在明代理學中,羅欽順是一個頗為複雜的人物,他與理學、心學和氣學都有較深的瓜葛,但又是三方都難以完全認可的人物。本文通過對羅欽順在理氣、心性與儒佛之中具體主張的分析,揭示出其對理學的繼承與轉向、對心學的抗辨與糾偏以及對氣學之開規模、定網維的作用,廾以此對其在明代理學中的地位與影響作了初步的衡定。
Luo Qin-shuen was known as the ”successor of Neo-Confucianism” in the middle of the Ming Dyansty, claiming his ideas of Li and Qi an inheritance from Cheng Yi's ' Cheng Hao and Ju Xi. Actually Luo refers to Q as the essential being of the universe. The universe is nothing but the gatherings and breakings of Qi, while li is the law of the working of Qi. Therefore Qi and Li are one and the same. Li is the law of Chi and supposedly represents the order of the universe. The various expressions of the creations (which is called the law of ”differentiation”) have some consistent moral potential in common, which would possibly cause trigger the communication between Heaven and Man as well as the achievement of holiness and sageness. Though founded on Qi and the oneness of Li and Qi, Luo's Qin-shuen's interest in Li shows that he is deeply informed by Ju Xi. .