A Study on the Ethics of Li Zhi：An Exploration of his Opinions on Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Wang, Yu-Tzu
Abstract
The main reason why Li Zhi was shut out of society was because he merged Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism concepts but he was not inclined to Confucianism or Buddhism. Thus, although he studied Buddhism and was tonsured to become a monk, he was still not admitted by eminent monks. Li Zhi had Confucianism’s righteous mind and was eager to propose his views of administrating the county; however, he criticized Cheng, Zhu, Confucius, and Mencius, thus finally being denounced by the common customs. Li Zhi was seemingly filled with indignation, harsh and unsparing on humans, but in all his life, he always cared about the promotion of Taoism’s forgiveness and serenity thoughts of conforming to nature, meeting the people, and being in the ‘Tao’ with everything. Therefore, his states of mind of talking about Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism concepts are seemingly conflict but eventually not far from ethical considerations. In this paper, it is attempted to clarify the perspective that Li Zhi was regarded as isolated individualist in the past and then to observe from Li Zhi’s core concern about ethical awareness to his talking about Confucianism,Buddhism and Taoism concepts to demonstrate why his doctrine became heresy itself was because he consciously stood at a special perspective “outsidethe Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism concepts” to review each school of thoughts. There are five chapters in this paper to respectively study Li Zhi’s Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism concepts and further to demonstrate his ethical awareness. In Chapter II, Li Zhi’s interpretation of the issues in the argumentation of The Four Books in “Dao Gu Lu” is mainly analyzed. Further, how he reinterpreted the ethics discussions in Confucianism through his considerations on the theory of human nature and his distinction between different levels in the learnings of introspection and governing people and what he redefined proprieties are discussed. He suggested that only in the ‘Tao’ realm where the subject could prove people were integrated could humans transform freely, respond infinity, re-realize the essence of propriety and morals, and practice ethical concerns of forgiveness and synesthesia. In Chapter III, Li Zhi’s Buddhist philosophy as well as his debates on various topics about sur-mundane, worldly, life, and human relations is discussed. First of all, beginning with Li Zhi’s Buddhist karma, how he explained Buddhist thoughts is discussed. Then, through his numerous debates with others, his complex situation of life experience can be seen to demonstrate how he was consciously aware of existing specifications for considerations of cross-border with the operations of body image and the special position of lay Buddhists and was alerted to avoid obeying authority. At last, the debates between Li Zhi and Keng Ting-hsiang are taken as the basis for why he could make criticism and ethics coexist without problems. In Chapter IV, the two books,“Interpretation of Laozi” and “Interpretation of Zhuangzi,” which were the basis of Li Zhi’s interpretation of Taoism, are analyzed. First, through Li Zhi’s explanation of “Lao zi,” it is clarified that his analysis for Lao zi was through revealing ‘Tao’ and promoting the effectiveness of world governance. Then, the importance of efforts when Li Zhi emphasized the subject’s personally comprehending the ‘Tao’ body is explored. In“Interpretation of Zhuangzi,” he reaffirmed the free and unfettered mind and the Qi-Wu mind that only in the mind with no constraint and adamant could people listen to the sounds of nature and see the eternal fitness of Heaven and Earth The research purpose of this paper is mainly to promote the ethical dimensions in Li Zhi’s Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism concepts. It is expected to be as the beginning of future research, not only on Li Zhi’s independent spirits of his courage to criticize troubled world but also on the spirit of human relations from his interpretations of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism concepts.
Subjects
Li Zhi
Ethics
human relations
Three Religious Thoughts Coordination
Confucianism Buddhism and Taoism
realmind
Tao
SDGs
Type
thesis
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