Abstract
In this chapter, we examine the neo-Confucian Cheng Brothers’ Mencian hermeneutics in two senses. On the one hand, we show that they adopt a Mencian hermeneutics in their approach to Confucian classics, which gives the priority to the fundamental principles underlining a classic over its literal meaning. On the other hand, to illustrate this Mencius hermeneutics, we focus on Cheng Brothers’ interpretations of the Mencius. Thus, in contrast to the common criticism of Cheng Brothers’ hermeneutics in particular and neo-Confucian hermeneutics in Song and Ming dynasties in general, especially by some Confucians in Qing dynasty, that it tends to impose their own philosophical ideas upon the text of Mencius while ignoring clear textual evidence, we argue that the Cheng Brothers’ interpretations of the Mencius is indeed authentically Mencian.
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Notes
- 1.
As a counter current, there was also a wide, although comparatively weak and eventually unsuccessful, anti-Mencius trend along with this Mencius’s elevation movement. Most important figures in the anti-Mencius campaign include Li Gou 李覯 (1009–1059), Sima Guang 司馬光 (1019–1086), Su Shi 蘇軾 (1037–1101), and Ye Shi 葉適 (1150–1223). For studies of this campaign, see Zhou Shuping 2007: chapter 4; Huang Chun-chieh 1997: Chapter 4; and Xu 1996: 23–138.
- 2.
Citations from this text hereafter will be indicated with the title of the book included, number of the volume, and [separated with a semicolon] page number only.
- 3.
All the translations are my own.
- 4.
Of course, by doing so, it is also convenient to emphasize their own importance. For example, Cheng Hao claimed that “the sagely learning was lost after Mencius, and I take it as my task to continue this learning” (Wenji 11; 638). His brother Cheng Yi also stated that, after one thousand and four hundred years, Cheng Hao got the discontinued learning and used it to teach people, and thus “the sagely teaching gets illuminated due to Cheng Hao” (Wenji 11; 640).
- 5.
Here, not only the Mencius was not included but, according to Xu Hongxin’s study, its status is even lower than the Laozi, the Zhuangzi, the Wenzi, and the Liezi, which were all included in the civil examinations in the section of Daoism, while the Mencius was not (Xu 1993: 96).
- 6.
There are a number of studies of Mencius’s hermeneutics in the Chinese language. For example, on the respective relationships of Han hermeneutics and Song hermeneutics to Mencius’s own hermeneutics, see Li 2007. Li holds the view that Mencius’s own hermeneutics contains the elements of both Han and Song hermeneutics. See also Zhou 2004. For a study of Cheng Yi’s hermeneutics on the Mencius, see Ge and Tian 2012. For other studies of Mencius’s hermeneutics, see Cai 2007, Ding 2011, Huang Chun-chieh 2001, Li 2009, Peng 2010, and Sun & Zhang 2011.
- 7.
Giving these and similar examples, Shen Shunfu argues that Mencius is really skeptic of classics. I think this is an exaggeration (see Shen 2012).
- 8.
For the Chengs, to say that the ability of extension is a distinguishing mark of being human is not inconsistent to their claim that virtues of benevolence, rightness, propriety, and wisdom are the distinguishing marks of being human. Although animals also have benevolence, rightness, propriety, and wisdom, they are beclouded by unbalanced qi and thus cannot be fully manifested.
- 9.
Later Zhu Xi makes the point more clear: “human nature can be either bright or obscured, the nature of non-human beings are all out of balance and blocked. The obscured human nature can be brightened, while the nature that is out of balance and blocked cannot be made clear” (Zhu 1997: 4. 51).
- 10.
- 11.
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Huang, Y. (2023). Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi’s Appropriations of the Mencius. In: Xiao, Y., Chong, Kc. (eds) Dao Companion to the Philosophy of Mencius. Dao Companions to Chinese Philosophy, vol 18. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27620-0_8
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