Abstract
This paper suggests that the two main types of recent Confucian theories are ”substance-function theory” (tiyong fun) and ”antithesis theory” (xiangou shou). Neo-Confucianism's philosophy could be called ”substance-function theory,” which could be used in the contexts of ontology and ”mind-nature theory” (xinxing lun). The worldview of this mode of thinking was vertical, which means the entire world is the embodiment of Tao. This worldview was the most important concept that Neo-Confucianism used to confront Buddhism. However, to carry out this theory, the subject needed a long-term process of cultivating the mind. Therefore, Xin Xue (study of heart and mind) often used ontology-cultivation theory (henti gongfu fun) to replace ”substance-function theory.” The Anti-Neo-Confucians thought that ”substance-function theory” was a mode of interpretation influenced by Buddhism and Taoism. Instead, ”antithesis theory” could represent the philosophy of Anti-Neo-Confucianism.The word ”antithesis” (xiangau) originated from a common saying during the Han dynasty: ”xiangren au”. Ruan Yuan and Ting Chashan expanded its meaning. The ”antithesis theory” was basically a social philosophy which put more emphasis on ethics. According to this theory, true morality is defined as a reasonable relationship between two individuals, and ”Ren” (benevolence) was defined as an inter-subjectively ethical relationship, rather than vital force, compassion, or philanthropy. However, ”antithesis theory” did not reject the concept of ”qihua” (qi transformation) and because it accepted the idea of body-spirit structure, it was a social-ethical philosophy in the tradition of ”qihua.” It objected to the vertical integral relationship, but did not object the horizontal antithetic relationship. Its subtype was the ”theory of etiquette” (liyi lun), because it assumed that reasonable relationships between people were determined by social traditions and customs. The ”theory of etiquette” stressed the significance of ”decorum” (li) in a society, and it contained two dimensions: ”role theory ”and ”the discipline of roles”. The Anti-Neo-Confucians believed that ”man-in-the-social-structure” (i.e., playing their role in the Five Cardinal Relationships) was the essence of Confucian philosophy. Carrying out the ”theory of etiquette” means that the subject interacts with others within a society. The subject therefore becomes a socialized one. These kinds of interactions within a society would lead to a consensus on definition of proper moral behavior. The universality of morality is thus the sociality of morality.