How to read Wang Gen, a philosopher in Ming Dynasty?
Wang Yin.
Wang Gen (1483 ~ 154 1 July 20, 2008, 65438+1October 4)? [ 1]? , the word Confucianism,No. Xinzhai, a philosopher in the Ming Dynasty, was born in Anfengchang, Taizhou, Nanzhili (now Anfeng, Dongtai City, Jiangsu Province). At first, he devoted himself to learning from Wang Yangming (Shou Ren), then turned to learning, founded Taizhou School, and inherited Yangming's psychology. It was originally named Yin, and it was renamed Gen for him.
The life of the character
Wang Gen lived in Suzhou and later settled in Anfengchang, Taizhou (one of the ten places in Huainan, now Anfeng, Dongtai City, Jiangsu Province). He lives by burning salt, and his ancestor's name is Wang Boshou. Wang Gen was born in the 19th year of Chenghua, Ming Xianzong (1483). He is a "cook" (salt-burning coolie) class. He has been a kitchen worker for generations. "At the age of seven, he was educated in a rural school, but he was too poor to study." At the age of eleven, my family was so poor that I dropped out of school and was drenched with salt with my father and brother. /kloc-at the age of 0/9, he went to Shandong to do business with his father Shouan. When he visited the Confucius Temple in Shandong, he was greatly inspired and thought that "a master is also a human being.
I'm a human being, and saints can learn. "So, I recite the Book of Filial Piety, The Analects of Confucius and University every day and put the book in my sleeve. Hostage is in trouble, I will talk for a long time, such as opening my mouth. In more than ten years of self-study, on the one hand, I am not ashamed to ask questions, on the other hand, I emphasize my own personal experience. Because of good management, "naturally, the family is getting richer and richer" and becomes a rich household.
At the age of 38, he went to Jiangxi to visit Wang Yangming and became a disciple. At first, Wang Yangming thought he was arrogant, so he changed his name to "Gen", which was quiet. Wang Gen often argued with the teacher that he was always dissatisfied with the teacher's theory, and insisted on his own point of view, which was not only "repeatedly pushing hard points", but also "not sticking to notes" and "following the teacher's theory", so he founded his own "Huainan Wu Ge Theory". He advocated: "What is learning is what is Tao. If people are trapped in poverty and freeze their bodies, they will also lose their original knowledge. "
It emphasizes that the world is the foundation of the country and takes "settling down as the foundation" as the starting point of feudal ethics. Once I took a "swagger car" (an ox cart) to swagger through the city and was accused by Yang Ming. In the second year of Jiajing (1523), he went north to Beijing to give lectures along the way, which attracted the attention of all parties and caused a sensation. Wang Yangming was furious when he heard the news and wanted to call him back for "painful punishment", but he was unable to do so, and his academic thoughts had spread everywhere.
In the fifth year of Jiajing (1526), Wang Gen was invited by Wang Yaohu, the magistrate of Taizhou, to give a lecture at Anding College, promoting the view that "Shu Ren should learn from daily life", and invited scholars to come one after another, which prepared the conditions for the establishment of Taizhou School. Wang Gen's disciples are mostly ordinary people, "living in seclusion in the mountains, crossing the street to inspire ignorance, gathering words along the way, and reaching the capital", but there are also many celebrities, such as Yan Jun, Wang Yi and Luo Rufang. There are 487 children passed down to the Five Dynasties, and Luo Rufang is a master.
Huang Zongxi said that this faction can "fight dragons and snakes with their bare hands". Taizhou School put forward the viewpoint that "Shu Ren knows every day", emphasizing that "knowing is knowing, and not knowing is not knowing, which is also the conscience of heaven".
Wang Gen is ingenious in giving lectures, making deep clothes according to the Book of Rites, and wearing the five permanent crowns. "I will abide by the garden rules when I walk, and I will burn incense silently when I sit." He was naked all his life, refused to be an official, and pointed out to the ruler: "Let the courtiers and the father be happy under the rule, and still explain this to the second and third sons." The so-called teacher's way is established, there will be more good people, the court will be upright and the world will be prosperous.
In the eighteenth year of Jiajing (1539), 57-year-old Wang Gen was seriously ill. The next winter, when he was seriously ill, he said to his son Wang You, "Since you know how to study, why should I worry?" He hopes that Taizhou School will continue to run. After his death, there were hundreds of people in the funeral home.
Wang Gen made great contributions to Taizhou School all his life. Most of his students are from the lower classes, including 487 farmers, woodcutters, potters and Yan Ding. Wang Gen didn't believe in the idealistic genius theory of "born with knowledge", but emphasized the importance of learning the day after tomorrow. This is his personal experience of self-taught. Because of his non-scholastic background, he wrote only a few words in his life, emphasizing oral communication, making "stupid husband and foolish woman" easy to understand and becoming one of the characteristics of Taizhou school. Wang Gen's works were compiled by later generations as Mr. Wang Xinzhai's posthumous works.