The book provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of Wang’s philosophy at different stages throughout its maturation so as to sketch the essential character and grand picture of Wang’s philosophy. As a systematic study of Wang’s philosophy, this monograph boasts a broad perspective, profound analysis and substantial historical data. It is a perfect manifestation of the author’s academic accomplishment and presents the readers with a panorama of Wang’s thought. Although the book is focused primarily on Wang, its scope and methodology carry great implications for the study of Song and Ming Confucianism and even ancient Chinese philosophy as a whole.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• CHAPTER 1 Introduction
  • 1. The Being of Ego and the Non-Being of Ego
  • 2. Seriousness and Easefulness
  • 3. Rationalism and Existentialism
• CHAPTER 2 The Content of the Doctrine “Mind Is Principle”
  • 1. The Initiation of the Doctrine: “Mind Is Principle”
  • 2. The Content of the Doctrine: “Mind Is Principle”
    • (1) Set Principle and Utmost Perfection
    • (2) Moral Rule and Moral Object
    • (3) Mind and Rite
    • (4) No Principle Outside the Mind
    • (5) Dominance, Perception, and Order
  • 3. Interpretation of the Doctrine “Mind Is Principle”
  • 4. The Contradictions of the Doctrine “Mind Is Principle”
• CHAPTER 3 Mind and Things
  • 1. Mind and Intention
  • 2. Intention and Events
  • 3. Mind and Things
  • 4. Mind and Things in the Same Body
• CHAPTER 4 Mind and Nature
  • 1. The Unaroused and Aroused Feelings
  • 2. The Original Substance of the Mind
    • (1) The Highest Good Is the Original Substance of Mind
    • (2) The Original Substance of Mind Is the Principle of Nature
    • (3) Sincerity Is the Original Substance of Mind
    • (4) Knowledge Is the Original Substance of Mind
    • (5) Joy Is the Original Substance of Mind
    • (6) Calmness Is the Original Substance of the Mind
    • (7) Evil Is the Loss of the Original Substance
  • 3. Mind and Nature
    • (1) The Original Substance of the Mind Is Nature
    • (2) Mind Is Nature
    • (3) Nature, Heaven, and Destiny
    • (4) Nature and Physical Nature
    • (5) The Good and Evil of Nature
• CHAPTER 5 Knowledge and Action
  • 1. The Content of the Unity of Knowledge and Action
    • (1) The Original Substance of Knowledge and Action
    • (2) True Knowledge Constitutes Action and Cannot Be Called Knowledge Unless Put into Action
    • (3) Knowledge Is the Beginning of Action and Action Is the Completion of Knowledge
    • (4) Knowledge Is the Direction for Action and Action Is the Effort of Knowledge
    • (5) Knowledge in its Genuine and Earnest Aspect Is Action, and Action in its Intelligent and Discriminating Aspect Is Knowledge
    • (6) No One Really Learns Anything Without Carrying It into Action, and No Learning Can Be Considered Learning If It Is Not Carried into Action.
  • 2. The Purpose and Efforts of the Unity of Knowledge and Action
    • (1) The Purpose of the Unity of Knowledge and Action
    • (2) Criticism on the Unity of Knowledge and Action
    • (3) Extending Innate Knowledge and the Unity of Knowledge and Action
    • (4) The Effort of the Unity of Knowledge and Action
  • 3. The Analysis of the Unity of Knowledge and Action
• CHAPTER 6 Sincerity and Investigating Things
  • 1. The Old Version of The Great Learning and its Preface
  • 2. Sincerity
  • 3. The Investigation of Things and the Investigation of Mind
  • 4. Debates on the Investigation of Things
    • (1) Discussion of the Investigation of Things with Zhan Ganquan
    • (2) Interpretation of the Investigation of Things by Luo Zhengan
    • (3) The Debate of the Investigation of Things with Gu Dongqiao
  • 5. The Doctrine of the Investigation of Things in Inquires into The Great Learning
• CHAPTER 7 The Innate Knowledge and the Extension of Innate Knowledge
  • 1. Putting Forward the Doctrine of the Extension of Innate Knowledge
  • 2. The Innate Knowledge
    • (1) The Innate Knowledge Is the Mind of Right and Wrong
    • (2) The Innate Knowledge and Intention
    • (3) The Innate Knowledge and Self-Knowledge
    • (4) The Innate Knowledge Is Called Sage
    • (5) The Innate Knowledge Is the Heavenly Principle
    • (6) The Innate Knowledge and Luminous Virtue
    • (7) The Innate Knowledge and Self-Contentment
  • 3. The Extension of Innate Knowledge
    • (1) The Meaning of Attaining the Utmost in the Extension of Innate Knowledge
    • (2) The Meaning of Action in the Extension of Innate Knowledge
    • (3) The Innate Knowledge and What Is Seen and Heard
  • 4. From the Investigation of Things to the Extension of Knowledge
• CHAPTER 8 Being and Non-Being
  • 1. The Discussion at Tianquan Bridge
  • 2. No Distinction Between Good and Evil
  • 3. The Original Substance of Mind and the Original Substance of Nature
  • 4. Confucianism and Buddhism
  • 5. Being and Non-Being
  • 6. A Conversation at Yantan
• CHAPTER 9 The Spiritual Realm
  • 1. The Realm of Being and Non-Being
  • 2. Non-Being of Ego as the Foundation
    • (1) Self-Contentment and the Non-Being of Ego
    • (2) Reverence and Unrestrainedness
    • (3) Immobility and No Attachment
  • 3. The Unrestrained Mind
  • 4. Forming One Body with Things
    • (1) The Benevolent Taking of Everything in the World As in One Body
    • (2) The Realm of Being of the Ego
    • (3) Benevolence and Love
• CHAPTER 10 Efforts
  • 1. The Internal and the External, the Root and the Branch
    • (1) Selfishness and Unselfishness
    • (2) The Learning of the Mind and the Method of the Mind
    • (3) Virtue and Learning
    • (4) Extensive Learning and Strict Propriety
    • (5) Refinement and Singleness
    • (6) Mind and Six Classics
    • (7) Purity and Weight
    • (8) Goals and Efforts
  • 2. Being and Non-Being, Activity and Tranquility in Efforts
    • (1) Field Experience and Sitting Meditation
    • (2) Caution and Apprehension, and What to Think About and Deliberate About
    • (3) Preoccupation and Spontaneity
    • (4) Accumulating Righteousness and an Unperturbed Mind
    • (5) Activity and Tranquility
    • (6) Mind Preservation and the Vital Force of Calmness
• CHAPTER 11 Conclusion
  • 1. Yangming’s Spiritual Progress in His Early Life
  • 2. Yangming’s Teaching Method in His Middle Age
  • 3. The Perfection of Yangming’s Thoughts in His Old Age
  • 4. The Change and Development of the Yangming School after His Death
• APPENDIX Mysticism in the Traditional Learning of the Heart (Xinxue)
  • (1) Introduction
  • (2) Mystical Experience in the Ming Learning of the Heart
  • (3) Mystical Experience in the Song Learning of the Heart
  • (4) Neo-Confucian Criticism on Mysticism
  • (5) Conclusion
• A Brief Summary of Wang Yangming’s Chronology
• Bibliography of Works Cited
• Postscript
• Acknowledgments by the Translator
• Endnotes