi’s thought.  At the age of thirty-four, he met Zhan Ruoshui and was greatly influenced by Zhan’s Theory of the Mind.  In 1506 A.D. Wang lived in Guizhou in banishment as a posthouse official of Longchang, where he got enlightened and invited into the Theory of the Mind.

              Wang’s Theory of the Mind bears great significance in the history of Chinese Philosophy as the developmental summit of the School of the Mind Theory.  He put forward the Theory of “Conscience” as the highest principle, putting much emphasis on “the Mind” as the criterion for distinguishing right and wrong and incorporated sages’ authority into the authority of the Mind.  This has enhanced the development of academic studies and philosophy and brought about significant social influence in China and even overseas.

              In Wang’s term, the natural character is the basic element of conscience.  What’s the primary concern of moral development is the foundation for cultivating moral behaviour, which is the natural character.  Conscience is the ultimate origin of moral behaviour.  It is our conscience, not the external world, that we should appeal to for the Way.  According to Wang, conscience is the revelation of the Heavenly Principle and cognition or thinking is the application of conscience; a thought out of conscience is then an embodiment of the Heavenly Principle.  The ultimate source of kindness, when revealed through cognition, constitutes the ability to judge with righteousness; when revealed through affection, germinates a sense of disgust, compunction and guilt for evil deeds or germinates a will to follow suit, delight and satisfaction for virtuous deeds.  The natural character, when manifested through man’s consciousness, transcends a person to a superior level of life.  From the form of its application, we can find the access to personality cultivation and only then can we practically become aware of and know conscience.

              Moreover, conscience cannot be purely isolated from the situational context of our everyday life and is certainly integrated into our knowledge and experience.  That is, it cannot be actualized without the assistance of knowledge and experience.  Only through rational cognition can we learn the objective world, analyzes our own situation and then adopt the right behaviour.  If a man had not even the minimum amount of knowledge and experience, but merely conscience, then utilizing conscience could only result in stupid mistakes of0 kind intention.  One’s behaviour will be merely wise but not moral if he has no conscience, even though under the guidance of his rich experience and correct knowledge.  What rational cognition brings about is rational but never moral behaviour.  Only when morality itself is well cultivated can moral behaviour be manifested, which is what Wang refers to as “to attain conscience”.

During Wang’s three-year stay in Guizhou, he worked not only on his breakthrough in the Theory of the Mind in the academic field but also endeavoured to cultivate the education of the talented and capable.  Giving lectures at Longgang College and Wenming College, he brought to Guizhou the relatively advanced culture of the Mainland.  With his profound friendship developed with the minority groups and his zealous teaching, Wang enabled the propagation of the Theory of the Mind among the minority groups in Guizhou.  Upholding Confucianism as the guiding principle, Wang made a relatively fair evaluation of the minority groups and dealt well with the relationship with them, and hence making a significant contribution to the maintenance of unity among the various nationality groups.  This is the reason why Wang has been so popular among the nationality groups in Guizhou all through the years till now.

              Wang’s teaching of “to abide by conscience” has profound influence in the mid-Ming Dynasty and even in modern China.  Celebrities like Wei Yuan, Kong Youwei, Liang Qichau and Tan Zhitong earnestly upheld Wang’s Theory of the Mind.  They put much emphasis on the concept of fairness for all people when in the face of conscience, which is a breakthrough of the tradition and an establishment of a sense of autonomy across the nation.  Modern thinkers such as Liang, Shuming Xiong Shili and He Lin have also absorbed elements from Wang’s Theory of the Mind to a very great extent.

              Wang’s thought, especially his teaching of “to abide by conscience”, has profound influence not only in China but also on thinkers, politicians and even the whole community of Japan.  It is said that an 87-year-old Japanese monk, Liu’an Guiwu (1424-1514 A.D.), was officially delegated to meet Wang Yang Ming in China.  Before Guiwu returned to Japan, Wang wrote him a preface as a gift, which has a profound influence among the Japanese scholars.  Nevertheless, the founder of the study of Wang’s thought in Japan should be Zhongjiang Tenshu (1608-1648 A.D.) and the study was greatly developed and promoted by Zuoteng Yiqi (1772-1859 A.D.), who then became a leading authority on the study.  The Mingji Revolution made Wang’s Confucian thought prominent, laid the path for today’s Japan as a prosperous and stable nation immune to import and annoyance of disintegration brought about by extremists of the rightist or the leftist, and that’s why all the countrymen are so united and patriotic.

In modern China, intellectuals during the May 4^th Movement tried to overthrow Confucianism and break away from the tradition.  This destroyed unity and harmony among the countrymen and reduced the influence of Confucian culture.  Later on, there was the Cultural Revolution, during which extremists of the leftist brought great disaster to China for ten years long ── it was a sharp contrast to Japan.  Since the implementation of Open Door Policy, the Chinese Government has positively confirmed the value of Confucian culture and returned to the right way to cultural construction finally.

Despite the impact of globalization and pressure from western culture and religion, I believe our Government and countrymen are wise enough to put into practice the right strategy of cultural development.  When we persist pursuing cultural development in our way of Chinese characteristics, when we study, support and promote Confucianism and restore the excellent Chinese culture and have the axis of ideology of the Chinese nation established, it can not only consolidate all the countrymen of China, including people of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, but also raise the moral standard and humanity quality of the whole nation, keep the society united and add impetus to attaining the restoration and union of the Chinese nation.

I strongly believe that Confucianism has six major functions:

1.      To promote world peace;

2.      To enhance the moral quality of all mankind;

3.      To continue and prosper together with the various pluralistic cultures in the world;

4.      To serve as the spiritual axis for the 56 nationalities and 1.3 billion countrymen;

5.      To enhance the unification of China;

6.      To attain an equal status as other religions and cultures in the world.

The Confucian Academy has submitted a proposal to the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to make Confucius’ Birthday the Teacher’s Day and a public holiday.  We sincerely wish for spiritual support from you all.  If you agree to our proposal, please give a clap to show your endorsement.

Wishing you all good health and success!

Thank you very much.