Three Fundamental Themes of Royal Governance in Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucian Thought
Song Confucianism constituted the mainstream intellectual tradition of the Song dynasty,with Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism emerging as its predominant school.As a primary branch of Neo-Confucianism during the Song era,Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and its theory of royal governance not only established the theoretical foundation of the political ideology in later feudal Chinese society but also epitomized the most mature and rep-resentative form of Confucian royalist thought.The fundamental aspects and themes of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confu-cianism's theory of royal governance are manifested as follows:Firstly,the application of metaphysical"Tian-li"(heavenly principles)to practical politics,advocating for governing the country in accordance with Tianli.Secondly,the prioritization of cultivating the ruler's moral character("zheng jun xin"),enriching and ad-vancing the traditional Confucian doctrine of inner sagehood and outer kingliness.Thirdly,the clear endorse-ment of prioritizing righteousness("yi")and the concept of concealing wealth among the people,demonstra-ting concern for the livelihoods and hardships of ordinary citizens.Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is not only a discipline for personal cultivation but also a doctrine for governing the world.It encompasses multiple ideolog-ical dimensions such as benevolent governance,ritual governance,and people-oriented governance,represen-ting the optimal alignment between royal authority and the welfare of the people.It embodies a typical form of Confucianism tailored for practical governance.Therefore,studying the theory of royal governance in Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism holds significance and value in expanding and deepening the study of Song-era Confu-cianism.
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