| Summary: | 碩士 === 臺北市立師範學院 === 應用語言文學研究所 === 93 === Li Kuang-di was an important political figure and thinker of the time of Qing dynasty under the reign of Emperor Kangxi. In his proponent of Sung dynasty philosophical theories he had left behind a considerable oeuvre of elucidations on the intellectual verve of the period, especially on annotating and interpreting The Four Books, skewered on the reasoning of Cheng I and Zhu Xi’s thoughts, backed by expounding insights of Lu Xiang-shan and Wang Yang-ming’s Philosophy of the Mind. Li Kuang-di in his distinctive viewpoint reinterpreted and revived the moral teachings of The Four Books that proved to be of significant contribution to the Qing dynasty’s literary development.
On the moral issues addressed in The Four Books yielded Rendiction on The Great Learning-Ancient Text, The Doctrine of the Mean-by Chapters, The Doctrine of the Mean-Synopsis, Commentaries on Reading The Analects of Confucius and Commentaries on Reading the Works of Mencius. In Rendiction on The Great Learning-Ancient Text and The Doctrine of the Mean-by Chapters Li Kuang-di explicated them by chapter and section grounding on the conceptual thoughts of The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean; the former adopted annotation by Zheng Xuan and the latter was predicated on Zhu-tse (Zhu Xi); both in corresponding text divisions. The Doctrine of the Mean-Synopsis was Li Kuang-di’s summary understanding of the doctrine (The Doctrine of the Mean) where the theories of Book of Changes were inducted in examining the reasoning of inborn nature and heaven-endowed nature, which constituted significant basis of Li Kuang-di’s conception of Confucianism. Commentaries on Reading The Analects of Confucius and Commentaries on Reading The Works of Mencius were compilations of the author’s marginalia on the two texts; although developed in the form of commentaries his further research into the embedded meaning and historical background brought forth significant insights.
On The Great Learning Li Kuang-di rather than following Zhu-tze (Zhu Xi)’s choice of order in interpreting the old text opted to building his theorising on the original text, and took account of Zheng Xuan’s annotation in exploring its core thought of “Cheng-i” (Sincerity).
He addressed the ancient text in six chapters, i.e., divided The Great Learning’s rational into six principal issues, which were subdivided into sections. The first four chapters received separate summaries to elucidate the individual issues’ quintessential importance to the thinking behind The Great Learning. His interpretation of The Doctrine of The Mean can be gleaned from his two writings The Doctrine of the Mean-by Chapters and The Doctrine of the Mean-Synopsis. The former reveals a panoramic perspective of the old text covering twelve chapters, each clearly thematic, yet overall soundly related. Whereas the Synopsis is a lucid essay comprising forty-four sections on the core issues filtered through Li Kuang-di’s personal perspective. In which cross-examinations abound, but can be classified into six key arguments.
In the Commentaries on Reading The Analects of Confucius Li Kuang-di methodically listed his comments and inferences on specific chapters. From which three prevailing beliefs of the author can be drawn: firstly, he believed the key to intellectual pursuit lies with coming to grip with its true purpose, followed by resolve, and then firmly setting out to practice toward the ultimate goal of achieving the state of body and mind as one. Secondly, his many years in public office acquainted him well with the theories and machinery of politics, which he applied in great detail on rendering the political ideas and methods presented in The Analects of Confucius. Lastly, in the matter of virtue as addressed in The Analects of Confucius Li Kuang-di cited extensive Confucian literature to give a coherent account, especially with his forte on Book of Changes. Such holistic treatment not only gave The Analects of Confucius tangible moral basis it also proved Confucian sayings to mirror the way of nature that the way of man should be conducted according to that of nature. Commentaries on Reading The Works of Mencius took a comprehensive approach to Mencius thinking, predicated on Zhu-tze (Zhu Xi)’s Variorum as its principal thought, but on certain chapters Li Kuang-di also provided varied perspectives, which appeared to be in greater abundance compared to his other explicatory writings.
Li Kuang-di’s Commentaries on The Four Books was emphatic of conceptualisation that to the academic community under the impact of intellectual degeneration by Wang’s teachings in the last years of the Ming dynasty was a fresh, positive breeze, and a forerunner to the subsequent intellectual style of textual criticism. In a way it put right the deviant purpose to proper intellectual pursuit, thus warrants studying.
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