Neo-Confucianism

Neo-Confucianism pinyin: Sòng-Míng lǐxué, often shortened to lixue 理學, literally "School of Principle" is the moral, ethical, & metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, as well as originated with Han Yu and Li Ao 772–841 in a Tang Dynasty, and became prominent during the Song and Ming dynasties under the formulations of Zhu Xi. After the Mongol conquest of China in the thirteenth century, Chinese scholars and officials restored and preserved neo-Confucianism as a way to safeguard the cultural heritage of China.

Neo-Confucianism could do been an try to draw a more rationalist and secular form of Confucianism by rejecting superstitious and mystical elements of Taoism and Buddhism that had influenced Confucianism during and after the Han Dynasty. Although the neo-Confucianists were critical of Taoism and Buddhism, the two did have an influence on the philosophy, and the neo-Confucianists borrowed terms and concepts. However, unlike the Buddhists and Taoists, who saw metaphysics as a catalyst for spiritual development, religious enlightenment, and immortality, the neo-Confucianists used metaphysics as a guide for developing a rationalist ethical philosophy.

Philosophy

Neo-Confucianism is a social and ethical philosophy using metaphysical ideas, some borrowed from Taoism, as its framework. The philosophy can be characterized as humanistic and rationalistic, with the view that the universe could be understood through human reason, and that it was up to humanity to create a harmonious relationship between the universe and the individual.

The rationalism of neo-Confucianism is in contrast to the mysticism of the previously dominant Chan Buddhism. Unlike the Buddhists, the neo-Confucians believed that reality existed, and could be understood by humankind, even whether the interpretations of reality were slightly different depending on the school of neo-Confucianism.

But the spirit of Neo-Confucian rationalism is diametrically opposed to that of Buddhist mysticism. Whereas Buddhism insisted on the unreality of things, Neo-Confucianism stressed their reality. Buddhism and Taoism asserted that existence came out of, and described to, non-existence; Neo-Confucianism regarded reality as a slow realization of the Great Ultimate... Buddhists, and to some degree, Taoists as well, relied on meditation and insight tosupreme reason; the Neo-Confucianists chose to adopt Reason.

The importance of li in Neo-Confucianism offered the movement its Chinese name, literally "The explore of Li".