Philosophy of heart as represented by Lu Xiangshan and Wang Yangming has long been renowned for its diversity concerning approaches to self-cultivation,and particularly how it variously lays emphasis on the"original heart"or"innate consciousness". In order to rectify the sort of error caused by the habit of "selfcenteredness or arbitrariness " and of "taking desire as principle ",the Confucian masters belonging to philosophy of heart from Lu Xiangshan onwards on the one hand attached the utmost importance to practical endeavors in "reflecting on one’s own mistakes"; on the other,they highlighted the essential role that sacred scriptures played in one’s progress in moral cultivation. Clearly their path was never meant to be a biased one.What they attempted is rather a nuanced and dynamic balance between "self-establishment"and "following the words of others",between "self-confidence"and "obeying the instructions of the master",between "selfreflection or self-observation " and "inter-subjective examination ",between "resorting to the heart " and"resorting to the sages",and between"having faith in the heart"and"having faith in the principle",etc.