It rains and the coolness of autumn goes deep into the night, and the lonely moon beside the pool makes me feel more energetic. Where does it come from? What kind of person is the author?

[On History] Letters from Yile and Friends [On Wang Yangming] (Author: Yile)

Sina Reading

Brother Zhu:

< p>I felt hesitant after receiving the letter.

I told my brother about Ji Kang and Zhu Xi in my letters two times before, but he was still not satisfied and insisted on asking me to talk about Wang Yangming again. This is really embarrassing for me. My younger brother was well prepared for Jikang and Zhu Xi, but still felt that he was reluctant and could not fully embrace them. As for Wang Yangming, although he also yearned for them very much, he really knew very little about their lives. . However, my brother's orders cannot be violated, so I have no choice but to dig things here and there, scratch my head and search my guts, and finally write this article. I hope my brother's wish can be fulfilled, haha.

When mentioning Wang Yangming, I am afraid that many people will think of Chiang Kai-shek. It is said that Mr. Chiang’s favorite read in his life was Wang Yangming’s "Traditional Records" and he had a lifelong admiration for it. There was a Japanese naval general whose name I can’t remember. He once said something like this: “I will bow my head to Wang Yangming all my life.” I still sigh when I think about it.

Wang Yangming lived in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. Brother Zhu, you also know that I have never had a good impression of the Ming Dynasty, especially in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. But Wang Yangming is really one of the bright spots. Looking at ancient times and modern times, there are very few people who have achieved great success in both arts, politics and martial arts. Among them is Wang Yangming. After the Qin and Han dynasties, the two most influential Confucian figures in modern times were Zhu Xi and him. Regarding the academic differences between Zhu Xi and Yangming, there are many explanations in the world, and there is no need to go into details. In short, from the perspective of style, Zhu Zi's heroic spirit, eloquent words, and subtlety of thinking are quite similar to Mencius, while the Yangming harmony, simplicity and beauty are close to Confucius.

Let us take a look at his life.

Wang Yangming was born in Yuyao, Zhejiang in 1471 AD, the eighth year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty. Brother Zhu, Zhejiang is really a place where talents are born, and the landscape is also amazing. The so-called "outstanding people in the land" is really not an exaggeration. My younger brother has been thinking about this trip for a long time, but unfortunately it never happened. On a day of prayer, I join hands with my brother to go wild geese and visit the rooftop. Above Fuchun, I recall the days of Ziling. In the shadow of the green rock, I chanted the ruins of Taibai. What do you think, brother unknown?

Yangming’s life experience is truly legendary. Let me divide it into two stages, with the age of 35 as the turning point, roughly as follows: Before the age of 35: lingering in poems - obsessed with Zhu Zi - Visiting Buddha

After the age of 35: Enlightenment in Longchang - Suppressing civil strife - Enlightenment in Tianquan

When Yangming was young, he often thought about saints and sages, and his character was witty and heroic. , There are quite a lot of what Confucius calls "crazy" people. Apart from the world's customs, they are naturally ups and downs. In his youth, due to the border wars, he paid attention to martial arts, studied ancient military books carefully, and even "gathered fruit cores to form an array for a show". These laid the foundation for his later outstanding military exploits. Because he was born in a scholarly family, he devoted himself to poetry in his early years, and his poems were very well-known at that time. When he was eleven years old, he startled everyone with his words: "I lean drunkenly on the wonderful high platform to rise to the moon, and the jade whistle blows through the dragon's cave to sleep." At the age of twenty-one, I climbed Longshan Mountain with an old man to sing. His beautiful lines were so perfect and his mood was so bold that the old man, who regarded himself as a great talent, couldn't help but sigh: "I should give up my life." Brother Zhu, who is more familiar with his later poems, let’s take a look at this one: "Sitting alone in the autumn garden under the new moonlight, there are no more idle people in the world. Singing high and letting the breeze go, the quiet thoughts follow the flowing spring water. Thousands of saints have no intention. Jue, "The Six Classics" must brush away the dust in the mirror, but the pity disturbs Zhou Gong's dream, and it is not as good as the poor in the shabby alleys." It is really refreshing. But at that time, he did not want to "turn his limited spirit into useless prose", so he became indifferent to it and turned around to devote himself to practical learning.

It should be said that Yangming firmly believed in Zhu Xi's teachings at this time, but he was still unable to understand it, so he lamented that the saints had their own talents and could not force themselves, so he turned to Buddhism and Laoism. First, he stopped his mind in Taoism. It is said that his cultivation skills have reached the point where he can predict things. People thought it was strange, but one day he sighed and said: "This is to challenge the spirit, it is not Tao" and abandoned it. Later, I traveled to the West Lake and encountered Zen Buddhism. I was fascinated by the spring breeze and spring rain, and was fascinated by its subtleties. However, because my family relationship could not be broken, I had some regrets and abandoned it again. He once said: "Thirty years have passed", which may be used as a self-summary of this stage of his life.

Longchang’s enlightenment can be said to be a turning point in Wang Yangming’s life. The story goes something like this. In the first year of Zhengde, the eunuch Liu Jin took over the power and the imperial court was gradually abolished. A group of ministers jointly petitioned the emperor to remove this powerful traitor. Unexpectedly, they were persecuted. Some were dismissed and some were imprisoned. Wang Yangming asked for help but failed, so he was punished with a staff of forty and sentenced to prison. Finally, he was demoted to Longchang Yiyicheng.

Longchangyi is located in the northwest of Guizhou, with mountains and thorns, snakes and insects everywhere, and miasma prevalent. The conditions are very difficult. Brother Zhu, I am afraid that I am already discouraged and despairing, haha. But Wang Yangming thought: "What more can a saint do if he is here?" So he sat upright day and night in search of the way to knowledge. Suddenly one day and night, as if the bottom of a bucket fell off, my mind suddenly opened up, and I could see fish in the water and kites in the sky. How innocent and free! Unexpectedly, I was enlightened and jumped for joy, and I realized that the way of the saint is that one's own nature is sufficient, and it is a mistake to seek from outside. This is the famous Longchang Enlightenment. From then on, he went all the way, chanting songs of grace, and developed a learning that has been passed down through the ages: Yangming Xin Xue.

Brother Zhu, this Yangming Mind Learning has gone through about three levels, starting from the enlightenment in Longchang to the enlightenment in Tianquan. In the first pass, he understood the principle of studying things to achieve knowledge, and put forward the theory of the unity of knowledge and action; in the second pass, he discussed the teaching of "leading to conscience"; in the last pass, he became a saint through super madness, and realized the Tao in Tianquan. In short, at the first pass, he has parted ways with Zhu Zi. At the second pass, he has dug out the "true marrow" of the former saint. At the last pass, everything is fine, he can use it as he pleases, and he sees the streets full of saints. .

Brother Zhu can really write a legendary novel about Yangming's achievements. He put down the civil strife and made great military achievements. What makes people sigh is that in a letter written by Yangming to a friend after defeating the enemy, he said: "'It is easy to break thieves in the mountains, but it is difficult to break thieves in the heart'. What's the difference if we just cut off rats and thieves? If all the wise men Mopping up the close bandits and pacifying them was an unparalleled achievement of a sincere man——"

In the third year of Jiajing, that is, 1524 AD, Yangming was giving lectures at Jishan Academy in Kuaiji. Historical records: "In August, a banquet was held at Tianquan Bridge." On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the bright moon is like a gui, and the breeze is like water. There are more than a hundred people sitting on the Bixia Pond. The wine was half drunk, and the songs began to sing. At this time, some were throwing pots, playing drums, boating, or whistling. Yangming Center was so happy that he couldn't help but sing loudly: "I believe that my conscience is not ignorant. How can I rely on other external things?" Can you tease me? I'm singing wildly tonight, and the influence is still doubtful. Zhu Zhonghui is so shy that I feel so crazy in the spring breeze. world. Brother Zhu, the Yang Ming at this time is really like a phoenix floating in the sky. He will hesitate and look around. Every time I think about it, I always feel excited involuntarily, which means "Let's drink wine and go to the piano stage", how fascinated I am!

An old gentleman, who was accustomed to poetry, came to visit after hearing that Yangming was giving lectures at Jishan Academy. Yang Ming talked to him, and he had enlightenment. He wandered among the mountains and rivers for a day, happily forgetting to return. Or he said: "I am an old man, why are you suffering from yourself?" He said: "I am lucky enough to escape from the sea of ??suffering. I feel sorry for Ruo's suffering. You think I am suffering! I am flying in the Bohai Sea, and my feathers are flying in the sky. On top of that, An Neng throws the net into the cage again? Go away, I will do what I want." In the sixth year of Jiajing, when he returned to Tianquan Bridge, Yangming responded to the request of his disciples and put forward the famous "Four Sentences". "Teaching", that is: "The absence of good and evil is the body of the heart, the presence of good and evil is the movement of the heart, knowing good and evil is conscience, and eliminating evil for good is the pursuit of things." It is known in history as "Tianquan Enlightenment". At this point, Yangming's theory of mind was finally complete.

Brother Zhu, the influence of Yangming’s Xinxue on later generations is really huge, not only in China, but also in East Asia, Japan, Korea, etc. There is no need to go into details. In the seventh year of Jiajing's reign, Yangming died of illness at the age of 57. Before he died, he said this: "This heart is bright, what else can I say." Yes, a person can have a bright heart, not burdened by things, not proud of himself, and the world will roar with it. How much is this? What a happy and shameless thing! However, it is rare after all. If you don't have crazy ambitions, single-mindedness, whole ears and eyes, and care for you beyond the haze for decades, who can achieve it? Exactly:

After the cool autumn rain and the night becomes new, the lonely moon beside the pool becomes more energetic.

The diving fish conveys secrets under the water, and the birds on the branches tell the truth.

Don’t say that heaven’s secrets are not desires, you must know that all things are my body.

There are endless discussions about unreasonable rituals and music, who will sweep away the old dust with the blue sky?