1644年(nian)4月(崇(chong)(chong)禎(zhen)十七年(nian)三月),明(ming)(ming)王(wang)朝(chao)覆亡(wang)。吳道行“郁郁不(bu)(bu)自得,一日趨(qu)吉藩故邸,望闕(que)痛哭展拜(bai),輿歸(gui)(岳麓)山中,不(bu)(bu)食(shi)而卒”,以(yi)身(shen)殉國(guo)殉君(jun),表現(xian)了(le)“衡(heng)湘賢哲”的(de)(de)(de)清白(bai)與高潔。死前他(ta)留下遺言:“驚聞北事,主亡(wang)臣(chen)辱,痛之(zhi)如何!予以(yi)諸生(sheng),食(shi)恩(en)累代,獨非草(cao)莽之(zhi)臣(chen)哉!……筆(bi)擱而輿至,將以(yi)吉日成遄歸(gui),集兒女(nv)羅拜(bai),從此從先(xian)帝(di)于地下矣!”他(ta)面對李自成攻占(zhan)北京、崇(chong)(chong)禎(zhen)皇帝(di)自縊煤山和清兵入關、長驅中原的(de)(de)(de)“北事”,作為(wei)受明(ming)(ming)朝(chao)之(zhi)皇恩(en)的(de)(de)(de)諸生(sheng),既痛恨傾覆明(ming)(ming)王(wang)朝(chao)的(de)(de)(de)農民軍(jun),又不(bu)(bu)堪(kan)忍受滿族入侵的(de)(de)(de)殘酷(ku)現(xian)實,只得以(yi)死明(ming)(ming)志,最終實現(xian)了(le)他(ta)的(de)(de)(de)老師張元(yuan)忭所教誨的(de)(de)(de)“愛(ai)國(guo)忠君(jun)仗到誠(cheng),休將一念壞平生(sheng),勿(wu)欺(qi)請繹宣尼訓(xun),留取丹心答圣(sheng)明(ming)(ming)”的(de)(de)(de)人生(sheng)理(li)想。
吳(wu)(wu)道(dao)行(xing)死后(hou),就(jiu)葬于岳麓山(shan)云(yun)麓宮絕食地,長沙知府堵允錫特撰《吳(wu)(wu)嶁(lou)山(shan)墓(mu)(mu)碑》。根據史載,吳(wu)(wu)道(dao)行(xing)之(zhi)墓(mu)(mu)位于飛來(lai)石(shi)右(you)側山(shan)墈(kan)上,其(qi)原(yuan)配(pei)夫人石(shi)氏與其(qi)同穴而(er)葬,墓(mu)(mu)區(qu)簡(jian)約(yue)。2012年3月在云(yun)麓宮下(xia)發現了吳(wu)(wu)道(dao)行(xing)墓(mu)(mu),在云(yun)麓宮飛來(lai)石(shi)南側約(yue)100米的(de)茂密樹叢中(zhong),一塊飽(bao)經風雨侵蝕的(de)簡(jian)約(yue)石(shi)墓(mu)(mu)碑立在其(qi)中(zhong),“明崇禎(zhen)”、“吳(wu)(wu)嶁(lou)山(shan)墓(mu)(mu)”、“石(shi)氏”等石(shi)刻字樣仍(reng)隱約(yue)可見。
吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing),字(zi)見可(ke),號嶁山,善化人,是(shi)張(zhang)栻高(gao)(gao)足、南宋學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)者吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)獵之(zhi)后。吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)因(yin)歷鄉(xiang)試不果,終未走上仕途,一生(sheng)以講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)授徒為(wei)(wei)業(ye)。他(ta)(ta)(ta)從小(xiao)就對(dui)岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)有傾慕之(zhi)情(qing),“方七歲(sui),聞長(chang)老談岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)先賢(xian)(xian)講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue),便肅然傾聽,指(zhi)示(shi)古(gu)來(lai)(lai)忠(zhong)義(yi)大節(jie),輒色(se)喜”,為(wei)(wei)先賢(xian)(xian)之(zhi)忠(zhong)義(yi)大節(jie)所(suo)感動。1582年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(萬歷十(shi)(shi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),張(zhang)元(yuan)忭(bian)講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan),已逾“而立”之(zhi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)的(de)(de)吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing),從游就學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)其門下,與之(zhi)“大暢良知孝弟(di)之(zhi)旨(zhi),一時遂相(xiang)引(yin)重”,深得張(zhang)元(yuan)忭(bian)的(de)(de)贊賞。其時,被張(zhang)居正(zheng)禁廢(fei)的(de)(de)長(chang)沙惜陰書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)恢復,吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)被聘為(wei)(wei)山長(chang),人稱(cheng)“嶁山先生(sheng)”。1633年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(崇禎(zhen)六年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)),他(ta)(ta)(ta)任(ren)岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)山長(chang),長(chang)達10年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),臨終前2年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1642年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian),明(ming)朝(chao)覆亡前2年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))仍講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)其間。吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)作為(wei)(wei)明(ming)代岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)最后一任(ren)山長(chang),致力(li)于(yu)殷勤講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)貫朱張(zhang)之(zhi)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue),力(li)糾王學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)空疏流弊,使(shi)明(ming)末(mo)長(chang)沙岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)與無(wu)(wu)錫(xi)東林書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)成遙相(xiang)呼(hu)應之(zhi)勢。《善化縣志》稱(cheng)他(ta)(ta)(ta)“留心(xin)經(jing)史,百家(jia)諸子,兵餉軍(jun)政之(zhi)屬,部決利弊,悉見施(shi)行(xing)”,可(ke)見其學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)注(zhu)重務實。在學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)術上,他(ta)(ta)(ta)反對(dui)王學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)末(mo)流的(de)(de)荒誕,“篤倫敦義(yi),講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)窮理(li)”,“自余著(zhu)述(shu),藏之(zhi)家(jia)乘,揚之(zhi)國華(hua)”。吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)的(de)(de)思想(xiang)與提(ti)倡治(zhi)國平天下為(wei)(wei)“有用(yong)之(zhi)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)”,與極力(li)維護理(li)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)正(zheng)宗的(de)(de)東林學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)派十(shi)(shi)分接近。東林學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)派傳人無(wu)(wu)錫(xi)高(gao)(gao)世泰(tai)稱(cheng)贊吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)“道(dao)(dao)(dao)以朱張(zhang)為(wei)(wei)宗,與文端(duan)(顧憲成)、忠(zhong)寬揆(高(gao)(gao)攀龍)固一也(ye),可(ke)不謂衡湘之(zhi)賢(xian)(xian)哲哉”,肯定(ding)他(ta)(ta)(ta)與顧憲成、高(gao)(gao)攀龍思想(xiang)的(de)(de)共(gong)同之(zhi)處,以及他(ta)(ta)(ta)們對(dui)延(yan)傳“道(dao)(dao)(dao)南正(zheng)脈”的(de)(de)貢獻。1641年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(崇禎(zhen)十(shi)(shi)四年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian))高(gao)(gao)世泰(tai)任(ren)湖(hu)廣按察使(shi)僉事提(ti)督學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)政,次年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)來(lai)(lai)岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue),并(bing)協助修葺書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)與高(gao)(gao)世泰(tai)成為(wei)(wei)至(zhi)交好友,二人共(gong)同為(wei)(wei)恢復理(li)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)正(zheng)宗,培養湖(hu)湘弟(di)子而竭心(xin)盡力(li)。他(ta)(ta)(ta)們的(de)(de)最大功績(ji)是(shi)培養出了像(xiang)王夫(fu)之(zhi)這樣的(de)(de)一代賢(xian)(xian)才(cai)。王夫(fu)之(zhi)在吳(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)道(dao)(dao)(dao)行(xing)任(ren)山長(chang)、高(gao)(gao)世泰(tai)來(lai)(lai)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)講(jiang)(jiang)(jiang)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)期間開入岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)肄業(ye),成為(wei)(wei)明(ming)代岳(yue)麓(lu)(lu)書(shu)(shu)(shu)院(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)最杰出的(de)(de)學(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)(xue)生(sheng),后來(lai)(lai)成為(wei)(wei)與顧炎武、黃宗羲齊名的(de)(de)大思想(xiang)家(jia)。