This dissertation studies the discussions on ghosts by the Neo-Confucians of the Song Dynasty, in particular Zhu Xi and Chen Chun. According to these thinkers, Gui (the ghost) refers to the deceased and represents the fading away of Qi (materials), and it is also part of the ancestor worship. Based on the typically Neo-Confucian interpretation of Li (principles) and Qi (materials), this dissertation demonstrates how Zhu and Chen explicated the idea of “Li persist on even though Qi fade away” by an articulation of their understanding of the ghost. The thesis consists of five chapters. The introduction summarizes previous works concerning Neo-Confucians’ discussion on Gui. It also briefly explains why the idea of Li and Qi is significant to the distinction between living people and ghosts as seen by Neo-Confucian thinkers. The definition of “Neo-Confucians” is briefly explained at the beginning of the introduction. Chapter one presents how Neo-Confucians apply the Qi theory to Gui, and their idea of an appropriate worship as intimately related to Qi, yet with its rationality lying with Li of human relations. Chapter two analyzes the Neo-Confucian idea of li gui (haunting ghosts) which is differentiated from the ghost in the ancestry worship system. For Neo-Confucians, li gui fail to understand the appropriate relation between Qi and Li and try to reject the fading away of Qi after death. In Chapter three, it is examined that Zhu Xi and Chen Chun’s opinion that living people play a role in the ghosts’ haunting because of their lack of knowledge of either Qi or Li, and suggest that they become the human form of “haunting ghosts” because of such a failure in understanding. In conclusion, the thesis suggests that the right way to live out the true potentiality of human beings is to accept the limitation of Qi but try to grasp the eternal Li through the observation of the movements of Qi. / published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 417-438).

Thesis (M.A.)--Guo li Taiwan shi fan da xue guo wen yan jiu suo. / Cover title. Includes bibliographical references (p. 224-227)

Thesis (M.A.)--Guo li Taiwan da xue / Cover title. Mimeo. copy.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1981. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [241]-253.

After the fall of the Han dynasty (202 B.C.-220 A.O.), Confucian thought did not become influential again until the end of the T'ang dynasty (618-907) and the beginning of the Sung dynasty (960-1279). Its resurgence in the Sung was accompanied by, if not completely driven by a newly conceived system of metaphysics. Although Sung Confucians honored and frequently referred to Confucius and Mencius, metaphysics was their central concern. Lo Ch'in-shun, a Confucian in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), saw inconsistencies between traditional Confucian thought and the thought of Sung Confucians. He viewed himself as orthodox and thought it was his duty as a Confucian to fight heterodox thought, and to resolve the inconsistencies within Confucian thought and return it to unity. His philosophy was a product of his approach to these duties and is the subject of this study. Lo's efforts to return to unity can be seen in his work Knowledge Painfully Acquired (K'un-chih chi). After discussing Lo's social context, the following four questions provide a framework to examine his philosophy: !)Given that there is only one Way, what is the Way that runs through the realms of heaven-and-earth and man? 2)Of what does human nature consist? 3)How is it that Mencius said that human nature is good and yet there is evil in the world? and 4)What is the mind(hsin), and how does a man cultivate it to enable him to become a sage? Comparing Lo's views with Confucian thinkers who preceded him provides answers to the questions, and assists in defining Lo's thought. These answers and comparisons show the significant shifts away from Sung Confucian thought contained in Lo's philosophy, but they also show his desire to return to unity. He strove to return to unity not only for himself, but more importantly, for the ultimate good of Confucianism and society.

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This study examines ideas of self and self-cultivation as developed during the first half of the Choson Dynasty (1392-1911) by focusing on introductory texts or commentaries, diagrams, or Korean annotations on the Great Learning. Moreover, given that much of this material is pedagogical, how and to whom these ideas were presented will also be examined. The scholars examined here were leading thinkers during the first half of the Choson Dynasty— Kwon Kun (1352-1409) helped introduce and lay the intellectual framework of Ch'eng-Chu Neo-Confucianism in the early period of the Choson Dyansty. T'oegye (1501-1570) is often seen as the foremost Confucian scholar of the Choson period. His ideas served as the foundation of a major school of thought during the Choson Dyansty, the Yongnam school. The last scholar, Yulgok (1536-1584), is also seen as one of the great scholars of the period. His ideas form the basis of the other major school of thought in Korean Neo-Confucianism- the Kiho school. Examining the ideas of these thinkers will reveal how ideas of human nature and self-cultivation developed and changed over the early course of the Choson Dynasty and how and to whom these ideas were presented.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Guo li Taiwan da xue, 1975. / Cover title. Reproduced from typescript ; on double leaves. Includes bibliographical references (p. 321-328).