Throughout his life, the character Li Ao (áo) has been "diligent in Confucianism, learning from the past and learning from the present" since childhood, and pays attention to temperament when writing articles. At the age of 25, I met Han Yu in Bianzhou. From then on, I followed Han Yu, studied hard, learned a lot, and married Han Yu's niece. He and Han Yu often get together, talking about literary theory, writing ancient prose, defending Confucianism and Taoism, opposing Buddhism and Taoism, expressing literary opinions and actively advocating the ancient prose movement. In the 14th year of Zhenyuan in Dezong (798), Li Ao was the first scholar and became a teacher. Then he moved to Beijing to recruit and join the army. In the early years of Xian Zongyuan, he was transferred to the History Museum where Dr. Guo Zi and his editor worked. Advocating that "it is easy to see virtue if you have a point and virtue"; Then put forward the view that "later generations can be mistaken" In the fifteenth year of Yuanhe (820), Li Ao was appointed as the foreign minister of Kao Gong and concurrently served as the minister of history. Su Wen of the Biography of Ren Xian in Wuzhong compiled and described Li Ao's character honestly and frankly, and there was no taboo in his discussion. Although dignitaries attach importance to their studies, they "hate their provocation", so Li Jingjian, an ancient official, once promoted Ao from generation to generation. Later, because of Li Jingjian's demotion, Li Ao fell to the secretariat of Ren Lang. After Li Jingjian was reinstated, he was called Doctor Li. The ambition of reviving Chaogang could not be realized, and he had nowhere to vent his anger, so he went to see Prime Minister Li, accused him of his mistakes face to face, and offered to let him return to his hometown. Li Jifeng finally didn't care about Li Ao's words and deeds, but also made Luzhou secretariat for Li Ao.

After Li Ao arrived in Luzhou, the drought was severe, and the number of refugees reached 10,000. Officials and historians snapped up farmland houses in large quantities and made huge profits. Families that have lost everything will still pay taxes as usual. Li Ao ordered the "lease of land" and must not conceal it. Collect more than 10 thousand yuan from big families and giants to let the poor live a stable life. In the early years of Daiwa in Tang Wenzong, Li Ao entered the DPRK as an admonition officer and imperial edict. In three years (829), he changed to a Chinese book. Soon, he became the secretariat of Zhengzhou. Later, he served as Guizhou secretariat, imperial advisor, Guangxi Guandu defense envoy, Tanzhou secretariat and Hunan observation history. In the eighth year of Yamato (834), he was recruited as an assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, and later transferred to the Ministry of Finance as an assistant minister, checking the ministers of various counties in the Ministry of Finance, being the secretariat of Xiangzhou and our envoy of Shannan East Road. Tang Wuzong died in the first year of Huichang (84 1). History is Wen, and history is called Li Wengong. Li Ao is a student of Han Yu, so his literary thoughts are deeply influenced by Han Yu. He actively assisted Han Yu in promoting the ancient prose movement. He advocates that the essence, reason and prose of the article should be paid equal attention to, and "literature carries Tao" is the core of his literary theme. His article is as famous as Han Yu. He is the author of 104 Li Wengong's Collected Works.

The main achievement book "Buddhist Zhai Lun"

So Wenxian asked Yang to join the army as Jingzhao House, and he was instructed by his uncle Stuart to compile a collection of funeral documents. One of them, Yun Qi Qi Zhai, sent the clothes of the deceased to the Buddhist temple to apply for happiness on this day. With Yang's "funeral instrument", everything else came out. If possible, it will only hurt the ceremony, so if you say it, you will save the rest.

The influence of Buddhism has been in China for more than 600 years. It began in the Han Dynasty and was immersed in the Wei, Jin and Song Dynasties, while orchids spread after Liang Xiao's family. After the cover of the late Han Dynasty, the art of Yi Di was applied in China, so the ceremony of good or ill luck was chaotic and there was little military salute. Besides, Yang's "funeral ceremony" was not corrupted by the ceremony. A scholar-bureaucrat dressed in clothes is no different from Wei Xiang. Who wants to rectify with the ceremony? Is it appropriate for the owners' meeting to save it, not to be embarrassed by the discussion of the owners' meeting, and to feel at ease? If you are afraid of the wrath of the vulgar, then Yang Zhiyi, according to ancient times, is against the vulgar. Needless to say, it is still acceptable. I said I would study and give up the way of being a saint, and it will be endless in the future. What the Buddhists said was elaborated by Lieyukou and Zhuang Zhou, and the rest is the way to honor the emperor. If the Buddha had been born in China, his behavior would have been different, so the people of China were driven to hold his art. Monarch, father and son, husband and wife, brothers and friends, do something in life, and return home when they die. They have a proper lifestyle and moderate expenses. As for Zhong Ni of Fuxi, although they have been saints for hundreds of generations, they cannot be reformed. Therefore, those who can make the world harmless, this sage's way, the so-called monarch, minister, father and son, husband and wife, brother and friend, is also called moral benevolence and righteousness, but it is just insufficient. Let the people of the world do their best to cultivate their morality and poison their country. After the age of 60 or 70, even those who have enjoyed a hundred years of happiness will do their best. The sky is above and the earth is below. Born in it, because animals, birds, fish turtles, snake dragons and the like have stopped, and the situation will not let them do so. Being a husband who can't let the world follow his example is not the way of a saint. Therefore, his disciples are not silkworms, but clothes, food, not being prepared for danger in times of peace, but serving things to support themselves. As for millions of people. It is inferred that people who are hungry and cold know who they are. Therefore, buildings, temples, palaces and pavilions are decorated with civil bronze and iron in shape, and beloved men and women live there. Although rooms, elephant corridors, palaces, Lutai, zhanghua and Afang Foga are all occupied, isn't it beyond the financial resources of the people? In the past, I used to control water and harm people, but I didn't enter the gate three times. He dug nine rivers with his hands full, relieved Luo, guided Han Ru, and decided to enter the Huai River and the sea. Man's blessing is the dragon's food, and Yu Shi created it. Virtue is a saint, a disaster and a son of heaven. It is said that "Filipino diet, rotten clothes, humble palace, earth steps are three feet high", which is different from this. Obviously the biggest one. In detail, can it be worse? Therefore, those who are confused are addicted to their teaching, and those who are excluded do not know their hearts. Although they can tell the difference, enough is enough, but they can't convince others without argument, so they carry forward their skills. There was a man who believed what I said and seduced him. His gentleman can convince him, his villain can ban him, and his vulgarization is difficult. But if you don't know his heart, the harmless person is a gentleman, and if you indulge in his teachings, it will be a great disaster to turn the summer into a barbarian wind. Fortunately, it's not for Rong. Xi Shiben lobbied the pair: "Please attack the bed." The son lobbied: "Promise." Hearing this, the county magistrate said, "Let's get rid of this uncle and treat people with courtesy." People have an attack in bed. Don't be rude. What's more, you want to spread it to the future? The record of coming to the south

In October of the third year of Yuanhe, Ao was appointed to the Lingnan Shangshu Gong. In the first month of the fourth year, ugly, self-skilled, with his wife aboard. At the end of B, go to Du Dong and North Korea will return it. Shi Junchuan sent a fake ship. Tomorrow, therefore, Luodong will carve clothes in Dongye, and then Dongye will go. Because of his wife's illness, Xunchuan returned to Cao Kou first. At dusk, he arrived at Jingyunshan Mansion, Jiechao, boarded the party, looked at Songshan Mountain in the south, wrote his name and recorded his farewell. Eat, Han, Meng don't go west.

Return. 1898 One hundred days, caught a cold, drank onion wine to relieve symptoms, and stayed in Gonggong at dusk. Gengzi, out of Luo, went down the river and stopped at the mouth of Bianliang River, then flooded and pushed the river. Xin Chou and He Yin. Second, the second Bianzhou. If the illness gets worse, call the doctor to feel the pulse and make people enter Shandong. In February, Ding did not return, leaving Chen to go to Wu Shen. Zhuang people are from Shandong again. Su Yongqiu. Yiyou, the second Song State. Get sick gradually. Lunzi, go to Yongcheng. Jiayin, Zhikou. Chen Bing, in Sizhou, saw a fake ship in the secretariat and turned to the Huaihe River, such as Yangzhou. Gengshen, Bian Xia Canal, Huaihe River, sailing. Look, it's Xinpu who goes with the wind, it's dark and the waves are exciting. Ren Xu, to Chuzhou. Ding Mao arrived in Yangzhou. Chen Wu, a floating picture of the spiritual upper habitat. Xin Wei, Ji Dajiang, to Runzhou. From Chen Wu to Changzhou. At noon, go to Suzhou. At the end of the year, it is like a mountain of tiger hills, leaning on a thousand stones, looking at the sword pool and the Suhai Tower, and looking at the bricks and stones. Enjoy the tour, the water is dry, and the boat is impassable; Without horses, there would be no fruit. Yiyou, help Songjiang. Ding Hai, the official boat gorge, drowned and lost. Wu Zi, go to Hangzhou. It's already ugly, such as the mountain of Wulin (Lingyin Tianzhu Temple), facing the curved waves, watching the wheels, climbing the stone bridge and staying in the high pavilion. In the morning, we will visit Wang Zi Lake, Gushan Mountain, Jiang Tao, and Qiongzhu Road, and go to the new museum, overlooking the peaks in Zhouhe, listening to Songfengtai, singing the ape forever in Lingshan, and learning anti-tongue sounds in Shan Tong. I have sailed across the Taojiang River, and I have sailed against the waves to Fuchun. Shen Bing, Qilitan, to Zhou Mu. Gengzi, go to Yingchuan Pavilion. Xin Chou arrived in Quzhou, stopped with his wife's illness, and lived in Linjiang Pavilion of Kaiyuan Temple.

In the last three months, Ding did not return, and Ao was in Quzhou. Jiazi, a female student. In April, Bing Zishuo and Ao stayed at the stone bridge with Hou Gaosu in Quzhou. Xu Bing, go to Quzhou. Wuzi, from Changshan to Lingshan to Yushan. Geng Yin, to Xinzhou. During the Sino-Japanese War, I looked at the Qifeng of Yangshan Mountain and looked like Huashan Mountain. Shen Bing, go to Yueting. Ji Hai, go straight to Stan Lake. Xin Chou, to Hongzhou. Meet with Ambassador Lingnan and visit Xu Ruting. Look at the lotus. Renzi in May, to Jizhou. Success is sincerity. Yi Chou, crossing the river with Anping and Han Tai, wandering souls should live in the mountains, Xin Wei, Dayuling and Zhenchang tomorrow. Gui You, go to Xiling in Lingtun to see Shao Shi. JOE, Suling vulture mountain residence. In June, I arrived in Shaozhou. Bingzi, to Shixing House Wuyin, entered Dongyin Mountain. Look at big bamboo shoots like babies. Through the Yang Xia Canyon. It's late. I live in Xiashan, Qingyuan. Guiwei, to Guangzhou.

From Tokyo to Guangzhou, the waterway is 7600 miles; Out of Shangyuan and Xijiang, 7.1 thousand is 30 miles. From Luochuan to the Yellow River and Bianliang, it has been pushed to Huaiyin for 1,800 miles. From Huaiyin to Shao Bo, 300 miles downstream. 90 miles upstream from the river. From Runzhou to Hangzhou, 800 miles, the canal is high, and the wood does not flow. It's sixty or ninety miles from Hangzhou to Changshan. It's dangerous to swim against the current. It is possible to get on the boat with bamboo as an indicator. From Changshan to Yushan, 80 miles away, Lu Dao is called Yushanling. Bai Yushan is 700 miles downstream of the lake, called Gaoxi. From the lake to Hongzhou, there are eighteen miles in a hundred, and it is countercurrent. From Hongzhou to Dayuling, there are 800 miles in a thousand miles, and the countercurrent is called Zhangjiang. It's a hundred miles from Dayuling to the breakout, and the road is called Dayuling. From Mianchang to Guangzhou, it's 900 Li and 40 Li. Going down the river is called exploring the river, and going out of Shaozhou is called Shaojiang.

Poems by Wei Yan, a monk in Yaoshan Mountain (I)

Li ao

Refined into a crane shape, thousands of Panasonic two-letter classics;

I'll ask. I said the clouds are in the sky and the water is in the bottle.

Choose to live in seclusion in the wild, without sending or welcoming all year round;

Sometimes I go straight to the top of the lonely peak and the clouds roar under the moon.

Among them, "the cloud is in the sky and the water is in the bottle" is the most famous. The phrase "the cloud is in the sky and the water is in the bottle" contains two meanings: first, the cloud is in the sky and the water is in the bottle, just like our nose is straight and our mouth is horizontal, which are the true colors of things, and there is nothing special about it. As long as you understand the essence of things and realize your true colors, you will understand what Tao is; The second is that the water in the bottle is like a human heart. Just keep it clean, quiet inside. No matter what bottle you put it in, it can be square and round, with strong adaptability, and it can be soft, big and small, just like white clouds in the sky, free and easy.

Selected Works ○ Feelings and Friends (in parallel order)

In the ninth year of Zhenyuan, Ao began to pay tribute to the state capital, and in September, he held an article in a suitable place to pay tribute. At that time, Liang Jun's fame spread all over the world. He was a man who made progress in writing. Those who write articles to build doors for Liang Jun have no false days. Liang Ju knows people make mistakes. Since they know each other, there is a way to know each other. It is said that Ao won the legacy of the ancients, and the name of Ao is immortal, and Xu Ao praised it by wiping it.

At the beginning of Otsu, he said that his face was moving forward, but he was not lucky. 1 1 month, Liang Jun died of illness. When Ao gradually wandered among friends or ministers, he often said, "My eldest son is called Liang." Ao just knows that you don't expect it. At that time, it was said that advanced people were United when they met special talents, which did not mean that there were few bosom friends. Liang Jun died here for five years. He studied the classic teachings of sages, but he wrote tens of thousands of words, which were found several times in Liang Jun's works in the past few years. Although he did not dare to learn from the ancients, he often did not pay attention to the center. Every year, when I was 18, I tried to do rituals, and I was even ousted by articles. People call it solid if they don't know the customs of the times. Then know that advanced people meet special people, not everyone has a heart, so you know that bosom friends are hard to come by. The husband is too good to know, although what is good; I don't know, I just don't know; If you don't have a deep reputation, don't honor it; Deep but not long, as deep as Buddha; If you can't finish it for a long time, you won't last long. Although ao is corrupt and perverts the law, he is lucky to be humiliated by his knowledge. Isn't it an honor for you to talk to others? Isn't it profound to say that it has the wind of the ancients? Isn't it a long time to catch a husband with fame for life? Unfortunately, Liang Jun's short life is because he didn't succeed, so who can succeed? What a pity! The sudden disappearance of the sky plunged Ao's life into long-term poverty. So, I think a confidant will hurt myself. His writing is full of resentment, but it is not chaotic. He covers Xiaoya and poets. Its words say:

It is unreasonable to think about the sorrow of compassion. People with aspirations cannot tolerate others. Iraq has been embarrassed since ancient times, so why complain about the world? I am poor and not up to the world, mourning for my bosom friend's eternal death. It is a shame to be unique in the world for so many reasons. The purpose of caressing a saint is to educate him, but when he is old, he will be fine. If you are conceited, it is against the custom. I longed to be one of the five people, but it didn't come true and flooded the road. The former sages were embarrassed and driven by great humiliation. It's hard to choose the middle way, but even if you get into trouble, you won't change your behavior. If heaven and earth are selfless, why not shine on God? . Heart strength straight Yu Songbai xi, falling frost and snow. The person who knew me died suddenly and I lost my way.

○ You Huaifu (in parallel order)

Friends sigh, endowed with deep and remote bosom to answer, its words:

Everyone is noisy, salty and old. Depending on the heart, it's still awkward. Why is it so sad when you are complacent? There used to be many sages under Confucius, but only a few came back. Chaoqun loves to be alone, pointing to the sacred area and chasing high. It is better to eat and drink than to go into battle lightly. I hope people are as they are and are ashamed of my virtue. You don't have to farm to eat, and your wife doesn't have to knit more clothes. If you are thirsty, you are not lucky to compare with each other. Read what you have, but don't mourn yourself. He has been a soldier since Lushan Mountain, and he has not been reduced to Zhou Jia. Shen Yao County, Xi, where he lives, is an heirloom and self-sufficient. Taxes give birth to people and support people, and high cities depend on each other. He Zi's world can last for a long time, so think about forever. There are three Miao's rebellious life, dancing and dying. Only practice punishment and morality, and return to salt without far away. At the beginning of the emperor's accession to the throne, he got up and went on patrol as a teacher. Being able to adapt to the weather and employ many people, I actually swept away the shackles and shattered Sui. What's more, the God of the Son of Heaven had rules before the fierce ancestors. Paying off debts with delinquent politics is a piece of cake. If the temple is well managed, how can it be violated? I'm sorry for the shame of life, but I'm afraid I'll sue someone who has a deep heart. Well, this sincerity is not up to standard, but I am sorry. Being alone in the middle of the night, I am sighing, and bandits should be anxious.

○ Relief for Huaifu (Consolidation Order)

Reading the Party's Gu Chuan, he lamented that there are many straight people, and he could not bear to let them go, and wrote a poem "Worrying", saying:

Mrs. Huai was depressed and regretted it. My heart is straight, but God knows. Evil is good, loyalty is doubtful. There are so many speakers that I don't want to go to the public to ask them. If you don't believe what you say, you will get nothing when you go back. If you test the facts, you can test the province, and you can be sure. In the past, the rules of teachers and businessmen were sacred, and morality and morality were reformed. However, the liver is different from the intestine, and it is different to raise it. I'm willing to wear my arms to get rid of the smell, and the road is just blocked. The road is too dangerous to cross, and people envy me. Wang died in prison, while Li Jiazhong was sentenced. Mourning since ancient times, vulgar and sincere. Sad for the purity of the mind, the emergence of diseases and weeds. Let the farmers hoe and cut off the stems. That is to say, if you are obscene, you ignore it and don't listen. I can't bear to sigh, but I can't bear it. It goes without saying that when the morning stands still and looks up at the sky. If you are in your life, you will be injured for a long time. I am happy with this statement, but I am restrained inside, and I am strengthened by Zhuang Sheng. Pull out the delicate fragrance orchid, and the tree wormwood will be listed. Refuse to believe and do nothing, love to sting. I asked Chunqiu, and I said goodbye. Yesterday, we vowed to die together and live together. What you keep is different, but it is the beginning of sweat. My heart is white and I can't stand it. I don't want to go directly to the city. Loyalty and righteousness are ignored, and if they are different, they will give up. Sad husband! If you are not partial to yourself, you will make enemies. I dare not be He Wei. If you do it alone, you will be ashamed to be brave. Jiashan pine is green, and he is bitter and cold at the age of twenty. I am happy for my chastity, but my husband is no different. If you want to be silent, don't bemoan your original ambition. Restrain this bosom, but not at ease, shh all night.

○ Jinshi policy asked two ways.

Q: When the two taxes were first set up, money was scarce and silk was expensive. The price of a barrel of millet is 100, and that of silk is 2000. At the age of 20, the tax collectors provided thousands of people, but fifty stones of millet and twenty horses of silk were used in the old country, and the people did not think it was sick. Over the past 30 years, people's land has been annexed by powerful people, and more than one third of it has lost money. Money goes up day by day, but millet and silk go down day by day. The price of a barrel of millet is less than 20, and the price of silk is less than 800. At the age of 18, tax collectors can accept thousands of people, from millet to 200 stones, from silk to 80 horses. Because the amount of money does not increase, the tax is divided into four points, and the people shrink and disperse into business trips. In the spring of four years, the son of heaven mourned and ordered the minister of the world to keep the state envoy's money. Rice is expected to remain unchanged, and the rest is estimated to be as high as supply, and people depend on it. At the beginning, when comparing the two taxes, the weight was equal. What can be done to make the country rich and the people worthwhile, so that tourists will be happy to return to agriculture and have the power to tax households, without soldiers complaining? My husband didn't realize his plan, so my son told me from the beginning of pregnancy.

Q: Tubo has been worried about China for a long time! The legacy of marriage and bribery is not enough to be a good teacher. Believing in his sweet words, curses and his alliance, he was deeply pregnant with yin and evil, took advantage of me to join the army, and bullied God and abused the people, which was his shame. If you prepare for self-defense, violently attack hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the world, or mourn their parents and wives and bother their food and grass, the people will be empty. If you are prepared to defend yourself, you will wait between us, occupy the city, plunder the children of jade and silk, kill the old and weak, and let them go home. Since ancient times, hasn't the emperor made a plan to punish Yi Di? Which border is not as big as Anjos? The second son and the third son will also say something.

○ Performance of 100 officials

Yes, I am incompetent, so I have to grasp the history museum and take notes as my responsibility. Husband counsels the good and punishes the evil, expresses his thoughts directly, records his merits, describes the career of loyal officials and sages, and carries the ugly deeds of treacherous officials to spread endlessly. He is also a historian. Fu Yu ascended the throne for fifteen years, namely Xia Pingyuan, Ping Shu for two years and Ping Jiang Dong for three years. , Zhang Maozhao, hence easy to decide, five years captured Shi Xiancheng, ze, lu, xing,? Seven years, regularly accept the tribute from six countries; Twelve years, Pinghuai Xi, cutting Yuanji; Thirteen years, Wang Chengzong Xiande, DE into the tax rent; In addition to the official department of Cang Jing, in fourteen years, he razed Qing Zi, cut the teacher's way, and won twelve states. God has broken martial arts and has been the king of rejuvenation since ancient times. However, since Yuanhe, there is no record of great achievements, loose history, loyal ministers, sages and sages. There are many people who can do things for the law, including traitors and thieves, and those who can do things for abstinence. Shi isn't here, and he hasn't written a book. I'm really afraid of it, so I don't measure it myself. I want to repair it reluctantly. No one knows the deeds of mortals unless they are great good and evil, so the old cases are all based on people's visits. Today's behavior is either his favorite pupil or his old official. Respect benevolence, righteousness, courtesy and wisdom, talk about loyalty, talk about peace, or talk about the great cause of virtue, be far and clear, or be honest and immortal, and never tell stories directly, so good and evil cannot be mixed. Treacherous court officials of Xu, Li Yifu and Li made their proteges behave themselves, neither referring to their facts, but praising loyalty and loyalty in vain, which moved Fang Yuanling, Pei Yan,. This is not only because it is insincere, but also because it wants to be empty and beautiful in the blessed place. Guy is also a writer who is not a traveler, a summer traveler and a hero. He forgot the truth in China and abandoned the theory when he was addicted to words. Therefore, as a writer, he lost the ancient style of the Six Classics, but he was not a recorder of the movement of history. Otherwise, his writing is vulgar and cannot be self-contained. Because of the failure, the article is harmful and the behavior is not enough to win the trust. If the finger pointing is true and unpretentious, someone will know its authenticity. Otherwise, even if it is done by one's own close partisans and students, it cannot be mistaken for virtue and kindness. I ask you to behave yourself today. Don't talk about benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, loyalty, equality and honor, but be honest and straightforward. You may not believe me, but if you tell the truth, you can see the right and wrong of good and evil according to the facts. It is enough to honestly make a wrong order to publicize Wei Zhi, but remember his protests and arguments. Ruchuan? But I remember that he used the seal of Sinong Temple to kill the rebels, and he also beat Zhu г with an elephant. He was self-sufficient and loyal. Today's trip is like a traveler, and he doesn't refer to it. He speaks with empty words, so he doesn't remonstrate with Kevin·Z. Those who are honest and dare not show their truth, and those who are brave, are all also. How can they have a basis? If you don't follow the test results, you can't accept it. If you go on like this, it will be too ordinary and you will be sent to the history museum. If you are too ordinary, you will be sent to the history museum. You can't believe it all, and you can't believe it one by one. If you don't have any facts, you will be different. The record of history must be based on the background. If it is based on past examples, it is all empty talk. What is the history museum for? Begging the minister to play this, so that the words of good and evil can be kept for examination, although he is a disciple, can not be added in vain. Want to know the truth, dare to say, despise Tianwei, have no choice but to fight. Really play.

Han Yu's concept of "Tao" was explained ideologically, emphasizing that literature should be based on Ming Dow. He also advocated anti-Buddhism and "renaturation", developed the thought of "the nature of destiny" in The Doctrine of the Mean, advocated the theory of good nature and bad feelings, and believed that renaturation was the fundamental way to sanctify. The method of renaturation is to "hear, see, say and act according to etiquette", so as to "forget the way of longing and return to life". He wrote three books about renaturation and discussed the source of life and other issues. His thoughts laid the foundation for the later development of Taoism. His prose is plain and fluent, full of emotion and color. I studied ancient Chinese prose from Han Yu and helped Han Yu promote the movement of ancient Chinese prose. The relationship between them is that of teachers and friends. Li Ao worshiped Confucianism over Buddhism all his life, and regarded Confucius as a "great sage" (collected by Li Wengong, asked by the emperor). Advocating that people's words and deeds should be based on the Confucian "middle way", saying: "Those who speak the middle way are also the works of sages; Those who lean on the middle hope are saints; Almost in the middle, the text of the sage is also; People who turn their backs will cover mediocre words. " (Li Wengong's Essays) He tried his best to maintain Confucian ethics, and thought that "listing heaven and earth, establishing monarch and ministers, loving father and son, leaving husband and wife, young and old, and making friends are the aims of the Six Classics". Li Ao believes that saints become saints because good is disturbed by evil desires. If mortals want to restore goodness and become saints, they must get rid of lust. Its method is to get rid of all feelings and forget all thoughts, so that one's body and mind can reach the realm of "clarity" and "sincerity" in "thinking".

Outstanding Contribution Li Ao's greatest contribution to Confucianism lies in his attempt to rebuild the Confucian theory of mind and nature. His Renaturation Book, which combined the theories of Laozi and Taoism, opened the first heart-to-heart talk among Neo-Confucianism in Song Dynasty. The first part of the renaturation book discusses the relationship between "temperament" and saints, and the middle part talks about how to cultivate into saints. The second part encourages people to make efforts in self-cultivation. Li Ao's Renaturation Book is based on The Doctrine of the Mean and The Book of Changes, trying to establish the Confucian theory of mind and nature. His theory aims at "removing emotion and renaturating", takes the so-called "orthodoxy" inherited from Confucius' four sons (Confucius, Ceng Zi, Zisi and Mencius) as the ultimate meaning, and takes "magnanimity" and "neutralization" as renaturation. But Buddhism did not affect his most basic value judgment and value orientation. Li Ao did not abandon the spiritual direction of traditional Confucianism, which is clearly reflected in his articles. For example, when you go to a Buddhist monastery, please stop to build a temple and look at money.

Li Ao's theory of mind and nature had a great influence on the later Neo-Confucians in the Northern Song Dynasty and even the Southern Song Dynasty, which was manifested in the following aspects: firstly, he separated "nature" from "emotion", and thought that "inherent vice" was a gift, so it was good, while its evil was covered by "emotion", which inspired the later Neo-Confucians about the nature of "fate". Secondly, his so-called "thinking correctly" cultivation method of "worrying but not feeling alive" has a certain influence on the theory of "respect" in the Northern Song Dynasty, and can also be regarded as the forerunner of the debate between Zhu and the theory of "neutralization" in the Southern Song Dynasty. Thirdly, Li Ao paid special attention to the article "The Doctrine of the Mean" in The Book of Rites, and regarded the "Learning of Life" in the book as the essence of Confucius and Mencius' thought, which also started the trend of paying attention to the doctrine of the mean in Song Confucianism.