Abstract

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Title:: Guilt and Compensation：A Psychological Analysis of Gu Xianchengin Dilemma

Keywords:: Gu Xiancheng; Donglin Faction; monarch-subject relationship; thoughts on monarchism

Abstract:: Imperial autocracy reached its peak in the late Ming Dynasty，while the awareness of the publicstarted to grow. In such a context，Gu Xiancheng，as a representative of the literati，officials and commonlandlords in cities and countryside，was inextricably in conflict with the private will of the monarch in interestsand values. Taking gathering talents as his responsibility，he reinterpreted the essence of monarch-courtierrelationship and queried the authority and sacredness of the monarch，thus damaging the intellectuals’ loyaltyto the monarch which was regarded as an intrinsic value of Confucianism. Realizing his lack of loyalty，hehad his thoughts and behaviors on his conscience，and thus expressed his loyalty to the monarch excessivelyand emotionally. However，this excessive expression was by no means out of his real state of mind，but outof compensation for his guilt and alleviation of his mental crisis. It was in such a contradiction between hisresponsibility as an intellectual and his loyalty to the monarch that Gu Xiancheng unnaturally set out his courseof ideological emancipation featuring querying and even doubting the natural legitimacy of monarchicalpower.