In 1512, Master Yangming traveled by boat with his student Xu Ai.
Their conversations during that journey became the foundation of the School of Mind —
"the mind is principle" and "knowledge and action are one" have illuminated five centuries.
About Chuanxi Lu
The Chuanxi Lu (传习录, "Record of Practice") is a collection of dialogues and letters by Wang Shouren (王守仁, known as Wang Yangming, 1472–1529), one of the most influential Confucian thinkers in Chinese history. The title comes from the Analerta: "What is transmitted, is it not to be practiced?"
The book is divided into three volumes. Volume I (Xu Ai's Record) centers on the Great Learning and is the gateway to understanding the School of Mind. Volume II consists of letters expounding "extending innate knowledge." Volume III deepens the mature teachings through Q&A.
The 14 dialogues of Xu Ai's Record, conducted during a boat journey in 1512, systematically present the core propositions: "the mind is principle," "knowledge and action are one," and the reinterpretation of key concepts from the Great Learning.
Core Concepts
Six foundational propositions that run through Xu Ai's Record
Chapter Index
Dialogues between Wang Yangming and Xu Ai during their boat journey in 1512, systematically presenting the foundations of the School of Mind.
Lu Cheng's Record
Following Xu Ai's Record, covering study methods, establishing aspiration, unity of knowledge and action, and cultivation in stillness and activity.