In Confucius: The Man and the Way of Gongfu (Ni 2016), NI Peimin presents a longexpected systematic exposition of the “gongfu 功夫philosophy” in the context of the life and work of Confucius. In light of this gongfu approach, Ni goes... more
In Confucius: The Man and the Way of Gongfu (Ni 2016), NI Peimin presents a longexpected systematic exposition of the “gongfu 功夫philosophy” in the context of the life and work of Confucius. In light of this gongfu approach, Ni goes beyond abstract generalization of Confucius’ philosophical theories as he elaborates carefully and concretely the way of gongfu that is personified by the words and deeds of the master. Ni’s interpretation is well informed and inspired by his own life experience and practice in light of Confucian teachings.
Different from the commonly used moralistic perspective, this article articulates and evaluates major ideas about human desire within the Confucian tradition through a gongfu perspective, and shows that, although there are historical... more
Different from the commonly used moralistic perspective, this article articulates and evaluates major ideas about human desire within the Confucian tradition through a gongfu perspective, and shows that, although there are historical reasons for blaming Confucianism for suppressing human desires and suffocating humanity, what classic Confucianism advocates is ultimately about how to cultivate humanity, transform human desires, and live artistically, and not imposing a rigid normative moral system externally to constrain human life, making it unsatisfying.
Growing out of traumatic life experiences in youth, the author started his lifelong journey in studying and practicing philosophy during the turbulent Cultural Revolution in China. The path took him from a “secret library” in the Worker’s... more
Growing out of traumatic life experiences in youth, the author started his lifelong journey in studying and practicing philosophy during the turbulent Cultural Revolution in China. The path took him from a “secret library” in the Worker’s Union Office of a steel plant to universities in China and the US; from seeking personal healing to becoming a public intellectual; from pursuing enlightenment in western philosophies to re-discovering his own Chinese cultural heritage; and from learning to think for oneself to becoming an active scholar and formulator of a unique philosophical theory—the philosophy of the way of gongfu, or the art of life.
六十年前唐、牟、徐、张四先生发表《为中华文化告世界人士宣言》，将儒家心性之学作为中国学术文化的本源和核心，以纠正西人对中华文化之偏见，立国民对中华文化之自信。本文通过反思心性论在儒家学说中的位置和作用，对《宣言》作者的观点提出质疑。文章认为儒家学说的核心是功夫论，故应以功夫看本体论之必要性，而不是以本体论出发论证其功夫之可能性。前者的目的是证本体功夫之实效，后者的目的是证功夫本体之实存。宋明儒以本体论为儒家学说建立“超越的安立transcendental... more
This paper engages in two tasks and weaves them together: It tries to disentangle Mencius’ theory of human nature from the common misinterpretation of it as merely descriptive. By saying that human nature is good, Mencius is... more
This paper engages in two tasks and weaves them together: It tries to disentangle Mencius’ theory of human nature from the common misinterpretation of it as merely descriptive. By saying that human nature is good, Mencius is simultaneously making an empirical assertion, semantic stipulation, value recognition, faith commitment, and gongfu 工夫instruction. His theory of human nature is interwoven with all these five dimensions, with the ultimate purpose of “stimulating everyone’s resolution to rise up from the low and to establish themselves” (Tang Junyi). Seeing from this light, the paper goes on to argue that Mencius’s theory of human nature is similar to Rorty’s in many ways, although with important differences. Taking advice from Mencius, Rorty may want to be more radically pragmatic than he already is, and, taking advice from Rorty, Mencius may want to be clearer in laying out his intentions and avoid being interpreted as a metaphysician.
