The Relationship between the Academic Environment in Jin Dynasty and the Academic Realization of Guo Pu
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Chu, Hua-Man
Abstract
Guo Pu was one of the most significant characters in the field of occult culture, literature and natural philosophy in the Jin Dynasty. During then, new authorities were emerging in the field of academics, for example the development of Taoism with its rituals and geomancy, the expansion of the subjects of literature and poetry, the unearthed bamboo slips and the growing influence of natural philosophy. Guo Pu, amid this vibrant academic transformation, connected various fields together with his own knowledge and even further developed new ideas. This paper discusses the characteristics of Guo Pu’s academic realization in all aspects, as well as the influence his work had made upon the academic environment of the Jin Dynasty. The occult culture flourished during the Wei and Jin Dynasty. Guo Pu was among the advocators and executers. With his own talent and also the atmosphere of his contemporary era, he had attained an achievement in the field of divination and geomancy. By delving into Yi-ology and occult culture, we shall understand the pioneering importance Guo Pu held in this field. Occult culture affected both Guo Pu’s personality and his masterpieces. This can be seen in his work and annotations. As a prophet, Taoist immortal, and also a master of fung shui, Guo Pu played a magnificent role in Chinese subculture till now and he is truly worthy of his fame. By studying the antiquarian works Guo Pu had annotated, it is understood that his main interest in the academic field is natural philosophy, which is the more practical side of knowledge, including hermeneutics, social system, implements, animals, vegetation, and languages. Natural philosophy can be identified as the main intention of Guo Pu’s annotations, which applied numerous experiential demonstrations, centering on the integration of knowledge of all manners at that time. Both antiquarian books and lifetime experiences were sources for his annotations. Attempted hard to becoming a knowledgeable person in the tide of natural philosophy of the Wei and Jin Dynasty, Guo Pu devoted to annotation of antiquarian works and finally made himself the greatest natural philosopher of his time. Guo Pu made an artistic accomplishment in the innovation of poetry about immortals. In the aspect of the linguistic form, Guo Pu maintained the poetic aesthetics with rich and brilliant writings; in the aspect of content, he put together various elements into the poetry of immortals, including the quest of immortals, Yung Huai, seclusion and landscape, which resulted in a splendid harmony. Such success Guo Pu had reached with his poetry about immortals can be attributed to the unusualness of his contemporary society, his life experiences, his academic talent, religion, and also his broad interest in readings of ancient wisdom and documents. Not only the life of Guo Pu himself can be discovered in the studies of the poetry about immortals, but also the historical marks of the academic environment of the Jin Dynasty.
Subjects
Guo Pu
Academic Environment in Jin Dynasty
Divination
Natural Philosophy
Poetry about Immortals
Type
thesis
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