A Study on Humanity from Zhu Xi’s View of Life and Death

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the meaning and value of humanity implied by Zhu Xi’s viewpoint of the meaning of life and death. This is aimed to create an opportunity where we can find the answers ourselves from various angles to the essential questions such as what makes us human or what humans live by. As for the first process, I will briefly examine how the values and significance of advanced Confucianism views on life and death were passed on to Zhu Xi. Second, I would like to examine the characteristics of Zhu Xi's perspectives and human nature by connoting them into three areas: a way of realizing life and death, the public nature of life and death, and the humanity as the transcendence and completion of life and death. Through this investigation, I would like to suggest the meaning of humanity implied by Zhu Xi’s view of life and death as follows: First, human potential is not based on biological human lifespan, but rather on the realization of one's own nature by continuous humanistic practice based on publicity. Second, this process of practice is a means of fully perceiving the essence of life, and the value and significance of death. Third, death, like life, is a ge-wu [格物] doctrine to explore. After intense practice of the principle of life in everyday life, it would be possible to perceive the “no-disparity-in-birth-and-death” philosophy. Therefore, living everyday life faithfully results ultimately in dying well. Fourth, dying well does not originate from an emphasis on the fear of the phenomenon of death or the afterlife, but rather from deep reflection and practical completion in terms of humanity and values based on the condition of well-living and the value of commonality. Lastly, only when this philosophy is fully made aware of, will the fear derived from the gate of life and death be dispelled by itself as a reward in return.