Chih chih
Chih chih
Extension of knowledge or achieving true knowledge through the investigation of things (ko wu) and understanding their Reason (li) to the utmost, not necessarily by investigating all things in the world, but by thoroughly investigating one thing and then more if necessary, so that the Reason in that thing, and thereby Reason in general, is understood. In Wang Yang-ming (1473-1529), it means “extension to the utmost of the mind’s intuitive knowledge of good — the knowledge of good which Mencius calls the good-evil mind and which all people have.” (Neo-Confucianism). — W.T.C.