Pan Pingge
Encyclopedia
Pan Pingge, or Pan Ping Ge, Pan Ping-ge (Chinese
: 潘平格; 1610~1677), was a notable Chinese
philosopher during the late-Ming
and early-Qing
period.
, Ningbo
, Zhejiang Province in late Ming Dynasty in 1610. His style name
was Yongwei (用微).
During the Shunzhi Era
, Pan lived in Shanying (Traditional/Simplified Chinese: 山陰/山阴; current Shaoxing
), Zhejiang Province for ten years. Later Pan became a lecturer in Kunshan
(昆山; current Suzhou
), Jiangsu Province.
-Zhu
, Lu
-Wang
, and Buddhist philosophy
(especially the Zen
buddhism). Pan discovered some subtle conflicts between these philosophical schools, and thought the Neo-confucianism
developed in Song
, Yuan
and Ming dynasties were quite derivatived from the original thoughts or principles of Confucius
and Mencius
.
Pan criticized that Neo-confucianism mixed too much Zen buddhism, thus called those confucian scholars the "Monks of the Confucian Temple
".
Pan considered that Cheng-Zhu School philosophically debated with Lu-Wang School is a kind of using Taoism
to attack Buddhism
(以老攻佛), and vice versa (以佛攻老).
Pan's philosophy was searching for the humanity (求仁), and he emphasized to search truth
or true knowledge from daily living and practice. Pan proposed the theories of one integrated mass (渾然一體/浑然一体) and the sight from the true mind (見在真心/见在真心).
Papers:
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 潘平格; 1610~1677), was a notable Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
philosopher during the late-Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and early-Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
period.
Biography
Pan was born in Cixi CityCixi City
Cixi is a city within the sub-provincial city of Ningbo located in China's Zhejiang province.- History :The city was captured by British forces in the Battle of Tsekee on 15 March 1842 during the First Opium War...
, Ningbo
Ningbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...
, Zhejiang Province in late Ming Dynasty in 1610. His style name
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
was Yongwei (用微).
During the Shunzhi Era
Shunzhi Emperor
The Shunzhi Emperor was the third emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China, which he did from 1644 to 1661. "Shunzhi" was the name of his reign period...
, Pan lived in Shanying (Traditional/Simplified Chinese: 山陰/山阴; current Shaoxing
Shaoxing
Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east, Taizhou to the southeast, Jinhua to the southwest, and Hangzhou to the west. It was once known as "越"...
), Zhejiang Province for ten years. Later Pan became a lecturer in Kunshan
Kunshan
Kunshan is a satellite city in the greater Suzhou region. Administratively, it is a county-level city within the prefecture-level city of Suzhou. It is located in southeastearn part of Jiangsu Province, China, adjacent to Jiangsu's border with the Shanghai Municipality.The total area of Kunshan...
(昆山; current Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
), Jiangsu Province.
Philosophy
Pan chronologically studied and inspected the philosophies of ChengCheng Yi (philosopher)
Cheng Yi , courtesy name Zhengshu , also known as Mr. Yichuan , was a Chinese philosopher born in Luoyang during the Song Dynasty. He worked with his older brother Cheng Hao . Like his brother, he was a student of Zhou Dunyi, a friend of Shao Yong, and a nephew of Zhang Zai...
-Zhu
Zhu Xi
Zhū Xī or Chu Hsi was a Song Dynasty Confucian scholar who became the leading figure of the School of Principle and the most influential rationalist Neo-Confucian in China...
, Lu
Lu Jiuyuan
thumb|200px|Lu JiuyuanLu Jiuyuan was a Chinese scholar and philosopher who founded the school of the universal mind, the second most influential Neo-Confucian school...
-Wang
Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming was a Ming Chinese idealist Neo-Confucian philosopher, official, educationist, calligraphist and general. After Zhu Xi, he is commonly regarded as the most important Neo-Confucian thinker, with interpretations of Confucianism that denied the rationalist dualism of the orthodox...
, and Buddhist philosophy
Buddhist philosophy
Buddhist philosophy deals extensively with problems in metaphysics, phenomenology, ethics, and epistemology.Some scholars assert that early Buddhist philosophy did not engage in ontological or metaphysical speculation, but was based instead on empirical evidence gained by the sense organs...
(especially the Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
buddhism). Pan discovered some subtle conflicts between these philosophical schools, and thought the Neo-confucianism
Neo-Confucianism
Neo-Confucianism is an ethical and metaphysical Chinese philosophy influenced by Confucianism, that was primarily developed during the Song Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, but which can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty....
developed in Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
, Yuan
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
and Ming dynasties were quite derivatived from the original thoughts or principles of Confucius
Confucius
Confucius , literally "Master Kong", was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period....
and Mencius
Mencius
Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ...
.
Pan criticized that Neo-confucianism mixed too much Zen buddhism, thus called those confucian scholars the "Monks of the Confucian Temple
Temple of Confucius
A Temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a temple devoted to the memory of Confucius and the sages and philosophers of Confucianism.- History :...
".
Pan considered that Cheng-Zhu School philosophically debated with Lu-Wang School is a kind of using Taoism
Taoism
Taoism refers to a philosophical or religious tradition in which the basic concept is to establish harmony with the Tao , which is the mechanism of everything that exists...
to attack Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
(以老攻佛), and vice versa (以佛攻老).
Pan's philosophy was searching for the humanity (求仁), and he emphasized to search truth
Truth
Truth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
or true knowledge from daily living and practice. Pan proposed the theories of one integrated mass (渾然一體/浑然一体) and the sight from the true mind (見在真心/见在真心).
Works
Books:- Searching for Humanity (《求仁录》)
- Summary of Pan's Searching for Humanity (《潘子求仁录辑要》), 10 volumes, by his students
- Innovations of the Four Classics (《四书发明》) (The four classics stand for the Four Books of Confucianism, namely the Great LearningGreat LearningThe Great Learning was one of the "Four Books" in Confucianism. The Great Learning had come from a chapter in the Classic of Rites which formed one of the Five Classics. It consists of a short main text attributed to the teachings of Confucius and then ten commentary chapters accredited to one...
, the Doctrine of the MeanDoctrine of the MeanThe Doctrine of the Mean , is both a concept and one of the books of Confucian teachings. The composition of the text is attributed to Zisi the only grandson of Confucius, and it came from a chapter in the Classic of Rites...
, the Analects of ConfuciusAnalects of ConfuciusThe Analects, or Lunyu , also known as the Analects of Confucius, are considered a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius and his disciples, as well as the discussions they held....
, and the MenciusMenciusMencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ...
) - The Critique of Two Schools (《辨二氏之学》) (Two schools are two main Neo-confucian schools, the Cheng-Zhu School and the Lu-Wang School)
Main references
- Biography of Pan Pingge, from Ningbo civic archive of Qing Dynasty
- Brief Biography of Pan Pingge, from Huaxia.com
Papers:
- Religious Dimension of the Xiaojing Discourse in the Late Ming, by Miaw-fen Lu
- On Pan Pingge's Practical Ideology, by Pan Qizao