吴康斋是明代初期的理学名儒，在当时有“北薛南吴”之誉。康斋之学上无所传，而一本于圣贤尤其是伊洛闽一脉的经典书籍，他据此而体贴自身生命开展的工夫实践可以说是其哲学思想的完整体现，因此极具个人特色。康斋以“成人”为进学理想和工夫主旨，扎根于自身安贫立命、变化气质的具体实践工夫，以存天理、去人欲而复归或保有此心之平和宁静、纯然粹然为归宿，终日以精白之一心，对越神明，在实现自我教化和自我超越的同时，也培养出了陈白沙、胡敬斋、娄一斋等著名弟子。

本文以“成人”为康斋学的主要特质和论述康斋学的主线，从康斋从事乎“成人”实践的视角出发，述及“成人之志、成人总述、成人实践、成人困境”诸方面，力图凸显康斋生命、生活和思想之间的整体性，呈现康斋最质朴和最真诚的下学上达之路。不同于一般“成人”是成就别人的定义，“成人”在本文指的是“成就自我—成为圣人”。康斋作为“农村老儒”，尤其展现出淡化学理思辨、不事著述，而专注于个人心性工夫修养和道德践履的一面，他将学理的理论思辨化于个人现实的“成人”实践之中，充分体现了儒家所讲的“诚中形外”，他的儒学是典型的生活儒学、民间儒学，是教化的儒学。

康斋的思想主要通过诗和《日录》得以呈现，这在哲学史中是极为特殊的。康斋以诗为媒介实现自我与理之间的交互，并记《日录》为自己的修身日记，二者皆是康斋围绕个体生命体悟而指向“成人”的自我教化记录。康斋“成人”之志的确立是他一生的决定性转折点，他的“成人”之志始于“圣贤可学”理念的现实化，“圣贤”作为康斋的进学力量之源之于康斋有重要的交互式作用和意义。康斋为学的最终目标即在于达致圣人之域，具体则表现为复归或保有自己这本同于圣人的纯然本心，故而康斋学亦是一种存心之学。本心是否宁静和纯粹于天理，是康斋检验自己是否“成人”的本质标准。康斋将实现自我本真的理想落实于自身现实的工夫实践中，主要用力于贫病处理和克己的问题上，在这些问题面前的立住程度，也表明了康斋的“成人”进程。然而，康斋在“成人”路上的困难也透露出了其学所具有的隐微张力，凸显出了挺立自我主体的重要性和必要性，为白沙后来的心学转辙提供了启明。

康斋学虽然仍归属于朱学的范围之内，但是已在实践中悄然发生了重心的转向，而尤重于个人的心性修养和“成人”道德实践，在明初具有承前启后的过渡性、启明性地位，引导了儒家传统圣贤理想的回归，并对陈白沙、胡敬斋等人的成长有重要的启发作用。康斋这种真诚践履的儒者本色，或许正是我们当下社会所需要和学习的特质。

Wu Kangzhai was a famous Neo-Confucianism scholar in the early Ming Dynasty, known as the “Northern Xue and Southern Wu” at that time. Kangzhai didn’t have a direct teacher within the Confucian inheritance system, but learnt from the classic books of sages, especially sages mentioned in Records of the Origins of Elo《伊洛渊源录》. Based on this, the practical work Kangzhai carried out in his own life can be said to be a complete embodiment of his philosophical thoughts, so it is very personal. Kang Zhai took “becoming a rounded man-becoming a sage”( chengren成人) as the ideal of studying and the theme of his practical work. He was rooted in his own practical efforts to settle down in poverty and change his temperament. He aimed to preserve Li理, eliminate human desires and maintain or make the way back to the state of peace, tranquility and purity of his mind. Kangzhai always remained a pure mind, frankly facing the gods, realizing self-education and self-transcendence, and at the same time cultivating famous students such as Chen Baisha, Hu Jingzhai and Lou Yizhai.

This article regards “becoming a rounded man-becoming a sage” as the main characteristic of Kangzhai’s theory and the main thread of discussion of Kangzhai’s theory, takes the perspective of Kangzhai’s practice of becoming a rounded man and a sage, covers various aspects such as the aspirations, overview, practice and dilemma of chengren. This article aims to highlight the unity between Kangzhai’s life and thoughts, and present Kangzhai’s realest and sincerest path to sagehood. Unlike the general definition that “chengren” is achieving others, “chengren” in this article refers to “becoming a rounded man-becoming a sage”. As a “rural Confucian”, Kangzhai particularly demonstrated a lack of theoretical thinking and writing, but focused on self-cultivation and moral practice. He incorporated the theoretical thinking into his self-cultivation and moral practice, fully reflected the Confucian concept of “inner sincerity expressed externally”. His Confucianism is a typical example of life Confucianism, folk Confucianism, and edification Confucianism.

Kangzhai’s theory is mainly presented through poetry and Rilu《日录》, which is extremely unique in the history of philosophy. Kangzhai regarded poetry as a medium to achieve the interaction between himself and Li理, and wrote Rilu which was his diary of self-cultivation. Kangzhai’s poetry and Rilu are edification records of himself aiming to “chengren” practice. The establishment of Kangzhai’s “chengren” aspiration was a decisive turning point in his life. His “chengren” aspiration began with the realization of the concept of “sages can be learnt”. As the source of Kangzhai’s learning power, “sages” have an important interactive significance to Kangzhai. The ultimate goal of Kangzhai’s moral practice is to reach the realm of saints, which is manifested in the return or preservation of one’s pure original mind, which is similar to that of saints, so the theme of Kangzhai’s theory can also be described as the theory that focusing on how to preserve mind. Whether the original mind is peaceful and pure is the essential criterion for Kangzhai to test his achievement. Kangzhai implemented his ideal of realizing his true self into his own moral practice, mainly focusing on facing the living conditions of poverty and illness, correcting temperamental biases, and addressing personal desires. The strength of confronting these issues also indicates Kangzhai’s “chengren” achievement. However, Kang Zhai’s difficulties on the path to sagehood also revealed the subtle tension of his theory, highlighting the importance and necessity of promoting and fully realizing man’s subjective self-consciousness, thus providing enlightenment for Baisha’s later transformation to Mind school.

Although Kangzhai’s theory is still in the scope of Zhu’s theory, it had quietly shifted its focus, with a particular emphasis on self-cultivation and “chengren” practice. In the early Ming Dynasty, Kangzhai’s theory held a transitional and enlightening position, guiding the return of Confucian traditional ideals, and providing important inspiration for the growth of Chen Baisha, Hu Jingzhai, and others. Kangzhai's sincere practice of the Confucian nature may be precisely the trait that we need in today's society.