Challenging Chuang-Tzu :A Study on Kuo-Hsiang's Interpretation of Chuang-Tzu
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Shen, Yen-Yu
Abstract
This study is different from common studies of Chinese academic history, which discuss Kuo-Hsiang''s Commentary on Chuang-Tzu from the perspectives of Chinese academic development or the origin of thoughts. On the contrary, this study tries to explore the methods and meanings of Kuo-Hsiang''s commentary on Chuang-Tzu within the scope of the text in Chuang-Tzu. The first chapter of this study discusses the research questions and methods. From my point of view, if we want to know why Kuo-Hsiang made such comments on Chuang-Tzu, we have to understand Chuang-Tzu from Kuo-Hsiang''s perspectives. Only by putting ourselves in Kuo-Hsiang''s shoes can we realize the reasons of his commentary on Chuang-Tzu. The second chapter of this study discusses Kuo-Hsiang''s interpretation of the“implicit contents”（chi-yen寄言） in Chuang-Tzu. Kuo-Hsiang argued that parts of the contents in Chuang-Tzu are implicit; therefore, people should understand the intention of Chuang-Tzu''s writing in order to grasp his main ideas. Kuo-Hsiang regarded the contents that seem to be ridiculous, or the contents that criticize saints as the implicit contents in Chuang-Tzu. Through using three types of interpretation models, Kuo-Hsiang indicated that the main idea of Chuang-Tzu is neither to encourage people to become hermits nor to defame saints; on the contrary, it is“to engage in the world and care for people.”（she-su-kai-shih涉俗蓋世） The third chapter of this study discusses Kuo-Hsiang''s dialectics for the paradox in Chuang-Tzu. Paradox signifies the expression that is against logic and common knowledge. Kuo-Hsiang argued that the paradox in Chuang-Tzu is aimed at eliminating binary opposition thinking and anticipating that readers understand the concept of“non-opposite”（wu-tui無對） in order to accomplish a peaceful world that“all things on earth can grow and develop spontaneously.”（wan-wu-tu-hua萬物獨化） The fourth chapter of this study discusses Kuo-Hsiang''s method of integrating the chapters in Chuang-Tzu. There are thirty-three chapters in Chuang-Tzu, and each chapter has a different topic. Besides, conflicts also exist among contents of some chapters. In order to eliminate the existing conflicts and narrow down the topics, Kuo-Hsiang adopted the method of“interpreting Chuang-Tzu in light of the contents in Chuang-Tzu.”（i-chuang-chieh-chuang以莊解莊） He then formed an intact ideology that closely connects one chapter with another in Chuang-Tzu. The last chapter reviews the whole study and discusses Chuang-Tzu from Kuo-Hsiang''s point of view. The study comes to three conclusions in the end.
Subjects
Kuo-Hsiang
Commentary on Chuang-Tzu
Classics Interpretation
Hermeneutics
Methods of Commentary
Implicit Contents
Non-opposite
Type
thesis
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