Yen Yuan (1635–1704), Chinese traditionalist and social critic. Like Wang Fu-chih, he attacked Neo-Confucian metaphysical dualism, regarding the Neo-Confucians’ views as wild speculations obscuring the true nature of Confucianism. Chu Hsi interpreted ko wu (investigating things) as discovering some transcendent ‘thing’ called li (pattern), and Wang Yang-ming understood ko wu as rectifying one’s thoughts, but Yen argued it meant a kind of knowledge by acquaintance: the ‘hands-on’ practice of traditional rituals and disciplines. As ‘proof’ that Sung–Ming Confucians were wrong, Yen pointed to their social and political failures. Like many, he believed Confucianism was not only true but efficacious as well; failure to reform the world could be understood only as a personal failure to grasp and implement the Way. See also CONFUCIANISM , WANG FU — CHI. P.J.I.