On 'Basing on Huang-Lao' Han Fei Tzu's Comments on 'Tao'
Resource
國立臺灣大學哲學論評, 22, 187-213
Journal
國立臺灣大學哲學論評
Journal Issue
22
Pages
187-213
Date Issued
1999-01
Date
1999-01
Author(s)
Wang, H.P.
Abstract
The Historian Szu-ma Chien's comments on Han Fei Zi: 'Emphasizing Xin Ming Fa Shu, and basing his views on Huang-Lao.' Since Huang disappeared, and contents of two chapters of Han Fei Tzu, Interpretation of Lao and Analogy of Lao, were not quite the same of Lao Tzu, besides, a lot of his views of Xin Min Fa Shu were different from Lao Tzu, hence a lot of scholars suspected these comments on Tao and Te in Han Fei Tzu were actually the works of Taoists of Warring Era or West Han Dynasty. After Lao Tzu, according to my arguments, Taoists putted forward Zhuang Tzu and 'Huang-Lao' (The Four Political Treatises of the Yellow Emperor), both inherited and expanded the thoughts of Lao Tzu. Han Fei's thoughts inherited and expanded 'Huang-Lao'. Interpretation of Lao and Analogy of Lao were inheritance and expansion of the thoughts of Lao Tzu too. His views of Xin Min Fa Shu may differ from thoughts of Lao Tzu and Zhuang Tzu, but were not far from thoughts of The Four Political Treatises of the Yellow Emperor of 'Huang-Lao'. Therefore, Han Fei's arguments on Tao were in fact ' basing on Huang-Lao'. Scholars doubts arose from the disappearance of The Four Political Treatises of the Yellow Emperor, and from their misunderstanding of 'Huang-Lao'.
Type
journal article