Wang Shouren

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Wang Yangming (31 October 1472 – 9 January 1529), courtesy name Bo'an, was a Chinese philosopher, official, educationist, calligraphist, and general during the Ming dynasty.

History[change | change source]

He was born with the name Wang Shouren (王守仁) in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province. He is known for his idealistic interpretation of neo-Confucianism, which was said to have a deeper effect on the philosophical thinking in East Asia for centuries.[1]

military career[change | change source]

Wang became a successful general and was known for the strict discipline he forced on his troops. In 1517 and 1518, he was s in respoentnse to petitions to suppress peasant revolts in Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces. Concerned with the destruction that came with war, he asked the court to allow amnesty, and successfully destroyed rebel military forces.

Influence[change | change source]

A lot of people admired him,such as,Sun Zhongshan,Liang Qichao,Lin Zexu,Mao Zedong

  • The Japanese Admiral of the Russo-Japanese War,who is named Tōgō Heihachirō was influenced by Wang.He made a stamp which read, "One's whole life followed the example of Yangming" (一生伏首拜陽明)
  • Chiang Kai-shek(蔣介石） changed a mountain’s name,the new name of the mountain is Yangmingshan.

Theory[change | change source]

He thought that Knowledge is action, action is knowledge(知行合一).His main idea is the extension of innate knowledge(致良知）[2]

References[change | change source]

  1. Ulrich Theobald. "Ming period literature, thought and philosophy (". Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  2. "Wang Yangming - Bibliography - PhilPapers". Retrieved 2017-10-17.