Chapter One Introduction 1
Ⅰ.Religious Beliefs Before Confucianism 1
Ⅱ.The Tentative Yin-Yang Theory Before Confucianism 4
Ⅲ.Political Beliefs Before Confucianism 5
Ⅳ.Philosophical Schools Contemporary with Confucianism 6
Ⅴ.Origins of Confucianism 13
Ⅵ.Essential Features of Confucian Civilization 17
Chapter Two Master Kong and the Founding of Confucianism 24
Ⅰ.Introduction 24
Ⅱ.On Heaven and Spirits 25
Ⅲ.On Government by Virtue 27
Ⅳ.On Rites and Rectification of Names 28
Ⅴ.On Humanity and the Cultivation of One’s Virtues 31
Ⅵ.On the Doctrine of the Mean 35
Ⅶ.On Knowledge 36
Ⅷ.On Education 38
Ⅸ.The Evolution of Master Kong’s Thinking on Rites， Rectification of Names， Humanity and the Mean 41
Ⅹ.Early Explications and Spread of Confucianism by Master Kong’s Disciples 49
Chapter Three The Five Confucian Classics 54
Ⅰ.Introduction 54
Ⅱ.The Book of Changes 59
Ⅲ.The Book of History 64
Ⅳ.The Book of Songs 66
Ⅴ.The Book of Rites 68
Ⅵ.The Spring and Autumn Annals 73
Chapter Four Divisions and Development of Confucianism During the Warring States Period 78
Ⅰ.Introduction 78
Ⅱ.Zizhang，One Who Respected Worthies and Tolerated All People 79
Ⅲ.Yan Yuan，Devout Follower of Master Kong’s Doctrine 80
Ⅳ.Qidiao，Man of Great Wisdom and Courage 81
Ⅴ.Yuezheng Who Has Been Little Known About 82
Ⅵ.Zisi，Pioneer of the Zisi-Meng Ke School 82
Ⅶ.Master Meng，Co-founder of Confucianism 85
1.Introduction 85
2.On Mind，Human Nature and Humanity 89
3.On Virtue Cultivation 92
4.On Politics and Government 95
5.On Economy 97
Ⅷ.Master Xun，Naturalistic Confucianist 100
1.Introduction 100
2.On Human Nature 102
3.On Heaven and Man 105
4.On Rites and Law 107
5.On Cognition 110
6.On Society and History 114
Chapter Five The Establishment of the Dominant Position of ConfuCIanism and Its Amalgamation with Other Thoughts in the Han Dynasty 121
Ⅰ.Introduction 121
Ⅱ.Dong Zhongshu，Leader of the Han Confucianists 123
Ⅲ.The Controversy on Confucian Classics 133
Ⅳ.Prognostication Texts and Apocrypha，and Their Criticism by Some Scholars 136
1.General Ideas on Prognostication and Apocrypha 136
2.Popularization of the Concepts of Visitations，Prodigies，Omens and Portents 137
3.Comprehensive Discussions in the White Tiger Hall and the Development of Prognostication and Apocrypha 139
4.Criticism of Prognostication Texts and Apocryphal Writings by Some Ancient-Script Classicists 140
Ⅴ.Wang Chong，Philosopher of Naturalism 144
Chapter Six The Decline of the Orthodox Confucianism and the Rise of Neo-Taoism During the Period of the Wei-Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties 154
Ⅰ.Introduction 154
Ⅱ.He Yan and Wang Bi，Founders of Neo-Taoism 157
Ⅲ.Ruan Ji and Ji Kang，Representatives of the Seven Worthies of Bamboo Groves 162
Ⅳ.Xiang Xiu and Guo Xiang Who Advocated the Principle of Self-Transformation of Things 165
Ⅴ.Pei Wei and His Maintenance of Confucianism 169
Ⅵ.The Mutual Dispelling and Fusion of Confucianism，Taoism and Buddhism During the Northern and Southern Dynasties 170
Chapter Seven The Revival of Confucianism During the Sui and Tang Dynasties 177
Ⅰ.Introduction 177
Ⅱ.Confucianism of the Sui Dynasty 177
1.The Situation Unfavorable to Confucianism 177
2.Wang Tong Who Tried to Revive Confucianism 179
Ⅲ.Confucianism in the Early Tang Dynasty and the Compilation of Rectified Interpretations of the Five Classics 181
1.Confucianism in the Early Tang Dynasty 182
2.The Compilation of Rectified Interpretations of the Five Classics 182
Ⅳ.Han Yu，Forerunner of Neo-Confucianism 183
Ⅴ.Li Ao，Way Paver of Neo-Confucianism 187
Ⅵ.Liu Zongyuan and Liu Yuxi，Philosophers with Materialistic Ideas 192
Chapter Eight Neo-Confucianism During the Northern Song Dynasty 200
Ⅰ.Introduction 200
Ⅱ.The Three Masters of Early Song，First Flowering of the 11th Century Neo-Confucianism 202
Ⅲ.Zhou Dunyi，Pioneer of Neo-Confucianism 205
Ⅳ.Shao Yong and His Studies of Emblems and Numbers 209
Ⅴ.Zhang Zai，Materialistic Neo-Confucianist 217
Ⅵ.Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi，Exponents of the Learning of Nature and Principle 226
Ⅶ.Neo-Confucianism of the Post-Chengs Period 236
Ⅷ.Wang Anshi，Confucian Reformer 238
Chapter nine Development of Neo-Confucianism During the Early and Mid-Southern Song Dynasty 245
Ⅰ.Introduction 245
Ⅱ.Hu Anguo，Zhu Zhen，Zhang Jiucheng and the Southward Spread of Neo-Confucianism in the Early Southern Song Period 246
Ⅲ.Zhang Shi and Lui Zuqian，Important Neo-Confucianists in the Mid- Southern Song Period 251
Chapter Ten Zhu Xi，Lu Jiuyuan，and the Culminating Development of Neo-Confucianism in the Mid-Southern Song Period 258
Ⅰ.Zhu Xi，Synthesizer of Neo-Confucianism of the Song Period and Head of the School of Principle 258
1.Introduction 258
2.On the Supreme Ultimate，the Principle of Heaven and Material Force 260
3.On Human Nature 264
4.On the Relationship Between Nature，Mind and Emotions 267
5.On the Abidance in Earnestness to Exhaustively Study Principle and the Investigation of Things to Extend Knowledge 268
6.On Society，Politics and History 272
7.Master Zhu’s Historical Position 273
Ⅱ.Lu Jiuyuan，Founder of the School of Mind 274
Ⅲ.Debates Between Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuyuan on Some Neo-Confucian Doctrines 276
Chapter Eleven Schools of Utilitarianism in the Eastern Zhejiang and Their Debates with Zhu Xi 280
Ⅰ.Introduction 280
Ⅱ.Chen Liang and His Debates with Zhu Xi 280
1.Debates on the Way and Its Relationship with Man and Things 281
2.Debates on the Relationships Between the Kingly Way and the Dictator’s Way and Between Righteousness and Profit 282
3.Debates on the Cultivation of Personality 284
Ⅲ.Ye Shi and His Different Theories from Those of Zhu Xi 285
1.Introduction 285
2.Ye Shi’s Theory and His Differences from Neo-Confucianists 286
Chapter Twelve Neo-Confuci ism of the Yuan Dynasty 290
Ⅰ.Introduction 290
Ⅱ.The Four Masters of the Beishan Mountain， Faithful Adherents to Zhu Xi’s Theories in South China 291
Ⅲ.Zhao Fu and Xu Heng， Neo-Confucian Champions in North China 296
Ⅳ.Wu Cheng， a Syncretist of the Theories of Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuyuan 300
Chapter Thirteen Neo-Confucianism of the Early Ming Period 307
Ⅰ.Introduction 307
Ⅱ.Neo-Confucianism of the Early Ming Period 309
1.Song Lian， Prominent Confucian Official of the Early Ming Dynasty 309
2.Fang Xiaoru， Upright and Model Confucianist 311
3.Cao Duan Who Had His Own Ideas on the Supreme Ultimate 313
4.Xue Xuan， Founder of the Hedong School of Neo-Confucianism 316
5.Wu Yubi， Founder of the Chongren School of Neo-Confucianism 318
Chapter Fourteen The Rise of the School of Mind Represented by Wang Shouren and Its Dissemination in the Mid-Ming Dynasty 324
Ⅰ.Introduction 324
Ⅱ.Chen Xianzhang，Founder of the Learning of Mind of Jiangmen 325
Ⅲ.Zhan Ruoshui，Who Advocated Experiencing and Realizing the Principle of Heaven and Smelting and Refining One’s Contaminated Mind 327
Ⅳ.Wang Shouren，Synthesizer of the School of Mind 330
1.Introduction 330
2.Mind Is Principle 332
3.Extension of the Innate Knowledge 334
4.Unity of Knowledge and Action 337
5.On Humanity and Government by Humanity 342
6.Summary 346
Ⅴ.The Dissemination of Wang Shouren’s Theory 351
1.Wang’s Disciples of Zhezhong Area 352
2.Wang’s Disciples of Jiangyou Area 357
3.The Taizhou School 362
Chapter Fifteen Criticism of Neo-Confucianism in the Mid-Ming Period 377
Ⅰ.Introduction 377
Ⅱ.Luo Qinshun Who Developed His Own Theory by Long and Painful Work 378
Ⅲ.Wang Tingxiang，Thinker of Anti-Neo-Confucianism 382
Ⅳ.La Kun Who Regarded Neo-Confucianism as Heterodoxy of Confu-cianism 386
Chapter Sixteen Revival of Neo-Confucianism of the Cheng-Zhu School in the Late Ming Period 391
Ⅰ.Introduction 391
Ⅱ.Gu Xiancheng and Gao Panlong，Representatives of the Donglin School 392
Ⅲ.Liu Zongzhou，Founder of the Jishan School 399
Ⅳ.Huang Daozhou，One of the Great Confucianists of the Late Ming Dynasty 407
Chapter Seventeen The Practical Learning of the Late Ming and Early Qing Period 415
Ⅰ.Introduction 415
Ⅱ.Fang Yizhi，Thinker Who Attached Importance to Natural Sciences 418
Ⅲ.Huang Zongxi，Great Philosophical Historian 422
Ⅳ.Gu Yanwu，Pioneer of the Han Learning 428
Ⅴ.Wang Fuzhi，One of the Greatest Materialist Philosophers in Feudal China 433
Ⅵ.Yan Yuan，One of the Founders of the Practical Learning 441
Chapter Eighteen The Decline of Neo-Confucianism and the Rise of the Han Learning of the Qing Dynasty 450
Ⅰ.Introduction 450
Ⅱ.Yan Ruoqu and Hu Wei，Who Ascertained the Forgery of Some Classics 453
Ⅲ.Hui Dong Who Faithfully Followed the Ancients 456
Ⅳ.Dai Zhen，Meticulous Researcher 458
Chapter nineteen Mode-Script Classicism of the Late Qing Reformers 472
Ⅰ.Introduction 472
Ⅱ.Zhuang Cunyu and Liu Fenglu，Pioneers of the Modem-Script Classical Study of the Late Qing Period 474
Ⅲ.Gong Zizhen Who Advocated Social Reforms 478
Ⅳ.Wei Yuan，Enthusiast for the Western Learning 481
Ⅴ.Kang Youwei，Champion of the Political Reform of the Late Qing Dynasty 485
Ⅵ.Tan Sitong，Martyr of the Hundred-Day Political Reform 492
Chapter Twenty New Neo-Confucianism in the 20th Century 502
Ⅰ.Introduction 502
Ⅱ.The Development of New Neo-Confucianism 503
Chapter Twenty-One Confucianism on Today’s Horizon 519
Ⅰ.Introduction 519
Ⅱ.Causes for the Decline of Confucianism 520
Ⅲ.Essential Features of Confucianism 523
Ⅳ.Final Pursuits of Confucianism 525
Ⅴ.Values of Confucianism 527
Ⅵ.What Can Confucianism Do Today 528
Bibliography 533