China's Favorite Confucian: Wang Yangming

[@dwl3006]

I absolutely adore these lectures, they are incredible. Thank you so much professor, this is really a treasure to humanity.

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@globalcompassioncommunity]

This is so informative!! Thanks so much professor! I'm Wang Guo Wen (vuong quoc Vinh in vietnamese)

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

I'm glad you found something useful in my lectures.

[@aFfoochen]

Thank you for this great lecture. Growing up in a public school in Beijing in the 90s, I wish I could have had a teacher like you and a curriculum like this. Just bought your book.

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@choyng5437]

The sad truth is that under the communist dictatorship, and after the purge of traditional teachings, it is unlikely that Chinese classical scholars with independent mindset and outlook can survive and flourish, it is not entirely surprising you were not able to find a good one, be that as it may,「禮失求諸野」…

[@阳明子]

@@choyng5437 🤡

[@PeebeesPet]

@@choyng5437Lol, brainwashed much!!!

[@jonathanlochridge9462]

Interesting lecture, I have been listening to each of your lectures. Although, I am saving the buddhist ones for last. As well as reading my way forward through the works. I started with the daoist works, and other mystical classics and expanded out to some of the early confucian ones. Laozi, Zhangzi, Neiye, and the I Ching were the ones I started with, But then when trying to understand Zhangzi, I came across your work, and then started looking a little into the great learning and the annalects. I actually want to read the full rites and odes though. I found a translation to the odes, not sure how good it is. I am mostly interested in Han Dynasty era Confucianism and Daoism. I heard the Huananazi was Han dynasty and checked it out, I am not sure if it was pre-buddhist or not though. It seemed like that author was sort of trying to do a similar thing to Zhu Xi, but earlier and less famous. However, I see a lot of similarities in terms of Content between them and Wang Yangming. The work was a synthesis, attempting to combine Confucianism and Daoism together in a coherent way. And essentially takes the position that some more daoist ideas comprise the roots of the universe and reality, but that the tree of knowledge also has trunks and branches, The core truths of Confucianism form the branch which holds up and supports ordered human activity. He does noticeably place Zhangzi above Mengzi in his positions. And prioritize moral cultivation above seeking power, or attempting to order the physical. He criticized the Confucians of his Day for putting outward ritual above a true extension development of the heart. Rather than focusing on an idea of "sprouts of righteousness." There are some similarities to Wang Yangmin. although, also some differences. He argues that human desires and preferences when they become too much are what obscure our ability to see the internal nature of ourselves and the universe. And that it is less about the strength of our desires, but the number of competing desires. They don't necessarily need to be permanently suppressed or removed. And that even good desires can muddle our ability to see the truth. (Which arguably could be taken as an extension of the principle that the sprouts of righteousness as tangled from Zhuangzi.) Just periodically and regularly to discern the core nature of things internally. He also to another extent advocates for looking both internally and externally in a series to find truth. He argues that there are great truths in the structure of the universe and in ancient texts, but the truth is also within us. And ancient texts and the world itself are hard to discern. So you should begin by practicing meditation, and studying the most simple elements, and practicing the skill of discernment in an impartial state of mind and position. As by looking internally we can look for things we also see in the external world, and if they resonate with us. And once the foundation is established, we can grow it further by extending it, and studying more elements of how the world works, and the micro practices, skills, and domains. Which then flows out into all the methods and tools available to a leader, ruler, or scholar. Those tools are useful and valuable even without the foundation. But without the foundation it creates external change without really bringing people much closer to the truth. A family that shows respect for one another but lacks real love, and is ruled mostly by fear, isn't that great of a family. But it might function. people who show piety and concern only out of duty, and without real feeling are better than those who don't even bother to do that, but a genuine person who really loves them, and cultivates the virtue internally is better. You attribute a lot of his attitude towards selfish desires as a development from Buddhism, it seems clear the language was effected. But to an extent it seems feasible that it could also be part of the Influence of Zhuangzi? As some other scholars had some similar impressions when trying to interpret those Confucian issues in like of Zhunagzi's Critique? I haven't read the whole thing yet, but I have found it very interesting I have an interest in Daoism in particular, but I am also interested in the religious and philosophical practice in the Han dynasty and folklore. I am actually working on writing ttrpg book based loosely on the Han Dynasty. But I am trying to root it in Daoist and Confucian principles, and to create some drama with them coming into conflict, or people failing to live up to the principles they want to follow. Although, I also am making some modules too, I had wanted to make a novel inspired by Daoism for awhile. And that is pretty similar but a little different, in some ways it is easier. More generally, I am very interested in the Daoist Commentarial tradition as well as the confucian one, but it's a little unclear how to access it, Most Daoist commentaries are more modern commentaries by translators and such. Or are commentaries of more Confucian works from a more Daoist tradition. (Like some of the I Ching Commentaries.)

[@ramqi6239]

thank to you bryan i know now chinese philosophy is more deep than i tough

[@luisfbjunqueira5837]

Many thanks!

[@Yangminggarden]

Thank you for sharing and offering this commentary. Very helpful!

[@real_Gi]

Richard Wilhelm reincarnated into this man's body 🙌

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@linfenghuang2115]

Very insightful lecture,thanks.

[@broquestwarsneeder7617]

I really appreciate your lectures, Bryan. It's been good to spend some time with neo-Confucianism these past few weeks. I have a couple of questions: - Do you practice jing zuo? - Will you ever consider making a lecture on Han Feizi? - Is your last name Dutch?

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

- I do not currently practice jing zuo, but I have done so in the past, and attended a weekend retreat at a Zen monastery to get a first-hand experience - Some day I will record a lecture on Han Feizi, but perhaps not for a few months. - Yes, my family name is Dutch.

[@broquestwarsneeder7617]

@@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy Cool, thanks for answering!

[@kenmcrae8591]

Thank you for this wonderful lecture. It is very beneficial and it taught me much. Is there an English version of his collected sayings / teachings, please? Did he ever write a commentary on the Book of Changes?

[@pwsid9044]

Thank you

[@blob15man]

Is just reading Zhuxi’s commentaries on the four books a good introduction to Confucianism/Neo-Confucianism? Is there any pre-readings you would recommend?

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Many people like to start with my translation of Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries. The introduction is a helpful overview.

[@blob15man]

@@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy thanks :)

[@kenpachiyoriichi]

Are we truly affected due to benevolence or is it because our sense of order or how we expect things to be is affected

[@davidfoley8546]

Do you have any recommendations for studies in comparative philosophy between the Platonic tradition (esp. Neoplatonism) and Neoconfucianism? Do they exist? I'm aware of the attempt to see Confucianism through a virtue ethical lens, but I'm interested in metaphysics as well.

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

The metaphysics of Neo-Confucianism and Platonism are very different.

[@davidfoley8546]

@@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy Any good work comparing neoconfucian metaphysics with the Western tradition(s) more broadly?

[@christophergeddis8829]

Is there an English translation of Zhu Xi's commentaries on the Four Books?

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

There is no complete one, but see Daniel Gardner, trans., The Four Books.

[@christophergeddis8829]

@@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy Thanks!

[@choyng5437]

Generalissimo Chiang and Chairman Mao were also admirers of Wang, and far more enthusiastic followers of Wang than Xi.

[@blackfeatherstill348]

Zhuangzi has a similar perspective on the writings of past teachers/sages. "the dregs/dirt of the ancients". Are there any other similarities between their philosophies?

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Yes, Wang Yangming is in a wing of Confucianism very influenced by Zhuangzi's ideals.

[@aucnes]

heart doctrine

[@mandys1505]

It's a robot 😳🔥whoa.

[@cho1658]

Zhuxi teach you how to be a person while wang teach you how to deal with your career

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Wang would be very unhappy with the claim that he was only teaching you to "deal with your career" as opposed to teaching you "how to be a person."

[@jonathanlochridge9462]

@@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy If anything, I would argue to an extent the focuses are kind of inverted. Considering how Zhuzi became the foundation for the rote memorization of the imperial exams.

[@sol6835]

Zhu Xi > Wang Yangming

[@albertwoodeasy9021]

Another opportunistic misrepresentation of cores of Confucius.

[@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy]

Can you give an example of a misrepresentation?

[@albertwoodeasy9021]

@@BryanVanNordenPhilosophy he misquoted or twisted kongzi's words intended to mean human nature should gravitate towards benevolent, compassion and kindness, into that kongzi preached that origins of human nature is benevolent, kind and good, which kongzi never insinuated.