Neo-Confucian (Doxu, ) revival of the Sng () era (11th-13th century) was facing

a problem of the discontinuity of tradition of the transmission of the Way (Doto#ng, ).

Contrary to the prevalent in the preceding period Buddhist philosophy of Cha#n ( , or Zen),
which relied completely on the transmission of the doctrine (and of the practice related to the
doctrine) "beyond scriptures", from master to disciple, from mind to mind, the Neo-Confucians
believed that the Confucian Way, or the Teaching of the Sages ( , She#ngxu) had been
transmitted in the Six Classical Works (, Lijng), reportedly edited by Confucius ( ,
Ko#ngz, 551-479) himself. However, after the death of Mencius ( , Me#ngzi3, 372-289
B.C.) the generations of Confucian scholars (, ru#ji) dealt only with the philological and
historical issues of the texts, written in the archaic language, yet they did not understand
correctly the essence of the Way (Do, ) contained therein, which consisted in the spiritual
practice of self-cultivation, or cultivation of the human nature in accordance with the mandate
of Heaven and teaching of the ancient Sages-Kings. It was only Zhu Dny ( , 10171073) and with him four other masters of the Neo-Confucian revival (Zha#ng Za#i, Che#ng
Yi#, Che#ng Ha#o, Sha#o Yo#ng...) who restored the proper (or philosophically sound)
interpretation, by paying attention to the Four Books ( , Ssh) or the texts reportedly
written by Confucius, his close disciples (Ze#ng Ya#ng and Zi# Si#) and Mencius. The Four
Books, called by Zh X (1130-1200) the Gate to The Six Classics, also became obscure by the
time of Neo-Confucianism, so that Zh X with the help of L# Zu#qia#n had to compose an
anthology of the works of their modern masters, thematically arranged according to the selfcultivation model of the Dxu, the Reflections on Things at Hand (, Ji#nsi#lu#), called
by him the Ladder to The Four Books, to help their contemporaries and the students of the
following generations, to understand the message and to enter the Way.
How is it possible that those Song masters started understanding texts that the centuries of
their predecessors could not understand? Its by practicing the model of self-cultivation
prescribed in the Four Books (especially in the Dxu, Great Learning) and by religious
practices prescribed in the Six Classics (especially in the Ceremonies, Li#ji#, , and the
Book of Changes, Yi#jng, ) that one reaches the contact with the principle of Heaven
(Tinl, ...) preserved in ones heart-mind. Self cultivation (xishn, ...) begins with the
investigation of things (ge#wu#, ...) those that are at hand (ji#nsi#, ...) and daily affairs, among
them ones proper heart/mind, but without a guiding impulse (instruction from the Sages) one
could very easily be misguided by ones rising emotions to act towards their fulfillment

(profit, li#) rather that towards developing virtues. The sincerity of the heart/mind is one of
the next steps.
Our mind, mind of the Sages and mind of Heaven have common nature (xi#ng), one
principle (l), so we can understand the teaching of the Sages by (re)discovering them in our
own minds. The heart/mind of the Sages out of itself is in harmony with the heart of Heaven, so
they act in accord with the will Heaven; the hearts of the noble men ( , jnz) or
philosophers follow the wondrous words and the beautiful examples. Thats why studying
the ancient classical works is essential, even if originally very difficult. They work in us like the
Way-indicators (traffic signs). The works of the modern Masters give us an inception point, the
works of the Sages the ultimate reference point. The self-cultivation is a practical process, not
only a theoretical one; understanding of the reality necessarily influences all our attitudes and
ways of acting. Entering the Way of philosophers with the texts of the Ancient Sages in hand is
like a religious conversion. Once you enter the Way you cannot leave it even for a moment,
because if you could leave it, it would not be the [true] Way. The principle of the texts (shl)
helps us in the constant comparing the principle of the things (wu#l) with the principle of the
mind (xinli) and in discovering the Absolute or Heavenly principle (Ta#iji#, Tinl) in all things
and states of affairs. While practicing a sincere (che#ng) self-cultivation, with mindfulness
(ji#ng), by constantly making reference to the reality outside (wa#iwu#) and to the heart within
(ne#ixn), one begins to better understand the ancient texts, which the generations of
philologically minded scholars couldnt fathom in full because the lacked the proper attitude
that of self-cultivation of the whole person, and not only of the memory and of the art of
argumentation.
Only those who read the Masters and the Sages, can understand ones heart/mind. Only
those who examine (dowiadczaj, touch, experience) their hearts are able to make out
everything of the ancient Sages. In all these the principle which is one but differs in various
manifestations (li yi ..... duo feng), is a guiding thread.
Later Neo-Confucians (Li# Jiu#yua#n Xia#ngshn, Wa#ng Sho#ure#n Ya#ngmi#ng) were
misguided by idea that ge#wu# or investigation of the thing must begin with ones heart, have
falsely assumed that the texts of the Sages are spurious zbdne (at least: without any value), as
everything (every truth, every single and the totality of understanding) has to be and can be
found within ones heart, in the lia#ngzhi#.
The predecessors of Zh X often valued meditation above reading Masters.