儒學中的「身心論」一直是重要的理論核心，它關聯到「道器論」、「理氣論」、「理欲論」、「理勢論」、「心性論」、「格物致知論」等等。「以心控身」論，就字面上看來是以「心」去控「身」、「心」是主宰，而「身」為依從。如此之理論，須與人之所處的生活世界、政治社會共同體合併而論，不可單就人之心身論來說。 「以心控身」論可以大別為兩個類型，一是「理」中心論下的「道德天理論」，另一是「心」中心論下的「道德本心論」。前者可以程朱為代表，而後者可以陸王為代表。道德本心論強調「吾心即宇宙、宇宙即吾心」，人的心靈與宇宙有其內在同一性；如此之論原是身心合一論者，而之所以墮轉而為以心控身論者乃因為此心被實體亡，被主客對待化所致也。以上所論之「道德天理論」是以朱子為模型，「道德本心論」則以王陽明為模型；然論其缺失則非其本身之缺失，而乃其末流之缺失。不過，若推本溯源其理論仍有可議者。當代新儒學之「道德智體論」，亦可歸於此而論之，雖略有所進境，亦仍有其缺失。 「身心一如論」，心身之本然一體，無分主從之關係。此以中國傳統儒學視之，船山之學于此最為明白。彼之不同于「理」中心論者、「心」中心論者，亦不同于一般所以為之「氣」中心論者，彼或可謂為「理氣不二」論者，此乃與其「身心一如」論，或「理欲合一」論伴隨即生者。依船山之學而論，一切推之於「氣」，然此「氣」非與「理」相待之為氣也，而是理氣交融為一不可分之整體的「氣」，即此「氣」而為「道」。「氣」之凝而為「質」，然而「氣」生「質」，而「質」還生「氣」也。這與前所述之「交與為體」是同樣的思路，都是「兩端而一致」的思路。 「身」、「心」互為體用，一者「身」以藏心，「心」以發身；再者，「心」以藏身，「身」以發心；這就是所謂的「交藏」、「交發」，互為體用的思考。「內聖」、「外王」並不是「由內而外」的單向過程，而是「內外通貫為一」的過程。所謂的「內外通貫為一」，是「由內聖通向外王」以及「由外王而迴向內聖」的一個圓圈的兩個迴環。

　　　　　For the study of Confucianism, the "theory of the Body and Mind" has always been the core theory. It is closely related to "theory of Tao and material", "theory of reason and chi'i", "theory of reason and desire", "theory of reason and force", "theory of mind and nature", and "theory of ko-wu-chih-chih". The theory of "the mind dominating the body", literally seems to imply that the mind is dominating the body; the mind is the dominant and the body the dominated. However, the theory must also be understood in the context of the life-world, which provides a field for human beings to live in, and also in the context of politics and society. The theory should not confine itself to the mind and body of human beings only. The theory of "the mind dominating the body" can be divided into two stereotypes in general. The first stereotype is "theory of divine reason based on morality", which emphasizes the importance of reason. The second stereotype is "theory of ontological intellectuality based on morality", which emphasizes the importance of mind. Ch'eng-chu represents the former school and Lu-Wang represents the latter school. "Theory of ontological intellectuality based on morality" emphasizes" my mind is the Universe and the Universe is my mind". It means, innately, the human mind and the Universe share the same oneness. As to why the theory originally should be a theory of "the mind and body united in harmonious oneness" goes so far to fall into a theory of "the mind dominating the body" is due to the mind being treated as an essence. It is influenced by the differentiation between the subject and the object. "Theory of divine reason based on morality" is based on the model of Chu-Tzu, and "theory of ontological intellectuality based on morality" is based on the model of Wang Yang-ming. The flaws of the theory are not innate ones, but caused by the improper interpretations of the later followers. Still, from a more fundamental point of view, the theory in itself can also lead to some problems and it is worth discussing. The root of "theory of Intellectual ontology based on morality" of the Neo-Confucianism school can be traced back to this theory. The Neo-Confucianism school adopts "theory of ontological mind based on morality" with some improvement; however, this influence on the Neo-Confucianism school is both advantageous and disadvantageous. "Theory of the mind and body united in oneness" means the mind and the body innately are oneness and we can not differentiate them as the subjective and the objective. The philosophy of Wang Fu-chih is the best example of this theory among traditional interpretations of Confucianism. His philosophy is different from those focused on reason, those focused on mind, and also different from those focused on "ch'i". We can justifiably claim that in this philosophy, the reason and "ch'i" should not and cannot be separated from each other and this theory is naturally accompanied with "theory of the mind and body united in oneness" and "theory of reason and desire untied in oneness". For Wang Fu-chih, everything is originated from "ch'i"; however, in his system, "ch'i" is not defined as the same "chi'i" as in contrast with "reason". For him, "ch'i" is an inseparable wholeness embodying both reason and "ch'i", and this "ch'i" as an inseparable wholeness is "Tao". "ch'i" materializes itself; thus comes the being. The material originates from "ch'i" and "chi'i" also originates from the material. In a word, they are inter-unity for each other. This model is parallel to the model of "two dichotomies in harmony" of Wang Fu-chih. The mind and the body are mutual essence for each other. The body embodies the mind and the body originates from the mind. On the other hand, the mind embodies the body and the mind originates from the body. This is a mutual dynamic process of "inter-embody" and "inter-originate". The concept of "internally as the noble" and "externally as the monarch" is not a linear process from the internal to the external, but an inter-process to unite the internal and the external in oneness. An inter-process to unite the internal and the external in oneness is from "internally as the noble" to "externally as the monarch" and also from "externally as the monarch" to "internally as the noble"; the two inter-processes make a perfect circle.