Abstract: Moral authority is an important force in maintaining social moral order. In traditional Chinese society moral authority and political authority are in unity. Moral authority even found its expressions in the legitimacy of sovereignty. The establishment of moral authority is based on a substantial theoretical basis. Wang Yangming's replacing Li with Xin proved to be an important reason for the lack of moral order in late Ming Dynasty.

Key words: Heaven, Li, Xin

摘要： 道德权威是维护社会道德秩序的重要力量。在中国传统社会中,道德权威与政治权威是合二而一的,并通过王权合法性问题而展现出来。道德权威的确立需要坚实的理论基础,阳明心学的“以心代理”是导致明代中后期道德生活的混乱与失序的重要原因。

关键词: 天, 理, 心