Commonness Between Neo-Taoism by Wang Bi and the “One-World” Viewed from Wang Yangming’s Study of Conscience

According to Wang Bi’s Guiwu theory (the Importance of Void), wu is an ontological notion, and Guiwu finds its expression in propositions on the theoretical basis of wu. Guiwu ensures Quanyou (possessing all), which is in line with the contrast between Ti (ontology) and Yong (use) and helps to understand the limitless ontology via realistic use. Wang Yangming’s study of conscience centres on attaining conscience. Conscience means a priori endowment of human beings and attaining conscience is a process of human cultivation. Wang Yangming argues that the two parties are one and the same: the former shows up in the process of the latter. Wang Bi’s Neo Taoism and Wang Yangming’s study of conscience jointly embody the fundamental features of “One World” in Chinese philosophy.