Abstract
As a significant scholar of the early Ming dynasty, Xue xuan（1389—1464） is the representative figure of the Chengzhu School and the initiator of the Hedong School. Although Xue xuan does not write many books, the efforts he makes on bridging the gap between Chengzhu School, emphasizing the mind-body experience and stressing the importance of implementing resolution and putting it into practice are what make him exceptional. These features can be seen in his cultivation theory. In this manner, this thesis focuses on Xue xuan’s cultivation theory, attempting to show its feature of emphasizing the actual practice and experience, meanwhile discussing how Xue himself possesses upright personality by fulfilling the practice of cultivation to present the influence and value of Xue’s theory. The second chapter concentrates on Xue xuan’s background. This chapter introduces the background of Xue’s life and organizes Xue’s the process of enshrining in the Confucius temple concerning worship. Xue’s enshrining issue has been discussed for hundreds of years. This thesis considers that Xue’s being enshrined in the Confucius temple does not only involve political factors, but Xue’s outstandingly upright personality. This is why Xue can carry out his belief of keeping one’s mind in “Zhujing”. The third chapter explores Xue xuan’s cultivation theory, generalizing his cultivation theory with the concept“Zhujing,” taking this as the basis and aiming to bring it to realization. This chapter especially indicates that the tacit intelligent correspondence and spiritual resonance is the most distinctive cultivation method in Xue’s theory. This method integrates both Zhujing and probing into principles methods. The tacit intelligent correspondence motivates the transmutation between mind and body, making spiritual resonance applicable by adding the time factor. Once spiritual resonance has been realized, one usually undergoes mystical experiences, and this is the main bridge between Xue’s cultivation theory and practice. Xue’stheory attempts to regain one’s human nature by applying the Zhujing method.Meanwhile, it also highlights the subjectivity of human beings which should take theinitiative in cultivation. The fourth chapter examines the influence of Xue xuan’s theory and takes later Hedong scholar Lu nan（1479－1542）, who tries to bridge the gap between Chengzhu School, as the study object. Lastly, this chapter will put the focus on Xue’s personality. This thesis considers that Xue xuan’s influence does not merely because of the emphasis on practice but his unique personality. Thus, this chapter divides people who is inferior to saints into two categories—the unrestrained and overcautious types. Xue belongs to the medium but a little overcautious type, and Yang ming belongs to the medium but a little unrestrained type of personality. In the mid and late Ming period, the Yangming School scholars mostly carry the unrestrained character and the Chengzhu School scholars carry the overcautious character.