Wang Yang Ming

WANG
YANG
MING
(26 October 1472 – 9 January 1529)
LIFE
Wang Yangming (1472–1529) was a

Chinese statesman, general, and
Neo–Confucian philosopher. He
was one of the leading critics of the
orthodox Neo–Confucianism of Zhu
Xi (1130–1200)
LIFE
He have received a fairly

conventional education, with a focus
on the Four Books of the Confucian
tradition: the Analects, the Great
Learning, the Mean, and the Mengzi.
LIFE
The study of these classics was thought

to be morally edifying; however,
people also studied them in order to
pass the civil service examinations,
which were the primary route to
government power, and with it wealth
and prestige.
LIFE
What are your dreams and

aspirations when you are at the age
of 12?.
LIFE
At the age of 12 , Wang asks his

teacher: “What is the topmost
priority in life?:
Teacher: “studying hard in order to

pass the imperial examination.”
LIFE
Wang: “I don’t think so, maybe it is

to study in order to be a sage.
LIFE
Study without aspiration is like

planting a tree without its roots.
Life of it could not even start
LIFE
At the age of seventeen (1489),

Wang had a conversation with a
Daoist priest that left him deeply
intrigued with this alternative
philosophical system and way of
life.
LIFE
Wang was also attracted to

Buddhism, and remained torn
between Daoism, Buddhism and
Confucianism for much of his early
life.
LIFE
Wang continued the serious study of

Zhu Xi’s interpretation of
Confucianism, but was disillusioned by
an experience in which he and a friend
made a determined effort to apply what
they took to be Zhu Xi’s method for
achieving sagehood:
LIFE
Wang’s experience of finding it

impractical to seek for the Pattern of
the universe in external things left a
deep impression on him, and
influenced the later course of his
philosophy.
LIFE
Wang continued to study Daoism as

well as Buddhism, but also showed
a keen interest in military
techniques and the craft of writing
elegant compositions.
LIFE
In June 1527 Wang was called to

suppress a rebellion in Guangxi. He
succeeded in six months. His
coughing, which had bothered him for
years, then grew acute, and he became
very ill. He died on his way back in
Nan’an, Jiangxi, in 1529.
LIFE
On his deathbed, Wang said, “ ‘This

mind’ is luminous and bright. What
more is there to say?”
POLITICAL CAREER
he progressed through the various

levels of the civil service
examinations, finally passing the
highest level in 1499.
POLITICAL CAREER
Wang had a meteoric rise in the

government, including distinguished
service in offices overseeing public
works, criminal prosecution, and the
examination system.
POLITICAL CAREER
Wang would later criticize those

who “waste their time competing
with one another writing flowery
compositions in order to win
acclaim in their age, and…
POLITICAL CAREER
no longer comprehend conduct that

honors what is fundamental,
esteems what is real, reverts to
simplicity, and returns to purity”
(Tiwald and Van Norden 2014, 275).
POLITICAL CAREER
Wang started to turn his back on

Daoism and Buddhism, which he
came to regard as socially
irresponsible:
POLITICAL CAREER
A life–changing event for Wang

occurred in 1506. A eunuch who had
assumed illegitimate influence at
court had several able officials
imprisoned for opposing him. Wang
wrote a “memorial” to the emperor in
protest.
POLITICAL CAREER
The eunuch responded by having

Wang publicly beaten and exiled to
an insignificant position in a semi–
civilized part of what is now
Guizhou Province.
POLITICAL CAREER
Everyone has within an unerring

compass;
The root and source of the myriad
transformations lies in the mind.
I laugh when I think that, earlier, I saw
things the other way around;
Following branches and leaves, I
searched outside!
POLITICAL CAREER
Wang was even accused of

conspiring with the leader of a
rebellion that Wang had himself put
down.
POLITICAL CAREER
Wang had begun to attract devoted

disciples even before his exile to
Guizhou, and they gradually
compiled the Record for Practice
POLITICAL CAREER
In 1521 he had enunciated his

doctrine of complete realization of
the innate knowledge of the good.
POLITICAL CAREER
Near the end of his life, Wang was

called upon to suppress yet another
rebellion (1527). The night before
he left, one of his disciples recorded
the “Inquiry on the Great Learning,”
POLITICAL CAREER
Wang was even accused of

conspiring with the leader of a
rebellion that Wang had himself put
down.
PHILOSOPHY AND WORKS
Some aspects of Wang’s philosophy

can be understood as refining or
drawing out the full implications of
Lu Xiangshan’s critique of Zhu Xi.
Wang stressed that the Pattern is

fully present in the mind of every
person:
Wang’s most distinctive and well-

known doctrine is the unity of
knowing and acting
Wang Yangming would deny that

the student actually knew that
plagiarism was wrong.
One of Wang’s primary claims is that

merely verbal assent is inadequate to
demonstrate actual knowledge:
“One cannot say he knows filial piety

or brotherly respect simply because he
knows how to say something filial or
brotherly. Knowing pain offers
another good example. One must have
experienced pain oneself in order to
know pain.”
Truth can be discovered and tested

only in events – and that means
chiefly human events – it follows that
the records of truth can be found in
historical documents.
“the efforts of both knowledge and

action must be exerted to the utmost.
As one knows more clearly, and, as he
acts more earnestly, he knows more
clearly.
Knowledge is the beginning of action,

and action is the completion of
knowledge.
Wang's rejection of the pure

investigation of knowledge comes
from the then traditional view of
Chinese belief
• That one can have knowledge

without/prior to corresponding
action.
• That one can know what is the
proper action, but still fail to act.
Wang rejected both of these which

allowed him to develop his
philosophy of action.
He held that objects do not exist

entirely apart from the mind because
the mind shapes them.
END OF THE
PRESENTATION
Prepared by: Frinz Salinas Narciso | August 2020

Wang Yang Ming

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WANG

Wang Yangming (1472–1529) was a

He have received a fairly

The study of these classics was thought

What are your dreams and

At the age of 12 , Wang asks his

Teacher: “studying hard in order to

Wang: “I don’t think so, maybe it is

Study without aspiration is like

At the age of seventeen (1489),

Wang was also attracted to

Wang continued the serious study of

Wang’s experience of finding it

Wang continued to study Daoism as

In June 1527 Wang was called to

On his deathbed, Wang said, “ ‘This

he progressed through the various

Wang had a meteoric rise in the

Wang would later criticize those

no longer comprehend conduct that

Wang started to turn his back on

A life–changing event for Wang

The eunuch responded by having

Everyone has within an unerring

Wang was even accused of

Wang had begun to attract devoted

In 1521 he had enunciated his

Near the end of his life, Wang was

Wang was even accused of

Some aspects of Wang’s philosophy

Wang stressed that the Pattern is

Wang’s most distinctive and well-

Wang Yangming would deny that

One of Wang’s primary claims is that

“One cannot say he knows filial piety

Truth can be discovered and tested

“the efforts of both knowledge and

Knowledge is the beginning of action,

Wang's rejection of the pure

• That one can have knowledge

Wang rejected both of these which

He held that objects do not exist

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