This dissertation aims to illustrate the history that Wang Yang-Ming School in Yue-Zhong area gradually accepted and then absorbed Buddhist philosophy, thereby changing its religious attitude and practice. Historically, the tradition of Wang Yang-Ming School in Yue-Zhong area was first established by Wang Yang-Ming and his disciple Wang Ji, and then it was inherited and further elaborated by Zhou Ru-Deng, Tao Wang-Ling and Tao Shi-Ling. In order to avoid the misunderstanding resulted from the problematic arrangement that Zhou and Tao brothers were placed by Huang Zong-Xi in Tai-Zhou School of Ming Ru Xue An, this study attempts to clarify the historical context of the academia in Yue-Zhong area, in which Zhou and Tao brothers played a significant role. In addition, Yue-Zhong was an area where the revival of late Ming Buddhism took place, which facilitated frequent interactions between scholars of Wang Yang-Ming School and Buddhist monks and also the practice of both Confucianism and Buddhism at the same time. Philosophically, since Zhou and Tao brothers continued to elaborate the doctrine of neither good nor evil, the focus of Wang Yang-Ming School overlapped with Zen Buddhism’s, blurring the distinction between Confucianism and Buddhism. Eventually, the evolvement of Wang Yang-Ming philosophy, therefore, made Buddhist philosophy and practice an integral part of itself. The Tao brothers, leaders of discussion gatherings in Yue-Zhong and also devoted laymen of Buddhism, whose philosophy, Buddhist faith and academic community exemplified this trend, represented the majority of scholars in Yue-Zhong area. Out of these influential figures and their discourse on Buddhism, this study attempts to reveal the transformation of religious attitude of Wang Yang-Ming School, the inclination of cultural conservatism and the meaning of multi-religious participation.
