On the Relationship between the Emergence of Pre-Qin Zajia and Hanfeizi
Date Issued
2010
Date
2010
Author(s)
Wu, Tien-Di
Abstract
This thesis focuses on the emergence and development of the school of zajia 雜家in the pre-Qin era. Specific attention will be given to Lüshi chunqiu 呂氏春秋, a book that fits squarely in the zajia tradition. Another book, Hanfeizi 韓非子, while not of the zajia tradition, is a contemporary work with Lüshi chunqiu and has a strong connection with the kingdom of Qin 秦國. As a result, Hanfeizi should bear some points of commonality with pre-Qin zajia thought. Although Hanfeizi has long been viewed as the synthesis and culmination of Legalism, at the time the various schools of thought drew from each other. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that some zajia thought should be found in it. In this regard, Lüshi chunqiu will be used as a benchmark of pre-Qin zajia thought in order to explore deeper dimensions of Hanfeizi, including its background, philosophical thought, and literary quality. This will reveal, to a greater degree, the type of “interaction” that occurred between the zajia and Hanfeizi. A clearer view of the interaction between the various schools of thought will emerge, allowing us to understand better their intrinsic value and influence on later generations.
The thesis is divided into four chapters. Chapter 1 contains an introduction and explanation on research motivations, methods, and limitations. Chapter 2 provides necessary research and background information needed to properly address the topic at hand. This includes discussion on the formation and development of zajia in the pre-Qin era by researching original meaning of the character za 雜, and then adding information gleaned from ancient bibliographies on books from this school of thought. At the end of this chapter, much attention is given to explaining the philosophy, value, and benchmark contained in Lüshi chunqiu. Chapter 3 examines the “interaction” between pre-Qin zajia and Hanfeizi using conclusions from previous chapters. Chapter 4 presents the results and conclusions of the thesis, as well as extension questions related to this topic.
Subjects
pre-Qin philosophers
zajia
L?shi chunqiu
Han Fei
Hanfeizi
Type
thesis
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Loading...
Name
ntu-98-R95121014-1.pdf
Size
23.53 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum
(MD5):40dc4d1b2b0c081f2d764a3623fa82f3