2 The Chinese Idea of Settling Oneself and Establishing One’s Destiny

Abstract

When Confucius says, Without understanding destiny, one has no way to be a cultivated person, ming still means one's destiny or lot in life. Zhang's a life ( ming ) is different from Mencius' a destiny ( ming ), for aside from referring to one's lot in life and destiny, it also refers to life and the normal mode and manner of living. For the people to have a decent life therein does not mean not being subject to destiny and to birth and death, for there are still problems such as longevity and wealth and so on, which is to say, the limits imposed by destiny. Wang Fuzhi raised these three points about Chinese history and also Chinese culture of dynastic change, and of being prime minister. Zhang Zai's dictum about carrying on discontinued learning for the past sages is about the inner aspect of settling oneself and establishing one's destiny. Keywords: Chinese culture; death; destiny; life; ming