Some Characteristic View Points of Cheng Yakyong in Studying Daxue

Title

Some Characteristic View Points of Cheng Yakyong in Studying Daxue

Author

Rui-Che Sun

Page

165-196

DOI

Abstract

Cheng-Yakyong (丁若鏞) is identified as the scholar who integrated the practical science in Lee Dynasty of Korea. Different from almost of all the general intellectuals at that time, Cheng-Yakyong had some personal characteristics in studying Daxue (大學). At the middle and latter period of Lee Dynasty, just the age when Cheng-Yakyong existed, most intellectuals who studied or learned Daxue regarded Daxue Zhangju (大學章句）of Zhuzi (朱子) as the basic text. They also regarded Xinglixue (性理學) as their suzerain. But Cheng-Yakyong’s point of view was different from that of these intellectuals and also was different from that of Zhu-Xi (朱熹). Six points below briefly introduce Cheng-Yakyong’s characteristic viewpoint in studying Daxue.
1. Cheng-Yakyong insisted that ‘Daxue’ must be read ‘Taixue (太學)’ when it is the name of a school; he also insisted that the students of this ‘Daxue’ as a school were the ‘Zhouzi (冑子)’ who were the eldest sons of the king or of the aristocrats. He also insisted that the fundamental teachings in this school was making aware of “laolao (老老)‧zhangzhang (長長)‧xugu (恤孤)”——the ground principle to cause “xiao (孝)‧ti (弟)‧ci (慈).”
2. Zhu-Xi believed that the old edition of Daxue had some mistakes in arranging the tablets. He also believed that the old edition of Daxue omitted some letters. So he attempted to divide the original text of Daxue into two parts——one chapter of ‘Jing (經)’ and ten chapters of ‘Zhuan (傳).’ He also attempted to rearrange the sentences and to fill them up with the omitted letters.
But, in opposition to these insights and attempts of Zhu-Xi, Cheng-Yakyong wrote Daxue Gongyi (大學公義). In this book all the quoted originals of Daxue were from the old edition. He regarded the entire Daxue as Jingwen (經文), so he divided it 27 paragraphs.
About the writer of Daxue, Zhu-Xi insisted that one chapter of ‘Jing’ was written by Zengzi (曾子) and ten chapters of ‘Zhuan’ were written by the pupils of Zengzi. But Cheng-Yakyong adhered to the opinion that no one can conclude who the writer of Daxue is.
3. About the word of “mingmingde (明明德),” Zhu-Xi insisted like this; ‘mingde (明德)’ is a kind of original nature what the heaven endowed. The quality of this nature is ‘xuling bumei (虛靈不昧)’——that is to say formless, empty, clean and bright.
Opposite to Zhu-Xi’s opinion, Cheng-Yakyong insisted that “ming ming de” is the realisation of “xiao‧ti‧ci.” He also insisted that “mingmingde” can be concluded as ‘pingtianxia (平天下)’——that is to say making the peaceful world.
4. About ‘xinmin (新民)’ and ‘qinmin (親民),’ the opinion of Cheng-Yakyong is different from that of Zhu-Xi. In Daxue Zhangju, Zhu-Xi changed ‘xinmin’ to ‘qinmin.’ But Wang-Shouren (王守仁) in Ming dynasty insisted that it must be ‘xinmin.’
Combining both opinions of Zhu and Wang, Cheng-Yakyong suggested his own opinion; ‘qinmin’ means that people can love one another by the realization of “xiao‧ti‧ci,” and ‘xinmin’ also can make people restore “xiao‧ti,” so ‘xinmin’ and ‘qinmin’ can have the same meaning.
5. About ‘zhishan (至善)’ and ‘zhizhishan (止至善),’ Zhu-Xi insisted that ‘zhishan’ is extremely reasonable thing, integrating ‘mingde’ and ‘xinmin;’ ‘zhizhishan’ means that one can be free from all selfish avarice by obtaining the extreme natural law.
In opposition, Cheng-Yakyong insisted that ‘zhi (止)’ means a constant state after reaching stage one wants and ‘zhishan’ is the supreme virtue in human morality; so ‘zhizhishan’ represents the realization of the supreme virtues of human morality——‘ xiao’‧‘jing (敬)’‧‘xin (信)’‧‘ci’‧‘ren (仁).’ He interpreted ‘zhishan’ in the view of the human morality, and further more he induced these five virtues to the three——“xiao‧ti‧ci.”
[6]. According to the interpretations of Zhu-Xi, ‘sangangling (三綱領)’ means those of “mingmingde‧xinmin‧zhiyuzhishan (止於至善),” and ‘batiaomu (八條目)’ means those of “gewu (格物)‧zhizhi (致知)‧chengyi (誠意)‧zheng (正)‧xiushen (修身)‧qijia (齊家)‧zhiguo (治國)‧ pingtianxia.”
Among these interpretations of Zhu-Xi, Cheng-Yakyong only accepted the meaning of ‘sangangling,’ but he disagreed with the meaning of ‘batiaomu.’ Cheng-Yakyong combined ‘gewu’ and ‘zhizhi.’ He regarded the six virtues of “chengyi‧qijia‧zhiguo ‧pingtianxia” as the six items of the ‘gewu zhizhi.’ He interpreted “yi (意)‧xin (心)‧shen (身)‧jia (家)‧guo (國)‧tianxia (天下)” as ‘Wu (物),’ and also interpreted “cheng (誠)‧zheng‧xiu (修)‧qi (齊)‧zhi (治)‧ping (平)” as ‘Shi (事).’ He insisted that ‘Wu’ can be divided two parts——‘Ben (本)’ and ‘Mo (末).’ He put “yi‧xin‧shen” into ‘Ben’ and put “jia‧guo‧tianxia” into ‘Mo.’ He also insisted that there is ‘zhongshi (終始) in ’‘Shi’ and “cheng‧zheng‧xiu‧qi‧zhi‧ping” has its proper order. I think that these requirements of Cheng-Yakyong can be regarded as the great characteristics in studying Daxue.
Cheng-Yakyong attached much importance to ‘chengyi.’ He thought that with ‘chengyi’ one can accomplish ‘shizhong,’ and with ‘chengyi’ one can accomplish “yi‧xin‧shen‧jia‧guo‧ tianxia.” Among them he especially put stress on “zhiguo‧pingtianxia.” He regarded ‘Cheng’ as the core of Daxue. He insisted that with ‘Cheng’ one must practice the three virtue—— “xiao‧ti‧ci” and at the same time one must practice ‘xiuji (修己)’ with ‘Cheng.’ He also insisted that one must educate the common people with ‘Cheng.’ So Cheng-Yakyong regarded ‘Cheng’ as the motive power to practice human morality. In doing so, one can realize the perfection of oneself and the perfection of others too.

Keyword

Daxue, Cheng-Yakyong, chengyi, pingtianxia, sangangling, xiaotici, mingmingde

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