This article studies the thought of Lu Nan(1479-1542), a famous Neo-Confucian scholar listed in the “Ho-dong Xuean” of Huang Zongxi’s Mingru Xuean. This article includes two parts. The first part is a detailed analysis of his Neo-Confucian concepts in order to see that, although Lu Nan was classified as a member of the Ch’eng-Zhu School, he was different from them in his putting more emphasis on practice. The second part points out that Lu Nan, who preferred moral practice to metaphysical speculation, not only evaluated Neo-Confucianists from their exposition of the Confucian Classics, but also elevated the place of Han Confucianists who achieved practically in moral and political spheres. Besides daily practice, Lu Nan had deep concern in political practice, for a better understanding of which he propounded the study of Classics and Histories from the practical point of view. Lu Nan’ scholarship, therefore, are distinct from Neo-Confucianism.

Key words: Lu Nan, Neo-Confucianism, Confucian classics, histories, practical study

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