Discussion on ZHU Danxi's Ministerial Fire Theory Based on the Theory of Cultivating Moral Nature and Controling Emotion with Moral Consciousness of Neo-Confucianism
10.16466/j.issn1005-5509.2025.06.006
- VernacularTitle:基于理学"心统性情"说的朱丹溪"相火论"新探
- Author:
Chao CHEN
1
;
Guangxing XU
Author Information
1. 浙江中医药大学基础医学院 杭州 310053
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
ministerial fire theory;
cultivating moral nature and controling emotion with moral consciousness;
ZHU Danxi;
invoking Neo-Confucianism to guide medicine;
Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism;
Medicine in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties;
philosophy of medicine;
Zhejiang s
- From:
Journal of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
2025;49(6):706-713
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
[Objective]To re-examine ZHU Danxi's"Theory of Ministerial Fire"under the influence of the Neo-Confucian doctrine of"cultivating moral nature and controling emotion wth moral consciousness",tracing its philosophical origins,revealing its philosophical connotations,clarifying its philosophical value,and guiding its medical applications.The aim is to refine the theoretical research on the Theory of Ministerial Fire and enhance its clinical utility.[Methods]Based on ZHU Danxi's medical works such as Gezhi Yulun(Supplemental Treatise on Extending Knowledge Through Scrutiny of Principles)and Jufang Fahui(Elucidation of the Formulas of the Imperial Pharmacy Bureau),supplemented by medical theories from Huangdi Neijing(The Inner Canon),LIU Wansu,and others,as well as Neo-Confucian writings by ZHOU Dunyi,ZHU Xi,and others,this study employs methodologies from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Chinese philosophy,including literature review and comparative analysis.It explores key questions such as the origin of ministerial fire in the human body,what governs it,and how it is regulated.[Results]The philosophical foundation of ZHU Danxi's"Theory of Ministerial Fire"lies in his intellectual lineage from the"Beishan school"and his inheritance of"CHENG-ZHU Neo-Confucianism".Among these influences,ZHU Xi's doctrine of"cultivating moral nature and controling emotion wth moral conscious-ness"had a particularly profound impact on Danxi's theory.This doctrine posits that human consciousness and perception("the mind")can cultivate moral essence("nature")and regulate emotional-desire activities("emotions").The philosophical connotation of Danxi's"Theory of Ministerial Fire"is that"ministerial fire"arises from desire-driven"emotions"but is rooted in moral"nature".The sovereign fire represents the conscious"mind",which governs ministerial fire.Danxi advocates using Neo-Confucian moral cultivation methods such as"tranquility and desirelessness"and"letting the moral mind prevail"to restrain the"reckless movement"of ministerial fire while maintaining its"constant motion".The philosophical value of Danxi's theory lies in its embodiment of the Zhejiang academic tradition of"practical statecraft",its reflection of the Yuan Dynasty's intellectual trend of"harmonizing ZHU Xi and LU Xiangshan's philosophies",and its influence on later medical developments that"invoking Neo-Confucianism to guide medicine".In medical practice,to sustain the"constant motion"of ministerial fire and ensure health,Danxi emphasizes both moral cultivation and the use of herbal formulas,such as Dabuyin Piu(Great Yin Supplementation Pill)to nourish Yin and suppress fire.This approach earned him recognition as the founder of the"Nourishing Yin school".[Conclusion]The"Theory of Ministerial Fire"is a core medical theory of ZHU Danxi shaped by Song-Yuan Neo-Confucianism and a key representative of the"invocation of Neo-Confucianism to guide medicine"during the Jin-Yuan period,remaining relevant to modern medical practice.Rich in philosophical depth,the theory's essence lies in unifying"moral cultivation"and"health preservation",asserting that nurturing virtue is synonymous with preserving life.This not only infuses ZHU Xi's doctrine of"cultivating moral nature and controling emotion wth moral consciousness"with tangible medical significance,guiding clinical practice,but also constructs a metaphysical philosophical framework for Danxi's theory,illuminating its Neo-Confucian brilliance.
