Wang Yangming

Wang Yangming was born into a scholar-official family in Yuyao, Zhejiang, during the Ming dynasty.

After earlier failures, Wang passed the highest level of the imperial civil service examinations, beginning his official career.

Wang was flogged at court and banished to remote Longchang in Guizhou after defending officials persecuted by the powerful eunuch Liu Jin.

While in exile in Guizhou, Wang experienced a sudden philosophical awakening, concluding that principle is complete within the mind rather than in external things.

Appointed to govern turbulent border regions of Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong, Wang led successful military campaigns against entrenched bandit groups.

Wang rapidly raised forces and crushed the rebellion of Zhu Chenhao, Prince of Ning, capturing the prince and ending the uprising in weeks.

In his later years Wang attracted many disciples and systematized his teachings on innate knowledge (liangzhi) and the unity of knowing and acting, recorded in the Chuanxilu (Instructions for Practical Living).

Despite failing health, Wang was recalled to suppress uprisings in Guangxi, which he pacified largely through negotiation and limited military action.

Wang Yangming died of illness on his journey home from the Guangxi campaign; his reported last words were that his heart was luminous and nothing more needed to be said.