"Gongshang jieben" and the Breakthrough in Confucian Economic Philosophy of Late Ming Dynasty——An interpretation of the Modern Implications of Huang Zongxi's Economic Ideas

Huang Zongxi's economic ideas marked a breakthrough in late Ming Confucian economic philosophy.They can be explained in three ways.Firstly,he spelled out the theory of gongshang jieben(both industry and commerce are fundamental to the governing of the state),affirming that industry and commerce,together with agriculture,should philosophically belong to the fundamental being in a future ideal society.Secondly,he and his contemporaries proposed the concept of currency,which indicates the economics of money for setting up a universal currency or equivalent.Third,he put forward the idea of reforming the official system and protecting affluent people,which implies his suspicion about the legal status of the traditional state right.What his economic ideas value most is an increase in national wealth rather than an increase of a country's financial revenue.This reflects his longing for a new society.