Unity of Knowledge and Action
This important notion was proposed by Wang Yangming (1472-1529), a Chinese philosopher of the Ming Dynasty. Many have discussed the relationship between knowledge and action in ancient Chinese philosophy. The relevant axioms are many, including "first knowledge, then action," "to know is easy, to act is hard," "knowledge comes first but action is more important," "knowledge and action develop together," and "unity of knowledge and action". From the perspective of moral consciousness and moral behavior, Wang Yangming argued that knowledge and action are inseparable and that action begets knowledge. At the same time, knowledge determines action, and action is guided by knowledge. According to Wang Yangming, moral consciousness is manifest in moral behavior because one's innate moral knowledge necessarily leads to good behavior. He argued against the separation of knowledge and action and criticized those who know but do not act.
This notion is an evolution of the concepts of knowledge and action in the history of Chinese philosophy. It stresses the subjectivity of human beings and offers criteria for judging knowledge and action: knowledge forms the foundation and prerequisite for action, while action is the key to knowledge. Nowadays, the notion is often used to emphasize unity of theory and practice.
知行合一
知行合一是明代思想家王阳明（1472—1529）提出的重要思想。中国古代哲学有大量关于知行关系的讨论，有知 先行后、知易行难、知先行重、知行并进、知行合一等多种 说法。王阳明从道德意识和道德行为的角度探讨知行合一， 认为认知和实践是密不可分的，要达到知，就必须通过行； 同时，知决定行，行要以知为指导。他主张道德意识和道德 行为互为表里，内有良知则外有良行。他反对把知和行分开 看待为由此及彼的关系，反对在道德方面的知行脱节、知而 不行。
知行合一的哲学思想是对中国思想史上知行观的继承和发展，它赋予人以主体性的积极意义，为人们认知与实践提供了一套价值判断的标准，即知是基础、前提，行是重点、关键。今天，人们多用“知行合一”强调理论与实践的统一。
