In this rare firsthand account of an individual's pursuit of
sagehood, the early Ming dynasty scholar and teacher Wu Yubi
chronicles his progress and his setbacks, as he strives to
integrate the Neo-Confucian practices of self-examination and
self-cultivation into everyday life. In more than three hundred
entries, spanning much of his adult life, Wu paints a vivid
picture, not only of the life of the mind, but also of the life of
a teacher of modest means, struggling to make ends meet in a rural
community. This volume features M. Theresa Kelleher's superb
translation of Wu's journal, along with translations of more than a
dozen letters from his personal correspondence. A general
Introduction discusses Neo-Confucianism and the Ming dynasty, and
includes biographical information that puts the main work in
context. A substantial commentary on the journal discusses the
obstacles and supports Wu encounters in pursuit of his goal, the
conflict between discipline and restraint of the self and the
nurturing and expanding of the self, Wu's successes and failures,
and Wu's role as a teacher. Also included are a map of the Ming
dynasty, a pronunciation guide, a chronology of Chinese dynasties,
a glossary of names, a glossary of book titles, and suggestions for
further reading.