Returning to the Root of Learning Neo-Confucianist Self-Cultivation of the Heart-Mind in Yu Ji (虞集)

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Abstract

Inspired by onto-hermeneutics, this essay interprets Yu Ji’s philosophy of education. During political and cultural uncertainty of early Yuan Dynasty, he inherited the Song’s Neo-Confucianism and emphasized the application of self-cultivation, advocating a gradual path of learning that returns to the “root” of human existence -- the heart-mind. On an individual level, one needs to be a master in the heart-mind through reducing excessive desires and training in “preserving the heart-mind.” Then one applies it into daily interaction, from smaller social circles to more complex situations. With his insights on human nature, Yu Ji’s philosophy of education has the potential of inspiration for contemporary education in a time of change and uncertainty.

Author

• Xueqing Luo, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign