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Preface
On January 9, 1529, the philosopher Wang Yangming passed away, leaving behind a rich legacy of mental thought and far-reaching scholarship. When he was dying, he only responded with a faint smile: "This heart is bright, what can I say?" This scene not only shows his detached attitude towards life, but also reflects his profound concept of mind.
Wang Yangming's life is full of academic exploration and personal challenges, but he seems helpless and indifferent when it comes to the arrangements for his family and future generations. Why did Wang Yangming have such an attitude towards family affairs at the end of his life?
In 1472, in a knowledgeable family in Yuyao, Zhejiang, Wang Yun was born. His father, Wang Hua, was a respected scholar who became a Jinshi in 1481 and was later promoted to the rank of Scholar of Nanjing. A miraculous omen marked Wang Yun's birth: it is rumored that an old woman of the Cen family in Yuyao County dreamed overnight that a fairy entrusted her with a baby above the red clouds. This vision was soon verified, as Cen's daughter-in-law gave birth to Wang Yun the next day. The foreshadowing of the gods prompted his grandfather to name him "Wang Yun", which means a child from the clouds.
Wang Yun had an unusual childhood, not speaking until he was five years old. This anomaly leaves everyone speculating about his future. When he was a child, he was playing on the side of the road with his friends, and a monk with an extraordinary temperament passed by, expressed special concern to Wang Yun, and said with a sigh: "What a good child, but it's a pity that talent has been blocked." This comment deeply touched Wang Yun's family, and made his grandfather think of a sentence in the Analects, "The talent that is not properly protected will eventually be lost." Therefore, he changed his name to Wang Shouren, which means guardian talent.
In a class discussion at the age of twelve, Wang Yangming, who later became known to the world as Wang Yangming, asked a profound question: What is the noblest cause in the world? His teacher, who wanted to guide him towards the traditional goal of fame and achievement, replied that becoming a champion like his father was the highest achievement. However, Wang Yangming had a different view, believing that the pursuit of becoming a saint, that is, mastering and practicing Confucian teachings, was the real first priority.
This view reveals Wang Yangming's idealistic ideological tendency, and his philosophical outlook is more idealistic. Despite the depth of his thoughts, the acceptance of his ideas in modern society is not widespread. On the one hand, modern interpretations often distort and hype his ideas, and on the other hand, because his ideas emphasize ideals and spiritual pursuits, which are contrary to the general materialism and pragmatism of modern society, this is also a key factor in the failure of his theories to be widely accepted.
In the traditional Confucian system, Wang Yangming is revered as a Confucian master second only to Confucius, Mencius, and Zhu Xi, and his status is exalted, almost close to that of a sage, and this idea of a cult of personality has been greatly diminished in modern times. Modern society no longer has the concept of a "saint" as it used to be, just as the real world no longer needs superheroes.
At the age of 15, he went on a journey to the frontier and was inspired to serve his country. At the age of 17, he married Zhu, but on the day of the wedding he forgot the ceremony because he was discussing Taoism with a Taoist priest, and it was not until the early hours of the next morning that he was found at a Taoist temple, an anecdote that caused a huge sensation in the local area, and people called him "Yiren".
At the age of 21, Wang Yangming came into contact with Zhu Xi's science and was deeply attracted by the idea of "learning from things to the poor". Under the bamboo grove in his own garden, he is determined to explore the mysteries of the universe through the observation of bamboo. He gazed at the bamboo for seven days and seven nights in an attempt to comprehend the laws of nature, an act that became known as "Shouren Gezhu". This extreme challenge did not bring the expected revelations, but instead made him sick and made him question the traditional theory of Gewu.
These experiences forged Wang Yangming's later philosophical thoughts, and he began to challenge certain dogmas of traditional Confucianism, and gradually formed his own unique theory of mind. These changes not only influenced the trajectory of his life, but also had a profound impact on Confucianism and philosophy in later generations.
Wang Yangming is not only known for his profound philosophical thoughts, but also for his extraordinary achievements in the military and cultural fields. Although he was originally a civilian official, Wang Yangming was called up to lead the army into battle many times, and his military talents were widely recognized by the contemporaries. In the fight against civil strife and foreign invasions, he demonstrated extraordinary command ability and strategic vision, and repeatedly achieved remarkable victories.
Wang Yangming's most celebrated contribution is the Yangming Mind that he founded. Psychology emphasizes the "unity of knowledge and action", believes that knowledge and action are inseparable, and the study of theory must be combined with practice. In addition, he put forward the theory of "learning from things", advocating the unity of knowledge and practice through an in-depth understanding of the essence of things.
In the winter of 1528, Wang Yangming died in Nan'an, and his body was escorted back to his hometown by a group of disciples and disciples. The death of this master of mind sparked deep grief among his disciples and their relatives and friends. In the early spring of 1529, Wang Zhengxian, the 22-year-old son, hurried from his home after learning the bad news, and finally met his father's coffin in Guixi.
In the face of the coffin, he was grief-stricken and burst into tears, and then wrote the article "Feeling of Mourning", expressing his grief for Wang Yangming and his deep father-son feelings. At the ceremony of the arrival of Yangming's coffin in his hometown, the men, women and children of the Wang family mourned separately according to traditional etiquette.
Wang Zhengxian, his four-year-old brother Wang Zhengyi, and other relatives stood outside the door, while inside the door were Wang Yangming's female dependents, and teachers and friends gathered on the periphery. This scene shows the family's deep remembrance of Wang Yangming and their high respect for his philosophical legacy.
Against this sad backdrop, some disciples, such as Qian Dehong and Xue Kan, have begun to think about how to support the young Wang Zhengyi to inherit the title. They hoped that the two-year-old would inherit Wang's legacy and status, and for this reason they began to plan possible support measures.
Before their plan could be launched, Emperor Jiajing had already ordered the imperial court to review Wang Yangming's merits. As a result, not only were the titles deprived, but even the basic sacrifices and posthumous gifts were not approved, which further complicated the succession of the royal family. This policy decision sparked a dispute within the royal family over the inheritance.
The distribution of family status and wealth, which should have been settled by succession to the title, must now be fought for by other means. As a result, the dispute over the division of property between Wang Yangming's family began, and it turned into a turbulent family struggle.
Wang Yangming died at the age of fifty-seven, and Ming Shizong had reservations about his academic contributions and political actions, so he forbade his family to inherit the title of new earl. Therefore, Wang Yangming's son Wang Zhengyi can only hold the position of deputy thousand households in Jinyiwei. However, in the second year of Longqing, Ming Muzong issued an edict to restore the title of the Wang family, so that Wang Zhengyi could become a new uncle. After Wang Zhengyi inherited the title, he continued until his death in the fifth year of Wanli.
Wang Zhengyi's son, Wang Chengxun, inherited the title of Xinjian Earl and served in Caoyun for 20 years, accumulating a large family fortune, and Wang Chengxun's family had complicated disputes over the issue of inheritance. According to the "History of the Ming Dynasty", Wang Chengxun had two sons: Wang Xianjin and Wang Xianda.
Wang Xianjin was originally the direct heir to the title of the Wang family, but because he had no heirs, he planned to adopt his younger brother Wang Xianda's son Wang Yehong as his heir. However, due to family disputes, the relationship between Wang Xianjin and his younger brother and wife deteriorated, and he adopted Wang Yexun as his adopted son instead.
When Wang Chengxun died, Wang Xianjin died before he officially inherited the title, which caused controversy over the inheritance of the new earldom. Among the candidates at this time, Wang Yexun and Wang Yehong became the main contenders. In order to consolidate his inheritance, Wang Yexun first proposed that Wang Xianda was not Wang Chengxun's biological son, but an adopted child, which directly affected the inheritance qualifications of Wang Xianda and his son Wang Yehong.
At the same time, Wang Yexun also introduced a new competitor, Wang Chengxun's nephew Wang Xiantong's cousin Wang Xiantong, which further complicated the succession to the title. The controversy over the new earldom lasted for decades, eventually leaving the title vacant for a long time. This series of events illustrates the complexity and far-reaching impact of the power struggles within the aristocratic families at the end of the Ming Dynasty, as well as the court's strict control over aristocratic status and its consideration of political stability.
In the spring of 1531, Huang Honggang, a disciple of Wang Yangming, went to Nanjing to seek the assistance of Huang Xuan, who had been promoted to the rank of chamberlain of the Ministry of Rites, to discuss the future placement of Wang Zhengyi. Huang Juan proposed to marry his daughter to the young Zhengyi, and he would be personally responsible for upbringing. This proposal was warmly responded to by Wang Yangming's disciples, and Qian Dehong, Wang Ji, Wang Gen and others immediately formally proposed to the Huang family on behalf of Wang Zhengyi.
In the autumn of the eleventh year of Jiajing, Wang Zhengyi was officially sent to Nanjing to live with the Huang Juan family. However, as Wang Zhengyi left home, rumors of abuse at home gradually spread. Wang Shouwen and his mother, Mrs. Zhao, vowed not to interfere in the affairs of the Wang family again, but they were worried that the young Zhengyi was far away from home. Wang Shouwen tried to ask Wang Yangming's other disciples to take over Zhengyi's custody through a letter, but was refused.
Huang Juan stood up at this time, defended Wang Shouwen, understood his affection for his nephew, and persuaded him to understand that this was to respect Wang Yangming's last wish and protect the orphans. Under the persuasion of many parties, Wang Shouwen finally let go, and Mrs. Zhao left a request, hoping that Wang Yangming's disciples could properly manage the Wang family in order to retain the glory of Xinjian Bo.
During Zhengyi's time to Nanjing, the family's attendants and other domestic slaves were reluctant to let go, and they clung to Zhengyi, hoping to continue to enjoy the wealth of the Wang family through him. Wang Yangming's disciples had to spend huge sums of money to solve these tangled problems.
Mrs. Wu and Wang Yangming's other concubine, Chen, were sent back to their hometown, during which Wang Yangming's disciples also took the opportunity to adjust the status of the women in the family and made Zhang his wife, so that Wang Zhengyi's status was changed from concubine to eldest son, a decision that caused widespread discussion at the time.
Wang Zhengyi arrived in Nanjing with all the property of the Wang family, and Huang Juan, in order to avoid the suspicion of embezzling his son-in-law's family property, publicly notarized the property, clearly recorded the assets of the Wang family, and set up three contracts, one was kept in the Wang family, one was handed over to Mrs. Zhang, and the last one was kept by Huang Huang himself until Wang Zhengyi became an adult.
This property notarization not only protects Wang Zhengyi's legitimate rights and interests, but also shows Huang's integrity and transparency, and at the same time reduces the outside world's suspicions that he may use his son-in-law's property. Wang Zhengyi's upbringing in the Huang family temporarily calmed down the internal disputes of the Wang family. Although Wang Yangming's honor was not fully recognized by Emperor Jiajing, over time, Wang Yangming's influence gradually recovered, and his teachings and contributions were more widely recognized.