Abstract

Admittedly there exists a considerable amount of contemporary literature on liangzhi that, to a certain extent, provides us with fruitful and insightful perspectives into Wang Yangming’s doctrine. And the majority of this literature, as if by tacit agreement, focuses on the interconnection between liangzhi and knowledge, whether it be innate, original, perfect, or moral knowledge. While this academic endeavor is credited with pushing forward studies of Chinese thought, it is the task of philosophy always to engage in the examination of established practices as well as the quest for new possibilities.Take Wing-tsit Chan’s English rendition of Wang’s Chuanxi lu 傳習錄: the translations of liangzhi into “innate or...