Wang Tingxiang 1474 – 1544
Wang Tingxiang (1474 – 1544) was a Chinese philosopher of the Modern era, associated with Confucianism.
Wang Tingxiang, known as Wang Junchuan, was a Chinese Neo-Confucian philosopher of the mid-Ming dynasty, a senior official of the imperial court, and the most original Confucian materialist of his age. His Yashu and Shenyan mounted a sustained critique of the Cheng-Zhu doctrine of principle as something prior to and independent of qi, the material energy of the world, defending instead a strict naturalist position in which qi is the only ultimate reality and principle is its discernible pattern. His thought stands as one of the principal Chinese philosophical alternatives to the dominant Cheng-Zhu tradition and prefigured the more famous critiques of the Qing kaozheng school.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Chinese
- Era
- Modern
- Movements
- Confucianism
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Wang Tingxiang:
“Qi is the only reality; principle is its pattern, not its source.”
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Attributed to Wang Tingxiang:
“Heaven and earth do not stand outside qi; they are its most comprehensive forms.”
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Attributed to Wang Tingxiang:
“What does not move is not real; movement is the proof of being.”
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Attributed to Wang Tingxiang:
“He who studies principle without studying qi studies a shadow.”
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Attributed to Wang Tingxiang:
“The Cheng brothers separated what should never have been separated; we must put it back together.”
Frequently asked about Wang Tingxiang
- When did Wang Tingxiang live?
- Wang Tingxiang was born in 1474 and died in 1544.
- Where was Wang Tingxiang from?
- Wang Tingxiang was a Chinese philosopher of the Modern era.
- What philosophical movements is Wang Tingxiang associated with?
- Wang Tingxiang was associated with Confucianism.
- What was Wang Tingxiang known for?
- Wang Tingxiang, known as Wang Junchuan, was a Chinese Neo-Confucian philosopher of the mid-Ming dynasty, a senior official of the imperial court, and the most original Confucian materialist of his age.
- How many quotes are attributed to Wang Tingxiang?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Wang Tingxiang in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.