Discussing the Yidao (易道) Thinking in the Tianrui (天瑞) Chapter of the Liezi
Resource
國立臺灣大學哲學論評, 23, 019-050
Journal
國立臺灣大學哲學論評
Journal Issue
23
Pages
019-050
Date Issued
2000-01
Date
2000-01
Author(s)
Lin, Y.J.
Abstract
The paper is divided into six sections. 1. Introduction, 2. The contents of the yidao thinking, 3. The relationship between the tianrui chapter and qianwei-chenzaodu, 4. The thinking of the tianrui chapter, 5. The distinctiveness of the yidao thinking in the tianrui chapter, 6. Conclusion. This paper builds on the essay "Emptiness in the Liezi" by the same author. There the author already argued that Liezi was written in Pre-Qin times. Thus we can use the tianrui chapter to discuss the thinking of Liezi. In this paper it is argued that then yidao thinking does not only exist in the Zhouyi, but also in the tianrui chapter of the Liezi. As far as the relationship between the tianrui chapter and the qianwei-chenzaodu is concerned, the paper advances new arguments that support the view that the qianwei-chenzaodu copied from the tianrui, not the other way around. At the same time it argues that tianrui should be read as tianduan. When tracing the yidao thinking through the Yizhuan, the Laozi and the Liezi the author finds differences and similarities. In the Yizhuan Confucianists use the hexagrams of the Yijing to express the notion of the mutuality of yin/yang and gang/rou. Although the Laozi does not refer to the hexagrams, the notions of "returning to the roots" and "being empty and quiet", as expressed in the sun and the fu hexagram in the Yijing, are being adopted by the Laozi. Liezi builds on these notions in the Laozi and further develops them.
Subjects
易道
天瑞
太易
易緯
列子
Yidao
Tianrui chapter
Tai-yi
Qianwei
Laozi
Type
journal article