China's Favorite Confucian: Wang Yangming

In this lecture, Prof Van Norden introduces the philosophy of Wang Yangming (1472–1529), whom China's leader Xi Jinping has described as his favorite non-Marxist philosopher.

Previous Lecture: "Understanding the Classic of Changes,"    • Understanding the Classic of Changes ...  
Following Lecture: "Weakness of Will in Confucian Philosophy,"    • Weakness of Will in Confucian Philosophy  

For more on the civil service examinations: David S. Nivison, "Protest of Conventions and Conventions of Protest," https://www.dropbox.com/s/jkt0t0i9joj...

2:23 Wang’s Life
4:38 The Civil Service Examinations
17:48 Wang as Monist
23:53 The Bamboo Incident
27:55 “Pure Knowing” and Its Source in Mengzi
35:24 Can one write down the teachings of the Master?

42:31 The Opening of the Great Learning
47:51 Wang on “Enlightening One’s Enlightened Virtue”
50:33 Forming One Body with Other Humans
51:38 Forming One Body with Birds and Beasts
52:57 Forming One Body with Plants and Trees
55:46 Forming One Body with Stones and Tiles
58:11 Selfish Desires
1:00:43 Wang on “Loving the People”
1:03:36 Wang on “Resting in the Ultimate Good”

1:07:35 Lecture Overview