A study on the orthodoxication of the Neo confucianism in Southern Song Dynasty

The thriving of Buddism and Taoism since Sui and Tang Dynasty furiously challenged the traditional Confucianism.In Song Dynasty,the confucianists,including Zhou Dunyi,Cheng Hao,Cheng Yi(the two Chengs)and Zhu Xi,regarded the vindication of the orthodox status of Confucianism as their resposibility and created a new Confucianism system the neo confucianism through obsorbing the quintessence of Buddism and Taoism.The ideas ZHENGXINCHENGYI (uprightness and sincerity).CUNTIANLI,MIEREN YU(keep the essence of the universe,limit the man's worldly desires)advocated by the new confucianists,suited to the ruling class,played a somewhat positive role in that time.The new confucianists,who wrote books and instructed disciples,pleaded the people,exerted a widespread influence on the society.Propelled by the high officials like Zhen Dexiu and Wei Liaowong,the New Confucianism was eventually fixed as orthodoxy by the emperor,thus became the critical contents of goverment-operated ideology.