Wang Shouren was one of the most influential philosophers in Confucianism. He became a presented scholar in 1499, the 12th year of the Hongzhi Period of the Ming Dynasty. He worked as a secretary in the Ministry of Justice and then in the Ministry of War. Wang Shouren was also adept at poems and literature as well as fine brushwork calligraphy, of which most are the cursive scripts.
Background
Wang Shouren was born in Yuyao, Zhengjiang Province in Chenghua period during the reign of Emperor Xianzong in the Ming Dynasty, and immigrated to Shaoxing with his father later. His mother was pregnant for 14 months before giving birth to Wang Yangming. Wang Shouren’s original name at birth was Wang Yun.
Career
Wang Shouren became a metropolitan graduate at the age of 28. He began working at the ministry of labour and began his career in politics. To improve his academic attainments, Wang Shouren often visited experts.
Wang Shouren formulated his own philosophical thoughts. His doctrine was known as the teaching of mind and had far- reaching influence on China, Japan, Korea and other countries in Southeast Asia. He claimed Knowledge-action unity and both development of theoretical and practical knowledge, opposing parlance about separate relations between knowledge and action of the Song Confucianism.
When Wang Shouren was 50 years old, he put forward a theory of intuitive knowledge, arguing that even person knows from birth the difference between good and evil.
Wang Shouren devoted much of his time to writing books. His works were compiled by his students into the Complete Works of Wang Wen Cheng Gong (38 volumes). His two most important books on philosophy are Chuanxilu and Daxuewen.
Religion
He claimed Knowledge-action unity and both development of theoretical and practical knowledge, opposing parlance about separate relations between knowledge and action of the Song Confucianism.
Views
He put forward a theory of intuitive knowledge, arguing that even person knows from birth the difference between good and evil. Such knowledge is intuitive and not rational. He summarised his doctrine into four phrases: “The mind is neither good nor evil; the action of the mind can be either good or evil; the recognition of good and evil is intuitive knowledge; and the investigation of things is to do good and to eliminate evil”.