Chapter 99 theory

Ma Yifu believes: "Scholars of the country, the study of the six arts." The "six arts" here refers to poetry, books, rituals, music, books, spring and autumn, that is, the "six classics".But Ma Yifu prefers to use the name "Six Arts", because it not only rigidly refers to the six classics, but broadly refers to the six categories or six departments of cultural learning or education.He believes: "This (six arts) is the teaching of Confucius. It has been generally recognized in our country for more than 2,000 years. The origin of all academics comes from this, and the rest are branches of the six arts. Therefore, the six arts can be included in all schools, and all schools can't. It’s time to photograph the six arts.”

Ma Yifu also believes that the "Six Arts" can also govern all academics from the West.In short, "Natural sciences can be unified in Yi, social sciences (or humanities) can be unified in Spring and Autumn", "literature and art can be unified in poetry and music, and politics, law and economy can be unified in Shuli".From another perspective, Western academic culture is nothing more than the three values ​​of truth, goodness and beauty, which are also included in the six arts. "Poetry and books are the best, rituals and music are the most beautiful, and Yi Chunqiu is the most true." In a word, "The soul of all human beings can't be separated from the six arts; the life of all human beings can't be transformed from Six arts also".

Ma Yifu admired Chinese culture. He said: "Today's people abandon their own precious home and pick up other people's land as treasure, and consider themselves inferior and regard Westerners as sacred. Isn't it stupid and sad!" Ma Yifu said repeatedly: "All Taoism is governed by the six arts, and the six arts are actually governed by one mind, which is the great use of one mind." He also said: "Everything in the world cannot be separated from the six arts, and the way of the six arts cannot be separated from itself. "Heart", "The foundation of the six arts is the meaning and principle of our own mind".Therefore, in terms of culture and academics, if "you don't know the principle of seeking your own mind, you will have nowhere to start."

Ma Yifu believes that as long as "the world is not destroyed for a day, the heart is not destroyed for a day, and the way of the six arts is also inexhaustible. If human beings want to pull out the dark and go to the bright road, there is no reason to do so."He even said: "The life of a country is actually tied to culture, and the root of culture is thought." Ma Yifu highly praised Yishu.In his opinion, the great meaning of a book is "nowhere to go but the essence of the six arts".He said: "There are three major questions: one asks about benevolence, one asks about government, and the other asks about filial piety. Those who answer questions about benevolence are all poems and doctrines; those who answer questions about politics are all books of doctrine; those who answer questions about filial piety are all about rites, music and righteousness. and also".And "Easy is the source of ritual and music, and it is easy to talk about ritual and music"; "Spring and Autumn is used for poetry and books, and spring and autumn are in it when talking about poetry and books."In addition, he cited the chapter "Heard the Tao in the morning, and you can die in the evening" as "the reason for Ming's life and death"; It is not easy to see in the middle"; the chapter "Yuyu Wuyan" is "the dominant body is silent but the spirit is endless", etc., which is "the great meaning of easy teaching". "Rectification of names" is the key to "great use in the Spring and Autumn Period".

Ma Yifu said: "The purpose of the six arts is scattered, but always in the "Book of Filial Piety." Therefore, he also highly respects the book "Book of Filial Piety".He believes that "the six arts are all written by moral education, and the "Book of Filial Piety" is actually the foundation; the six arts are all explicit books, and the "Book of Filial Piety" specifically expresses their essentials. Therefore, it is said that one word can explain the nature and virtue. Wholeness is called benevolence, and those who can practice the way of benevolence in a word are called filial piety. This is why it is the foundation of the six arts, and it is also the general assembly of the six arts.”

Ma Yifu believes that the heart and thought are the foundation of all cultural studies, "If you don't know how to seek the meaning of your own heart, you will have nowhere to start."Therefore, he repeatedly emphasized that the fundamental spirit of Chinese culture lies in "inventing the meaning of one's own mind", and said: "It must be known that there are many religions, each with its own differences, and the essence of language is the one mind. From the sages above, only It means that all the way back to myself is the true blood." Ma Yifu not only advocated breaking the sect views of King Cheng Zhulu, but also advocated breaking Confucianism, Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Taoism, and various school disputes within Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.He believes that "the dispute of the last stream has no interference with those who came out of it."The reason why some people pay so much attention to the disputes between factions and sects is because of their own "failure to pass through the situation".His integration of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism can be said to have reached the state of "harmony without hindrance".He can "take Lao, Zhuang, and Buddhist scriptures at will to expound the purpose of Confucianism, not only does not fall into far-fetched conclusions, but also can strictly judge the truth and metaphysics, so that he will not wander and have no home."

Ma Yifu's educational purpose is "rejuvenation". "Rejuvenation" was put forward by Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty as a theory of self-cultivation.Ma Yifu inherited this idea and promoted it to the purpose of education. He also named the academy he founded—Fuxing Academy after "recovery", which shows the importance of "recovery". Ma Yifu believes that to save Confucian morality and people's hearts, and save the country, as a Confucian student, only by studying Confucianism, explaining and promoting Confucianism can be achieved. At the end of 1905, after Ma Yifu returned to Hangzhou from Zhenjiang, he talked about this grand vow in a letter to his uncle, Mr. He Zhiyi: "The king's traces are striding forward, and the nine continents are surrounded by clouds. The deer compete, and the head of Guizhou is sad. Will Desire to make a graceful decision and pursue righteousness, but tigers and wolves are in the West, foxes and mice are driven out in the Central Plains, and their achievements are as high as Mount Tai, and the country is as important as Jiuding. I am not sensitive, I have aspirations for the two sects. I want to write the academic schools since the Qin and Han Dynasties for Confucianism. To curb the rise and fall of literature and art for Wenzong Jixi painting. I will gather all the streams and bring out the confusion. The chief tortoise, Zhensi Dao in Lingyi, continued to endanger the future. The system was created at the beginning, and the chapters were not completed, and it was compiled with great efforts, and the first period was set. It was stored in iron letters and hidden in various stone boxes. It was also abandoned by Gan Qiaosu. I dare not hope that the country's gate will hang its ears."

Ma Yifu attaches great importance to the method of reading, and his "Reading Method" is an important part of his educational thought.When Ma Yifu gave a lecture at Fuxing Academy, he specially gave a lecture on "Reading Method".In "Reading Method", he not only expounded the Neo-Confucian thought of studying things to learn knowledge, but also focused on discussing and summarizing the methods and experience of reading.Ma Yifu believes that when reading, you must first adjust your mind, that is, you must be at ease and concentrate.He said: "If you want to study, you must first adjust your mind. With a calm mind, it is easy to comprehend. If you read with a relaxed mind, you will not be able to enter if you study with a lot of energy and little effort. If you study with a calm mind, you will get twice the result with half the effort. Words and words are lost to their own nature. Then after reading a book, there is a book for its own use, not just reading it in general." Ma Yifu not only talked about the need to adjust the mind when reading, but also repeatedly talked about the need to be poor when reading. Reasonable and poor reasoning must be done with effort.He said: "Learning must be funded by reading, but reading is not enough for learning. Learning has the knowledge of hearing and seeing and the knowledge of virtue. The knowledge of hearing and seeing is also different from shallow to deep, small and big, and evil. Neither is true knowledge. Only the knowledge of virtue is true knowledge.”

Ma Yifu believes that the way of reading should be worked hard from four aspects: first, clear but not incomplete; second, refined but not miscellaneous; third, dense but not annoying;He said: "Through, the song is smooth and bypasses without the view of the sect. The fine, the secluded emblem and the hole are clear without the outline of the words. The dense, the order is rigorous and there is no carelessness, and the interest is clear without the loss of overflow. No bureaucracy, no miscellaneous, know the category. Not annoying, not solid, know the essentials. For those who are similar, distinguish their genres, and the things of broad knowledge. Here it goes."