"Eliminating Human Desire" and "Controlling Human Desire":A Comparative Study on Cheng Yi and Ye Shi's Thought of Desire
Cheng Yi and Ye Shi,as representatives of the Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and the Yongjia School respectively,have fundamental differences in their thought of desire.Cheng Yi denies that"desire"is inherent to human nature and limits it to the category of temperament,in order to reveal the origin of human evil and ultimately establish the academic purpose of"keeping natural principles and eliminating human desires".On the other hand,Ye Shi believes that"desire"is an intrinsic part of human nature,emphasizing the use of effective means to"control human desire"in regulating family and governing the state.The formation of this difference is closely related to the historical environment in which the two individuals existed.Cheng Yi focused on the collapse of the social moral system since the Middle Tang Dynasty,as well as the agitation of Wang Anshi's reform towards the desire for profit among the Song Emperor Shenzong and the scholar-officials,thus strongly calling for"knowing natural principles"and"eliminating human desires".Ye Shi was concerned about the long-term internal and external crises faced by the Southern Song Dynasty,as well as the extremely inappropriate scholar-officials who lived at ease and talked about their inner selves.He actively proposed the utilitarian thought of researching practical learning,performing practical politics,and achieving practical morality,advocating"internal and external interaction"to"control human desire".
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