Cheng Hao

Cheng Hao

 or Ch'eng Hao

(born 1032, Henan, China—died 1085, Henan) Chinese philosopher who, with his brother Cheng Yi, developed Neo-Confucianism into an organized philosophical school. Cheng Hao studied Buddhism, Daoism, and then Confucianism. He was dismissed from Chinese government service for opposing the reforms of Wang Anshi, and he joined his brother in Henan, where they gathered a circle of disciples. The brothers built their philosophies on the concept of li (basic truths), but Cheng Hao stressed calm introspection while Cheng Yi stressed investigation of the myriad things of the universe and participation in human affairs. Cheng Hao's idealism was continued by Lu Xiangshan and Wang Yangming.

---

Ch’eng Hao 

Born 1032; died 1085. Chinese philosopher; a founder of neo-Confucianism.

Ch’eng Hao, together with his brother Ch’eng I, developed one of the fundamental ideas of neo-Confucianism—the concept of li. Li is a universal law that is both singular and diverse; it is inherent in and governs all people, things, and phenomena. Li is self-evident and independent, and it can be neither increased, or strengthened, nor diminished, or weakened. Ch’eng Hao was greatly concerned with the idea of existence as a continual process of birth and rebirth; all things possess a “life-giving principle”—namely, jen, or “humaneness.” Jen eliminates the barriers between the self and all else, and it unites the heavens, earth, and man.

REFERENCES

See references under CHU HSI.