Sexuality is the reason

A theory on human nature put forward by Cheng Yi of the Song dynasty and inherited by Zhu Xi (Zhu Xi), which became the basis of his ethical theory. Discussions on human nature have been ongoing since ancient times, beginning with Mencius' theory that human nature is good and Xunzi's theory that human nature is evil. However, in the Song dynasty, while interacting with Buddhism and Taoism, Confucian ethics were once again attempted to be established, and nature was analyzed and defined using the logic of body and function and the theory of reason and qi. Cheng Yi said, "There is no evil in nature, and what is evil is talent (born in one's nature), and talent is the inheritance of qi, which creates the difference between wise and foolish, but nature is reason, and reason is the same for Yao, Shun, and ordinary people." The phrase "nature is principle" along with Zhang Zai's "mind unifies nature and emotion" formed the framework of Zhu Xi's theory of the mind. In other words, according to Zhu Xi, all things are formed by qi, but reason is endowed by heaven and resides therein, and this principle is the original nature of human beings (i.e. nature is principle) and is pure and supremely good. Specifically, this includes benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, etc., and while nature, which is affected by qi and temperament, is called "the nature of temperament," Zhu Xi calls it "the original nature" or "the nature of heaven and earth." Furthermore, Lu Jiuyuan and Wang Shouren (Yangming) advocated the theory of mind is principle, which led to ideological opposition.

[Akira Oshima]

"Zhu Xi and Yangmingism" by Kenji Shimada (Iwanami Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宋(そう)の程頤(ていい)が唱え、朱熹(しゅき)（朱子）が継承してその倫理説の根幹となった人間の本性に関する学説。人性に関する議論は孟子(もうし)の性善説、荀子(じゅんし)の性悪説をはじめ古くから持続的に行われてきたが、仏教・道教との交渉をもちながら、宋代に至って改めて儒教倫理の確立を企図し、体用の論理や理気説によって性の分析と定義づけが行われた。程頤は、「性には不善がなく、不善があるのは才（生まれつき）で、才は気の稟受(ひんじゅ)によって賢愚の相違を生ずるが、性は理であり、理は堯舜(ぎょうしゅん)も凡人も同一である」と述べた。この「性即理」のことばは、張載(ちょうさい)の「心は性と情とを統(す)ぶ」ということばとともに朱熹の心性説の骨格をつくった。すなわち、朱熹によれば、あらゆる物は気によって形成されるが、天から理が賦与されてそこに宿っており、その理こそ人間本来の性であり（つまり性即理）、純粋至善なものである。具体的には仁義礼智(ち)などがそれで、気の阻害、気質の影響を受ける性を「気質の性」とよぶのに対して、「本然の性」「天地の性」などとよぶ。なお程朱の性即理に対して、陸九淵(りくきゅうえん)そして王守仁(おうしゅじん)（陽明）は心即理の説を提唱して思想的に対立することになる。

［大島　晃］

『島田虔次著『朱子学と陽明学』（岩波新書）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例