Wuji (philosophy)

In Chinese philosophy, ''wújí'' (, meaning 'without limit') originally referred to infinity but came to mean the "primordial universe" prior to the "Supreme Ultimate" state of being ( ''Taiji'', ) in the Neo-Confucianist cosmology of Song China.

'' Wuji'' is also a proper noun in Modern Standard Chinese usage; for instance, Wuji County in Hebei.

The word ''Wuji''

Chinese ''wuji'' "limitless; infinite" is a compound of the nothingness concept of wu and ''ji'' (ridgepole > limit, extremity, utmost). In analogy with the figurative meanings of English ', Chinese ''ji'' "ridgepole" can mean "geographical pole; direction" (e.g., ''siji'' "four corners of the earth; world's end"), " magnetic pole" ''Beiji'' "North Pole", ''Nanji'' "South Pole", ''yangji'' "positive pole; anode" ''yinji'' "negative pole; cathode"), (''baji'' "farthest points of the universe; remotest place").

Common English translations of the cosmological ''Wuji'' are "Ultimateless" (Fung and Bodde 1953, Robinet 2008) or "Limitless" (Zhang and Ryden 2002), but other versions are "the ultimate of Nothingness" (Chang 1963), "that which has no Pole" (Needham and Ronan 1978), or "Non-Polar" (Adler 1999).

In Chinese texts

''Wuji'' references are found in Chinese classic texts associated with diverse schools of Chinese philosophy, including Taoism, Confucianism, and School of Names. Zhang and Ryden summarize the philosophical transformation of ''wuji'' "limitless".

The expression 'limitless' and its relatives are found in the ''Laozi'' and the ''Zhuangzi'' and also in writings of the logicians. It has no special philosophical meaning. In Song-dynasty philosophy, however, the same expression 'limitless' should be translated as 'ultimate of beinglessness,' for the negative element is no longer qualifying the word 'limit' but is rather qualified by the word 'limit,' here to be translated into Song philosophical jargon as 'ultimate'. Wu = Nothingness, Void, Zero; Chi = Energy. Even science now says that the ground state of our universe is made of zero point energy. Wu-chi is the source of Tai-Chi. (2002:71)

''Daodejing''

The term ''Wuji'' first appears in a ''Daodejing'' context (c. 4th century BCE) about returning to one's original nature.

Know whiteness, Maintain blackness, and be a model for all under heaven. By being a model for all under heaven, Eternal integrity will not err. If eternal integrity does not err, You will return to infinity.(知其白，守其黑，為天下式。為天下式，常德不忒，復歸於無極。) (28, tr. Mair 1990:93)

''Zhuangzi''

The Taoist ''Zhuangzi'' (c. 3rd–2nd centuries BCE) uses ''wuji'' "limitless; infinity" four times.

I was astounded by his words, which were limitless as the Milky Way. They were extravagant and remote from human experience.(吾驚怖其言，猶河漢而無極也；大有徑庭，不近人情焉。) (1, tr. Mair 1994:6)

Who can associate in non-association and cooperate in noncooperation? Who can ascend to heaven and wander in the mists, bounding through infinity, forgetting themselves in life forever and ever without end? (孰能相與於无相與，相為於无相為？孰能登天遊霧，撓挑無極，相忘以生，无所終窮？)(6, tr. Mair 1994:59)

To enter the gate of inexhaustibility And to roam in the fields of infinity. I shall mingle my light with that of the sun and moon, And will become eternal with heaven and earth.(入无窮之門，以遊无極之野。吾與日月參光，吾與天地為常。) (11, tr. Mair 1994:97)

ewould forget everything, yet he would possess everything. His tranquility would be unlimited, yet a multitude of excellences would follow in his wake. This is the Way of heaven and earth, the integrity of the sage.(无不忘也，无不有也，澹然无極而衆美從之。此天地之道，聖人之德也。) (15, tr. Mair 1994:145)

''Wuji'' in ''Zhuangzi'', say Zhang and Ryden (2002:72), "always refers to the infinite and the boundless."

This text also uses the related word ''wuqiong'' "infinite; endless; inexhaustible" 25 times, for instance,

Supposing there were someone who could ride upon the truth of heaven and earth, who could chariot upon the transformations of the six vital breaths and thereby go wandering in infinity, what would he have to rely on?(若夫乘天地之正，而御六氣之辯，以遊無窮者，彼且惡乎待哉？) (1, tr. Mair 1994:6)

The ''Zhuangzi'' uses ''wuqiong'' quoting a relativistic theory from the School of Names philosopher Hui Shi; (tr. Mair 1994:344) "The southern direction is limitless yet it has a limit."

''Xunzi''

The (c. 3rd century BCE) Confucianist '' Xunzi'' uses ''wuji'' "boundless" three times. One context describing a legendary horse parallels it with ''wuqiong'' "inexhaustible".

Qiji could cover 1,000 ''li'' in a single day, but if a worn-out nag takes the journey in ten stages, then it, too, can cover the distance. Are you going to try to exhaust the inexhaustible and pursue the boundless? If you do, then though you break your bones and wear out your flesh in the attempt, in the end it will be impossible to reach your goal.(夫驥一日而千里，駑馬十駕則亦及之矣。將以窮無窮，逐無極與？其折骨絶筋，終身不可以相及也。) (2, tr. Knoblock 1988:155)

''Huainanzi''

The (2nd century BCE) ''Huainanzi'' uses ''Wuji'' six times. One syntactically playful passage says a sage can ''qiong wuqiong'' "exhaust the inexhaustible" (used in ''Xunzi'' above) and ''ji wuji'' " o to theextreme fthe extremeless".

It is only these men who know how to preserve the root from which all creation springs, and the causes, or antecedents, of all the affairs of life. Therefore they are all able to pursue their investigations without limit, and to reach that which has no end; they understand all things thoroughly, without any misconception or delusion; they respond to all requirements as the echo to a sound, and that untiringly; and this ability may be called the endowment of Heaven.(萬物有所生，而獨知守其根；百事有所出，而獨知守其門。故窮無窮，極無極，照物而不眩，響應而不乏，此之謂天解。) (1, tr. Balfour 1884:86)

''Liezi''

The (c. 4th century CE) Taoist ''Liezi'' uses ''wuji'' "limitless" eight times in a cosmological dialogue (with ''wuqiong'' "inexhaustible" once).

"Have there always been things?"

–"If once there were no things, how come there are things now? Would you approve if the men who live after us say there are no things now?"

"In that case, do things have no before and after?"

–"The ending and starting of things have no limit from which they began. The start of one is the end of another, the end of one is the start of another. Who knows which came first? But what is outside things, what was before events, I do not know"

"In that case, is everything limited and exhaustible above and below in the eight directions?"

–"I do not know(不知也)" ...It is Nothing which is limitless, Something which is inexhaustible.(無則無極，有則有盡) (2) How do I know this?(；朕何以知之？) lacuna] ... (3) But also there is nothing limitless outside what is limitless, and nothing inexhaustible within what is inexhaustible. There is no limit, but neither is there anything limitless; there is no exhausting, but neither is there anything inexhaustible. That is why I know that they are limitless and inexhaustible, yet do not know where they may be limited and exhaustible"(然無極之外復無無極，無盡之中復無無盡。無極復無無極，無盡復無無盡。朕以是知其無極無盡也，而不知其有極有盡也). (5, tr. Graham 1980:94-5)

''Taijitu shuo''

The (11th century CE) ''Taijitu shuo'' "Explanation of the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate", written by the Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073 CE), was the cornerstone of Neo-Confucianist cosmology. His brief text synthesized Confucianist metaphysics of the ''Yijing'' with aspects of Daoism and Chinese Buddhism. In the ''Taijitu'' diagram, ''wuji'' is represented as a blank circle and ''taiji'' as a circle with a center point (world embryo) or with broken and unbroken lines (yin and yang).

Zhou's key terms Wuji and Taiji appear in the famous opening phrase ''wuji er taiji'' , which Adler notes could also be translated "The Supreme Polarity that is Non-Polar!".

Non-polar (''wuji'') and yet Supreme Polarity (''taiji'')! The Supreme Polarity in activity generates ''yang''; yet at the limit of activity it is still. In stillness it generates ''yin''; yet at the limit of stillness it is also active. Activity and stillness alternate; each is the basis of the other. In distinguishing ''yin'' and ''yang'', the Two Modes are thereby established. The alternation and combination of ''yang'' and ''yin'' generate water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. With these five hases of''qi'' harmoniously arranged, the Four Seasons proceed through them. The Five Phases are simply ''yin'' and ''yang''; ''yin'' and ''yang'' are simply the Supreme Polarity; the Supreme Polarity is fundamentally Non-polar. etin the generation of the Five Phases, each one has its nature. (tr. Adler 1999:673-4)

Robinet explains the relationship.

The ''taiji'' is the One that contains Yin and Yang, or the Three (as stated in ''Hanshu'' 21A). This Three is, in Taoist terms, the One (Yang) plus the Two (Yin), or the Three that gives life to all beings (''Daode jing'' 42), the One that virtually contains the multiplicity. Thus, the ''wuji'' is a limitless void, whereas the ''taiji'' is a limit in the sense that it is the beginning and the end of the world, a turning point. The ''wuji'' is the mechanism of both movement and quiescence; it is situated before the differentiation between movement and quiescence, metaphorically located in the space-time between the ''kun'' , or pure Yin, and ''fu'' , the return of the Yang. In other terms, while the Taoists state that ''taiji'' is metaphysically preceded by ''wuji'', which is the Dao, the Neo-Confucians say that the ''taiji'' is the Dao. (2008:1058)

See also

* Ein Sof
* Brahman

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wuji (Philosophy)
Chinese philosophy
Chinese culture
Chinese words and phrases
Taoist cosmology