In the Ming Dynasty, Ma Li inherited and expanded the gist of Zhang Zai’s theory which had definitely simple style of learning. From the perspective of existential ontology, Ma advocated the realness of “Taixu is heaven”, thus he criticized the nihilism ontology of Buddhism and Taoism. Based on the theory of practical selfcultivation, Ma proposed the methods of acting on Confucian moral rules with physical and mental efforts. He tried hard to avoid the theoretical disadvantage of Wang Yangming’s followers. On practical effects, he emphasized “change society with rites” and civilized people by education and persuasion. He tried to restructure the spiritual and cultural values through his lecture activities. Besides，he handled the compilation of Shaanxi province chorography，which played the positive political effect. Practical learning of Ma Li had rich content, distinctive features and showed great important theoretical value in the history of ideological development in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Ma Li; practical learning; existential ontology; the theory of practical selfcultivation; the theory of practical effect