Quiet-Sitting Meditation: A Philosophical Practice in Cheng-Zhu Learning of Pattern-Principle

Confucian philosophers within the lineage of pattern-principle learning perceived quiet-sitting meditation as a pivotal philosophical exercise in the broader pursuit of self-cultivation. Cheng Yi considered quiet-sitting among various contemplative practices that fostered reverence, a virtue crucial for discerning and engaging with the pattern-principles inherent in the world. Yang Shi underscored quiet-sitting as a foundational and primary step in self-cultivation, attributing significant philosophical importance to this practice. Zhu Xi aimed to amalgamate the perspectives of Cheng and Yang, elucidating his understanding of quiet-sitting through three stages of his philosophical journey: initially dismissing its significance, later valuing it as the fundamental practice of reverence, and eventually regarding it on par with other contemplative practices, reverting to Cheng Yi’s stance. As the practice and its broader implications were deeply intertwined with ongoing intellectual dialogues concerning virtuous human existence within the pattern-principle tradition, the act of Confucian quiet-sitting inherently embodies philosophical dimensions.