The Political Thoughts Derived from Cosmolgical of Yin Yang Wu Xing during Chin and Han Dynasty:A Study on the Origin and Development
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
Li, Guo-Xi
Abstract
This thesis aims at addressing the issue of providing an insightful perspective into how the political thoughts, during the Chin and Han Dynasty, were derived from the
cosmological concept of Ying and Yang, as well as the five elements of Wu Xin (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth). The motivation to initiate a research like this lies in the fact that the concept of Ying Yang Wu Xin has been, commonly but unfortunately, regarded as nothing more but archaic superstition by acamedia (especially since the concept of empirical science and technology were introduced
into China during the late Qing dynasty). This common belief is reflected in the fact that the majority of the academic analysis surrounding Ying Yang Wu Xin (mainly
since the early Republican Era) inclined to conclude that this cosmological system was obscure and absurd. It was not until roughly two decades ago that a more positive attitude towards Ying Yang Wu Xin was adopted by a number of sinologists who are convinced that the ancient cosmological system in China was not simply an archaic practice of superstition. Over the years, their research on Ying Yang Wu Xin offers a different approach to understanding the concept of the system.
The path undertaken by those sinologists who adopt a new approach to understanding Ying Yang Wu Xin sheds further light on the mythical system. Based on the light they shed on, my research focus aims at a comprehensive analysis of the structure of the system of Ying Yang Wu Xin. In addition, the way this system evolved over time to be embedded into the political scheme during Chin and Han Dynasty will also be discussed. To fully comprehend the structure, this thesis consults back to a large number of primary sources documenting Ying Yang Wu Xin already existing in the Pre-Chin and Pre-Han eras. The primary sources will be examined chronologically, which makes this thesis different from many other studies on the same subject, since other studies tend to only concentrate on four books (呂氏春秋,淮南鴻烈,春秋繁露,白虎通義) in a non-chronological order. Examining the primary sources makes it
clear that the documentation and the discourses on Ying Yang Wu Xin system are established by the aristocracy - the ruling class - which implies that Ying Yang Wu Xin actually is closely associated with politics in the first place.
In the first part of the thesis, the evolution of the concept of Ying Yang Wu Xin will be discussed. The significance of Wu Xin starts as the basis on which the earliest Chinese calendar was made. The promulgation of the calendar gave the ruling class a clear direction towards how a country should be managed and administrated. The
observation of the celestial bodies Wu Xin (Five Stars: Mercury, Venus Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn ), as well as the Plough (Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar,
and Alkaid) were later incorporated into the Wu Xin system to be transformed into one complete astronomical system built on the basis of the concept of Ying and Yang.
The astronomical system gradually infiltrated through the religious system and eventually through the political system to originate the principals of Wu De (Five
Morality) and the myths of San Huang Wu Di (Three Emperors and Five Kings).
The myths of San Huang Wu Di, in this regard, are the reflection of the early political establishment based on the astronomical system. More political administrative ideas
derived from the astronomical system were introduced afterwards, such as the idea of Wu Yin (Five ancient Chinese musical notes: Sol, La, Do, Re, Mi) to transform what had begun as an astronomical system into a major political scheme efficiently operated during the Chin and Han dynasty .
Subjects
Yin Yang Wu Xing
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
ntu-99-D89124003-1.pdf
Size
23.53 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):630c68c377e890a40de1bee5294922bd