Shaping and Significance of the Metaphysical Ontological Consciousness of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and the Ming Dynasty

In history of Confucian development,Neo-Confucianism remains highly noted for its metaphysical ontological consciousness. However,this metaphysical ontological consciousness went through a long-term process before it was established. In this process of shaping,Confucian metaphysical ontological consciousness drew its practical resources from such sources as Buddhist spirit of transcendence pursuit,Taoist wisdom of reverse exploration of origin and Confucian concern of human relations of creating a peaceful society for later generations. And those doctrines that indicated preliminary establishment of Confucian metaphysical ontological consciousness included Shao Yong's math-reasoning view history,Zhou Dunyi's generative theory of universe and Zhang Zai's The universe is air. Finally,the moral ontology of prescriptive Confucianism was introduced by Cheng Jing and Cheng Yi labeled as heavenly principlesand the character is principle,which indicated an organic combination of three above-mentioned sources. Since then,Confucian metaphysical ontological consciousness gained its theoretical basis against Buddhism and Taoism and never-exhausting internal dynamo for nearly a millennium of endurance through history.