A Collection of Wisdom
Chinese Philosophy

Li Chih

Li Chih (1527-1602) is among the most unique and innovative philosophers in Chinese history. Through he was initially trained in Confucianism and also studied a variety of other teachings, he eventually did not identify with any organized creed or school, and instead considered them detrimental to arriving at the truth oneself through authenticity, individual self-responsible thinking, and being uncompromising with one’s right principles.

Much of Li’s life was marked by broad study, writing, intellectual relationships, and other intellectual activities.

Though he could be quite friendly and good-natured, and though he was also somewhat of a hero worshiper who deeply revered certain scholars, Li lived most of his life as a semi-recluse, and for the most part was very critical of others and felt a deep revulsion towards people in general.

He regarded most people as severe hypocrites and worse than beasts, and considered most of the so-called Sages and worthies of his time to inwardly be not much more than mere merchants or even cheats.

He also hated his society’s system of mechanical learning aimed at passing tests and attaining credentials in order to obtain an official position.

In his later life, Li released two controversial books titled A Book to Be Burned (Fen-shu) and A Book to be Hidden Away (Ts’ang-shu), that among other things, expressed his unorthodox views regarding various subjects.

The latter book caused quite a stir, and not long after its release, a mob burned down his temple residence as a backlash to the book’s content that challgned or offended various authorities.

He spent a couple of years in refuge living at the homes of various friend, but was eventually arrested, charged with numerous offenses, and imprisoned in Peking.

After making a final protest in prison, Li committed suicide by slashing his throat.

As an independent thinker who favored independent thinking in others, Li intentionally left no disciples or organized school to carry on his teachings.

Li’s philosophy placed great value on sincerity—the natural expression of an individual’s inherent goodness. He felt that morality cannot actually be “taught,” but instead can only be developed personally by individuals; and that when studying the teachings of others, we must do so in a way that does not compromise our “childlike minds.”

Li was not against culture, and did not see art, artifice, and technology as necessarily lien to man.


Quotes

…The Sage is no different from others—it is only a case of not deceiving oneself. The Sages’ ordering of the state and pacifying the world are no different from this—it is merely a case of extending this “no self-deception.” Thus, having no self-deception is essential, and making the intention sincere is fundamental. (Ta Hsueh commentary)


What others consider right and wrong can never serve as a standard for me. (Fen-shu)


Once people’s minds have been given over to received opinions and moral principles, what they have to say is all about these things, and not what would naturally come from their childlike minds—and so no matter how clever the words, what have they to do with one’s self? What else can there be but phony people speaking phony words, doing phony things, and writing phony writings? And when the people become phonies, everything becomes phony. And then is someone speaks phony talk to the phonies, the phonies are pleased; if one does phony things like the phonies do, the phonies are pleased; and if one discourses with the phonies through phony writings, the phonies are pleased. Everything is phony, and everybody is pleased. (Fen-shu)


If I do not achieve anything for myself, how and when will tao be made manifest? (Tsang Shu)


Confucius, in teaching people, taught them only to [personally] seek jen . If they sought it and failed to achieve it, that was that—nothing more could be said. (Tsang shu)


Each human being T’ien gives birth to has his own individual function, and he does not need to learn this from Confucius. (Letter to Keng Ting-hsiang)


Following what is true of one’s own te nature, and then extending and expanding it to others, and sharing it with all under T’ien—this is what is called tao.