面對陽明心學對朱子 (1130-1200)《大學章句》文本和解釋的挑戰，李光地 (1642-1718) 力求在不動《大學》文本章次的前提之下，又能在疏解義理時不全然背離於程朱宗旨。在他看來，知本、誠身二義乃《大學》之樞要，以下工夫節目逐層展開，無不是本此而來。他又將立本工夫具結於誠意上，通過對「意」為心之所存主的重新定位，對誠意工夫作了一番有異於朱子、陽明 (1472-1529) 的新解釋。就形式結構來說，李光地規避了朱子增字解經的「格致補傳」問題，而將格致之文在《大學》經文脈絡裡作了合理的安排。從義理內容言，李光地調整了朱子對「知止」的解釋，認為「知止」即立志的頭，從而將「知止」翻轉為工夫之起點，這也為他疏解《大學》奠定了基礎。

Wang Yangming’s 王陽明 (1472-1529) philosophy (xinxue 心學) is generally considered to have posed a threat to Zhu Xi’s 朱熹 (1130-1200) commentary on the Great Learning (Daxue 大學) with respect to issues concerning the text and its interpretation. In an effort to save Zhu Xi’s commentary from Wang Yangming’s criticism, Li Guangdi 李光地 (1642-1718) attempted to follow Zhu’s guidelines in his interpretation of the Great Learning, while at the same time not altering the chapter order of the text. He argued that knowing the root and being sincere were the pivotal points of the Great Learning, and that the practice and cultivation of what is learned were all derived from these two notions and their implications. He also based the work of establishing the foundation on the sincerity of the will. By identifying the “will” as the master of the mind, Li Guangdi gave a new interpretation of sincerity that differed from that advanced by both Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming. From the perspective of the text’s structure, Li Guangdi avoided the problem of adding supplemental passages to the chapter “Gezhi 格致” in the Great Learning and instead explained the meaning of gezhi within its original textual context. From the perspective of philosophical argument, Li Guangdi improved upon Zhu Xi’s interpretation of “knowledge” by asserting that “knowledge” is the beginning of establishing the will, which turned knowledge, or zhizhi知止, into the starting point of moral cultivation. This process of reconciliation is understood to be fundamentally critical to Li Guangdi’s interpretation of the Great Learning.