PhD Dissertation: Wu Yubi 吳與弼

Not Wu Yubi, but apparently his most famous student, Chen Xianzhang

Kelleher, M. Theresa. Personal Reflections on the Pursuit of Sagehood: The Life and Journal (Jih-Lu) of Wu Yü-Pi (1392-1469), 1986. PhD Thesis, Columbia University 1982. (advisor: Wm. Theodore deBary; note that Kelleher was introduced to Wu Yubi by Wu Pei-yi and also was the niece of Thomas Berry, an interesting American priest/environmentalist that I had not heard of. )

This dissertation offers a structure that I could choose for my own work: a critical biography focusing on the author's autobiographical writing, an analysis of the author as an important "exemplary personality or model" (cf. my chosen term "cultural icon"), and, finally, original translation. I'm particularly intrigued by the thought of putting a special section of original translation into my dissertation.


Above, Chen Xianzhang's former home in Guangzhong (at least according to Wikipedia)

Notes from an initial inspection of this 450-page dissertation:

Even though Wu lived apart from the main centers of cultural and political activity, he nonetheless attracted a large following of students, including three of the leading Neo-Confucian's of the next generation: Lou Liang (1422-1491), Chen Xianzhang (1428-1500) and Hu Juren (1434-1484).

Huang Zongxi (1610-1695) placed Wu at the head of his Ming ru xue an (Case Studies of Ming Confucians), declaring, "Just as the Imperial Chariot had its origins in the oxcart and thick ice is comprised of an accumulation of water, so Ming thought could not have flourished without Wu Yubi"

What emerges from the...Journal is the picture of a ...personality with a lifestyle more devotional, confessional, and nature-oriented than we usually associate with Neo-Confucians.

...the Chinese have always had a special appreciation for the power of exemplary personalities to form and transform by their presence all that they come into contact with.

Chapter 1 contains protraits of Ming emperors Taizu and Yongle emphasizing that Taizu made positions at court "precarious" and that the Yongle emperor helped continue the expansion of religion in the lives of all Chinese.

Taizu's legacy of the precarious nature of service at court no doubt constituted one of the factors of Wu's choice of life away from the center of political power. But so too, Taizu's legacy of attention to the religious sphere is also a factor in understanding Wu.

The remainder of the chapter discusses major intellectual figures of the 15th century -- a much understudied century. Figures include: Liu Ji, Song Lian, Wang Wei, Fang Xiaoru. These and other intellectuals of the early Ming have gotten a bit of a bum rap according to Kelleher, who cites literature to this effect. She presents the revisionist view, already established by Wing-tsit Chan, Qian Mu, and others, that Chinese intellectual figures of Wu Yubi's generation were re-thinking the Song Neo-Confucian "concern for achieving the authentic, pristine state of the self."

Chapter 2 is a biography of Wu Yubi.

Chapter 3 is all about Wu Yubi's Journal (ri lu 日錄); chapter 4 continues the discussion with sections on "Wu's Program of Self-cultivation," and "Success or Failure in the Pursuit of Sagehood."

Chapter 5 is called "Wu Yubi as Moral Teacher: His Relationships with Students," which looks particularly at letters he wrote to people like Sun Yuerang, Lou Liang, Hu Jiushao, Xie Pan on matters of books, reading habits, study skills, tips on interpretation, friendship, philosophy of education, and habits of labor and leisure. Kelleher profiles students Hu Jiushao, Lou Liang, Chen Xianzhang, Hu Juren, and Rong Zhaozu. To conclude, there are some brief comments about why none of these figures was well-liked during the Qing.

Wu's Journal is translated in 90 pages of text that follows the five chapters. There are 328 short entries carrying dates from 1425 to 1468. I'm strongly considering giving this entire section as an assignment to my class.

A second group of translations contains letters, a few short essays and one colophon. A final section contains mimeographed copies of all Chinese texts. This is quite a convenient feature!