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Xuanxue
Xuanxue (), sometimes called Neo-Daoism (Neo-Taoism), is a metaphysical Post-classical history, post-classical Chinese philosophy from the Six Dynasties (222-589), bringing together Taoist and Confucianism, Confucian beliefs through revision and discussion. The movement found its scriptural support both in Taoist and drastically reinterpreted Confucian sources. ''Xuanxue'', or "Mystic Learning", came to reign supreme in cultural circles, especially at Jiankang during the period of division. The concept represented the more abstract, unworldly, and idealistic tendency in early medieval Chinese thought. ''Xuanxue'' philosophers combined elements of Confucianism and Taoism to reinterpret the ''I Ching'', ''Daodejing'' and ''Zhuangzi (book), Zhuangzi''. Definition The name first compounds ''xuan'' () "black, dark; mysterious, profound, abstruse, arcane." It occurs in the first chapter of the ''Daodejing'' ("，"). The word ''xuan'' literally depicts a shade of deep, mystical, dark red ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pei Wei (Jin Dynasty)
Pei Wei (267 – 7 May 300), courtesy name Yimin, was a Chinese essayist, philosopher, physician, and politician of the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dynasty. He was the cousin of Jia Nanfeng and rose to prominence during the reign of her husband, Emperor Hui of Jin, Sima Zhong. Pei Wei was seen by traditional historian as one of Empress Jia's exemplary supporters along with Zhang Hua and Jia Mo. He pushed for a number of significant reforms during his tenure which met with mixed success before his execution by the Prince of Zhao, Sima Lun, in May 300 following Sima Lun's coup. Pei Wei placed great importance in conventional Confucianism, Confucianist teachings, and was taken aback by the growing popularity of Xuanxue in the court during the 290s. His essay, the ''Chongyoulun'' (), was a response to the works of He Yan and Wang Bi, particularly on their idea that the universe emerged from the concept of "non-being" (''wu'', ). Life Early life and career Pei Wei was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
He Yan
He Yan ( 195 – 9 February 249), courtesy name Pingshu, was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a grandson of He Jin, a general and regent of the Eastern Han dynasty. His father, He Xian, died early, so his mother, Lady Yin, remarried the warlord Cao Cao. He Yan thus grew up as Cao Cao's stepson. He gained a reputation for intelligence and scholarship at an early age, but he was unpopular and criticised for being arrogant and dissolute. He was rejected for government positions by both emperors Cao Pi and Cao Rui, but became a minister during the rule of Cao Shuang. When the Sima family took control of the government in a ''coup d'état'' in 249, he was executed along with all the other officials loyal to Cao Shuang. He Yan was, along with Wang Bi, one of the founders of the Daoist school of Xuanxue. He synthesised the philosophical schools of Daoism and Confucianism, believing that the two schools co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Philosophy
Chinese philosophy (Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 中国哲学; Traditional Chinese characters, traditional Chinese: 中國哲學) refers to the philosophical traditions that originated and developed within the historical and cultural context of China. It encompasses systematic reflections on issues such as existence, knowledge, ethics, and politics. Evolving over more than two millennia, Chinese philosophy includes classical traditions such as Confucianism, Taoism, Daoism, and Buddhism, as well as modern responses to Western philosophical currents. As a cultural form of philosophy, it addresses universal philosophical concerns while also reflecting the specific historical and social conditions of China. The historical development of Chinese philosophy began during the Spring and Autumn period, Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, Warring States periods, a time known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought". Major schools such as Confucianism, Taoism, Da ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taoist
Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', 'path', or 'technique', generally understood in the Taoist sense as an enigmatic process of transformation ultimately underlying reality. Taoist thought has informed the development of various practices within the Taoist tradition and beyond, including forms of meditation, astrology, qigong, feng shui, and internal alchemy. A common goal of Taoist practice is self-cultivation, a deeper appreciation of the Tao, and more harmonious existence. Taoist ethics vary, but generally emphasize such virtues as '' effortless action'', ''naturalness'', ''simplicity'', and the three treasures of compassion, frugality, and humility. The core of Taoist thought crystallized during the early Warring States period (), during which the epigrammatic an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taoism
Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', 'path', or 'technique', generally understood in the Taoist sense as an enigmatic process of transformation Ultimate reality, ultimately underlying reality. Taoist thought has informed the development of various practices within the Taoist tradition and beyond, including forms of Taoist meditation, meditation, Chinese astrology, astrology, qigong, feng shui, and Neidan, internal alchemy. A common goal of Taoist practice is self-cultivation, a deeper appreciation of the Tao, and more harmonious existence. Taoist ethics vary, but generally emphasize such virtues as ''wu wei, effortless action'', ziran, ''naturalness'', ''pu (Taoism), simplicity'', and the Three Treasures (Taoism), three treasures of compassion, frugality, and humility. The co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guo Xiang
Guo Xiang (; 252–312) is credited with the first and most important revision of the text known as the '' Zhuangzi'' which, along with the ''Tao Te Ching'', forms the textual and philosophical basis of the Taoist school of thought. He was also a scholar of xuanxue. ''Zhuangzi'' The Guo Xiang redaction of ''Zhuangzi'' revised a fifty-two chapter original by removing material he thought was superstitious and generally not of philosophical interest to his literati sensibilities, resulting in a thirty-three chapter total. He appended a philosophical commentary to the text that became famous, and within four centuries his shorter and snappier expurgated recension became the only one known. This ''Zhuangzi'' recension is traditionally divided into three sections: ‘Inner Chapters’ (1-7), ‘Outer Chapters’ (8-22), ‘Miscellaneous Chapters’ (23-33). This division is quite old and is likely to have been part of the original recension. Guo's redaction focuses on his understa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qingtan
''Qingtan'' () was a Chinese philosophical movement and social practice among political and intellectual elites which developed during the Wei- Jin () period and continued on through the Southern and Northern dynasties. Originating among Daoist scholars, particularly those belonging to the syncretic Xuanxue school, ''qingtan'' involved "pure conversation" concerning metaphysics and philosophy in the form of informal gatherings for discourse and debate. These gatherings originated as politically impartial continuations of the more explicitly politically "pure criticism" () protests of the later Han dynasty. As their popularity increased, these conversations were enriched by the participation of Buddhist and Confucian scholars. Consequently, their scope broadened to include a greater variety of perspectives and topics, including the discussion of Confucian ethics and Buddhist sutras. See also * Xuanxue * Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (als ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of human understanding. Some philosophers, including Aristotle, designate metaphysics as first philosophy to suggest that it is more fundamental than other forms of philosophical inquiry. Metaphysics encompasses a wide range of general and abstract topics. It investigates the nature of existence, the features all entities have in common, and their division into categories of being. An influential division is between particulars and universals. Particulars are individual unique entities, like a specific apple. Universals are general features that different particulars have in common, like the color . Modal metaphysics examines what it means for something to be possible or necessary. Metaphysicians also explore the concepts of space, time, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wang Bi
Wang Bi ( zh, 王弼; 226–249), courtesy name Fusi ( zh, 輔嗣), was a Chinese philosopher and politician. During his brief career, he produced commentaries on the ''Tao Te Ching'' and ''I Ching'' which were highly influential in Chinese philosophy. Life and background Wang Bi's grandfather Wang Kai (王凯) was a clansman of Wang Can, one of the Seven Scholars of Jian'an, while Wang Kai's wife was a daughter of the warlord Liu Biao. After Wang Can's two sons were implicated in Wei Feng's rebellion in 219 and executed, Wang Bi's father Wang Ye was made Wang Can's heir; Wang Ye also inherited Wang Can's library of about 10000 volumes (including books from Cai Yong's collection). Wang Bi served as a minor bureaucrat in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He died from an epidemic at the age of 23. Wang Bi's most important works are commentaries on Laozi's ''Tao Te Ching'' and the ''I Ching''. The text of the ''Tao Te Ching'' that appeared with his comme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xiang Xiu
Xiang Xiu () is one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. His most famous contribution is a commentary on the Zhuangzi, which was later used and amended by Guo Xiang. After his friend Xi Kang was killed by the ruling Jin dynasty, Xiang carefully interpreted his previous antagonistic words to the emperor, Sima Zhao in a new light. Thus he avoided the charge of treason, unlike his friend. He wrote the work '' Xiang Xiu Biequan'' ("Separate Biography"). References * Richard B. Mather, "The Controversy over Conformity and Naturalness during the Six dynasties", ''History of Religions'', Vol. 9. See also *Guo Xiang Guo Xiang (; 252–312) is credited with the first and most important revision of the text known as the '' Zhuangzi'' which, along with the ''Tao Te Ching'', forms the textual and philosophical basis of the Taoist school of thought. He was als ... Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove Cao Wei government officials Jin dynasty (266–420) government officials Pol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Wilhelm (sinologist)
Richard Wilhelm (10 May 18732 March 1930) was a German sinologist, theologian and missionary. He lived in China for 25 years, became fluent in spoken and written Chinese, and grew to love and admire the Chinese people. He is best remembered for his translations of philosophical works from Chinese into German that in turn have been translated into other major languages of the world, including English. His translation of the '' I Ching'' is still regarded as one of the finest, as is his translation of '' The Secret of the Golden Flower''; both were provided with introductions by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, who was a personal friend. Lau Nui Suan introduced Wilhelm to Chinese yoga philosophy and the psychology of the ''I Ching''. His son Hellmut Wilhelm was also a sinologist and was professor of Chinese at the University of Washington. Wilhelm was a close friend of the renowned Chinese educator and diplomat Dr. Li Linsi. The Richard Wilhelm Translation Centre at R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Syncretism (Chinese Philosophy)
Syncretism or the Mixed School () in Chinese philosophy is an eclectic school of thought that combined elements of Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, and Legalism. The Syncretist texts include the '' Shizi'', '' Lüshi Chunqiu'', and ''Huainanzi The ''Huainanzi'' is an ancient Chinese text made up of essays from scholarly debates held at the court of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, before 139 BCE. Compiled as a handbook for an enlightened sovereign and his court, the work attempts to defi ...''. The (c. 330 BCE) ''Shizi'' is the earliest of the Syncretist texts. References Classical Chinese philosophy Confucianism Taoist schools Mohism Schools and traditions in ancient Chinese philosophy Syncretism {{China-philo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
