 The first set of techniques were concerned with detecting and eradicating selfish thoughts or inclinations, a task they sometimes characterized as (or as part of) “overcoming the self” (keji 克己). Many emphasized that it was most advantageous to look for these thoughts and inclinations in liminal moments of emotional incipience (ji 機), just as emotions are starting to enter consciousness but before they start to reshape other mental processes and dispositions (Smith et al. 1990: 190–199; Tiwald &amp; Van Norden 2014: 282). Most Confucians in the Song-Ming period endorsed this sort of self-monitoring, although some seemed to think that it played a more important role in self-cultivation than others. Wang Yangming was among those who thought it central and indispensable for the work of improving one’s character and state of heartmind, sometimes saying that our selfish inclinations needed to be pursued like robbers and thoroughly eradicated (CXL 39, 60, 279). In contrast, Zhu Xi saw self-monitoring as important but as somewhat less pervasively demanding than Wang. On his view, much of the work of self-monitoring becomes unnecessary if we fully realize or embody reverential attention (jing 敬). Zhu likened the work of overcoming the self to taking medicine for an illness: when one is in good health (instantiating proper reverential attention in all that one thinks about) then taking medicine (self-monitoring) is unnecessary (ZZYL 9:151–52; Angle &amp; Tiwald 2017: 146).