Contents
Wang Yangming
Arguing that genuine moral knowledge and action cannot be separated.
Unity of knowledge and action · Innate moral knowing
- Born
- 1472
- Birthplace
- Yuyao, China
- Died
- 1529
More people
Wang Yangming
Ming-dynasty Chinese thinker whose philosophy of the mind influenced Confucian traditions across East Asia.
Early life
Scholarly family
Grew up in a family associated with official service.
Examinations
Passed the highest imperial examination in 1499 and entered government.
Career
- 1499–1500s
Official service
Held government posts before punishment and exile interrupted his career.
- 1508 onward
Developing his philosophy
Formulated ideas about innate moral awareness and the unity of knowledge and action.
- 1510s–1520s
Teaching and command
Combined philosophical teaching with administrative and military responsibilities.
Ideas
Unity of knowledge and action
Treated ethical understanding as inseparable from living by it.
Innate moral knowing
Argued that moral awareness must be freed from selfish distortions.
Instructions for Practical Living
Conversations and letters preserve his teaching.
Public life
Military command
Defeated the Prince of Ning’s rebellion in 1519.
East Asian influence
His ideas generated influential schools in China and Japan.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Shen Junhui (沈俊繪). Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
