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1
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Opposing Shi Xu or Not？Maoshi Li Huang jijie’s Standpoint on Explaining Shijing
The ways of explaining Shijing experienced a breakthrough in the Northern Song dynasty. Researchers such as Ouyang Xiu, Wang Anshi and Su Shi have been noted for their contributions. However, through the Maoshi Li Huang jijie, written by Li Shu and Huang Chun, we learn that studies on the Shijing in the beginning of Southern Song didn’t necessarily emphasize new sayings and overlook old ones.
Regarding Maoshi Li Huang jijie, most previous research tends to give it some impressionistic criticism based on bibliographical monographs such as Zhi Zhai shulu jieti and Siku quanshu zongmu tiyao. However, later research came to two different conclusions, insisting either that Maoshi Li Huang jijie strictly complies with Shi Xu, or that Li Shu opposed Shi Xu but Huang Chun favored it. Therefore, this study analyzes Li’s and Huang’s comments on the Shi Xu to see what their real standpoint is. Furthermore, it shows how the impact of anti-Shi Xu thought that emerged in Northern Song affected the opinion on Shijing in the beginning of Southern Song. It is found that Li Shu criticized some sayings on the Shi Xu, but Huang Chun retained a more traditional approach.
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Huang, Chung-Shen |
2
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Yin Yang and Divination in the Book of Changes as Seen through the Philosophy of Mind: With Emphasis on Ji Ben
This paper investigates research on the Book of Changes (Yijing) by Ji Ben, a scholar in the Wang Yangming School during the Ming dynasty. Ji Ben proposed his theory of “Dragon Alerting” to address the disadvantages of the academic atmosphere resulting from the rise of the Cihu teaching. Ji’s theory is based on the Book of Changes and emphasized domination is more important than following one's nature. In addition, he believed that Yang was good and Yin was evil. Those issues gave rise to much discussion with academy mates, especially with Wang Longxi and Zou Dongkuo. By investigating Ji’s books, Yixue sitong and Shuoli huibian, this article argues that he not only continued developing his views on the “Dragon Alerting”, but also tried to resolve certain problems, such as the correction of negative comments on Yin by the inspiration gained during his debates with other scholars.
Ji’s theory of divination was strongly influenced by the Philosophy of Mind, in that he combined the revelations from divination with the conscience of spirit in isolation. Through internalizing divination into a process of moral introspection, he rendered the innate knowledge of the good. He named his book “Sitong” in order to unify teachings on the Book of Changes by the Four Saints (Fuxi, King Wen, the Duke of Zhou, and Confucius). He argued against Zhu Xi’s idea that the Four Saints are different and advocated a rule of divination different from that of Zhu Xi.
Ji Ben’s studies on the Book of Changes are valuable in understanding the development of interpreting the Book of Changes through the Philosophy of Mind, as well as in the evolution of intellectual thought during the Ming dynasty. |
Ho, Goang-ru |
3
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Differences in Confucian and Buddhist Thought and Cultural Implications Reflected in the “Debate over Eating while Squatting” in the Southern Dynasties
“Eating while squatting” was a type of sitting ritual by monks, where they would squat (sit with legs out) while eating. It began in the Wei-Jin Southern and Northern Dynasties in China. This paper considers the criticism of “eating while squatting” by Southern Dynasties scholars Zheng Daozi and Fan Tai, to clarify the processes and reasons for it. The perspective of interplay between Confucianism and Buddhism is used to observe the theoretical concepts in the debate between them, to interpret the perspectives and the related cultural implications.
Squatting was traditionally seen as an improper and disrespectful posture, and for monks to eating while squatting certainly challenged the acceptance customs, views, and ritual concepts of the Chinese, which elicited doubt and criticism. Ritualists tended to use the thought models in mysticism, such as: “essence/triviality,” “essence/function,” and “when meaning is understood, words can be forgotten” as theoretical tools to explicate the concept of sages “creating ceremony based on local customs.” In comparison, a monk considered the maintenance of principles of laws and monk organizational autonomy when using the “squatting” position while eating.
This paper finds that based on traditional cultural contexts, ritualists had many misunderstandings about the monk practice of eating while squatting. However, the purpose of the related debate was not to use Confucianism to govern Buddhism, but rather to introduce methods that both Confucians and Buddhists could accept—that is to use a cross-legged position as a compromise in sitting etiquette. |
Chi, Chih-chang |
4
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The Original Company of Li Yuan’s Meritorious Officials in the Taiyuan Uprising
The Guanlong clique seemed to have enjoyed significant advantages in dynastic continuity from the Western Wei to the Tang. The majority of the former officials of Taiyuan however had nothing to do with the Guanlong clique in terms of their family and regional backgrounds. Those collaborating with Li Yuan in overthrowing the Sui dynasty had typically shown their hatred and disappointment of the regime and some of them were even desperados not tolerated by the establishments. Drawing on local talents was also a policy adopted by Li Yuan to strengthen his anti-establishment ability. Another focus of this paper is to examine the impact and changes experienced by the Guan long clique during the Sui dynasty. Yang Jian and Yang Guang had already made use of the forces alienated by the regime to attack the establishments. In this process, members of the Guan long clique did not enjoy privileges; rather they became the target of persecution and purging. Such historical events indicate the inadequacy caused by applying the viewpoint that the continuity of the Guanlong clique was the reason for the Tang dynasty’s founding. |
NG Pak-sheung |
5
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Wang Fu-chih’s A Comprehensive Commentary of the Chu Ci Revisited：Its Significance in Chu Ci Studies and in Wang’s Establishment of His Poetics
A Comprehensive Commentary of the Chu Ci by Wang Fu-chih (Wang Ch’uan-shan) has not received due emphasis from the perspective of Chu Ci studies or from the development of Wang’s poetics. The traditional approach to the book succeeded in revealing Wang’s sentiments toward the termination of the Ming dynasty, but failed to provide a full understanding of the author together with his work: either the book was reckoned to be a manifestation of the sentiments from subjects of the Ming dynasty, or as a practice of typical Chu Ci exegesis. Wang’s exegetical attempts were influenced by two sources, both of which insisted on Qu Yuan’s patriotism and its disclosure: Chu Hsi’s A Great Collection of Commentaries on the Chu Ci, and the post-Sung dynasty poetic views (notably those of the commentators on Du Fu’s poetry). However, it is Wang’s achievement that he kept at a distance past critiques of the Chu Ci, and restored the close connection between Qu Yuan’s intents and verbal expressions. Thus Wang proposed another two approaches to the Chu Ci: firstly, Qu Yuan’s “intentional diversion,” a misleading yet provocative speculation for the studies of intellectual history, referring to Qu Yuan’s practice of internal alchemy (neidan); secondly, Qu Yuan’s “unintentional revelation,” a milestone toward Wang’s establishment of the theory of “sentiments and scenic writings incorporated,” was found in Qu Yuan’s detailed landscape description. |
Wu, Min-min |
6
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The Polyphony and Gender Implications of the ecriture en Virago in Liaozhai zhiyi
Liaozhai zhiyi (Strange Tales from a Rustic Studio) is a work that explores not only the strangeness but also the ebb and flow of the mundane world. With themes related to marriage and love stories taking up nearly one-third of the book, Liaozhai zhiyi shows its specific concern for Viragoes. Either from the traditional gender context or from an encounter that Pu Songlin himself had, Viragoes are usually objects to be judged and blamed. However, if viewed from a gender perspective, the Viragoes in Liaozhai zhiyi have in fact presented the transgression and violation of patriarchalism. In addition to the intention of the author, in Liaozhai zhiyi we can surely ‘hear’ the intricate voices and discourse involved in the ecriture en virago.
Therefore, this paper explores not only how Liaozhai zhiyi reveals heterogeneous voices and conflicts from the feminine stance but also how these voices form a dialectical dialogic interaction with traditional patriarchalism under the strong suppression of patriarchal society. To approach these issues, I focus on the ecriture en virago in marital contexts with an eye on Mikhail M. Bakhtin’s theory of fiction. Specific concerns of this paper lie in the following aspects:
1. Conflicts and wavering between ethics for females in the patriarchal context and virago performances.
2. Framing and avulsion of gender borders
3. Roots of virago performances vs. polygamy
4. Virtuous viragoes with ‘forceful’ love
5. Revival of the patriarchal tradition and the epilog of the virago voices. |
Chen, Chui-ying |
7
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On Lin Dai-yu’s Early Period Character
Lin Dai-yu is typically deemed as a representative figure of individualism in The Dream of the Red Chamber. In particular her character in the early part of the novel is typically highly evaluated as "sincere" (shuaizhen, 率真), as opposed to "hypocritical". This article carefully discusses such an evaluation. First, shuaizhen literally means ‘straightforward’ (shuai) and ‘authentic’ (zhen), and it is important to clarify their nuances. Second, we should carefully distinguish factual descriptions from value judgments. Equipped with these clarifications, we can compare Lin Dai-yu with other sincere-type figures. Last but not least, I discuss the background and the effect of commentators’ regarding sincerity as a value of cultural pursuit, addressing both the traditional “paradox of selfhood” (Andrew H. Plaks) and modern ego-centric individualism that recognizes individuals but not ensembles. |
Ou, Li-chuan |
8
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Intellectual Responses in Britain to the Lisbon Earthquake
This article gives an account of contemporary intellectual reactions in Great Britain to the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. Unlike French and German reactions to the earthquake, the British counterpart is much understudied. This article argues that the patterns of reactions in England and Scotland were very much different. In England, the Church took a leading role in making public sentiments about the event and its ramifications. It argues forcefully that the earthquake agitated an Evangelical revival and antipathy of Catholicism. In addition, many churchmen consciously appropriated the earthquake event to call for collective identity and loyalty of the convents on the eve the Seven Year’s War. Theologically, those churchmen were inspired by the event to dispute ideas of natural religion in face of Revelation religion. In Scotland, however, this paper argues, intellects and writers alike generally kept their view of religion as metaphysical as before. Not only the skeptical David Hume, but also moderate Adam Ferguson, Church leaders such as Hugh Blair and others said no words of the earthquake. The collective silence in Scotland shows their hesitation to Revelation religion. Accordingly, physical evils were treated as pragmatic issues and severed from religious or transcendental meanings. |
Chen, Jeng-guo |
9
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Psychoanalysis and Political Philosophy: Freud, the Last and the Greatest Modernist
This paper discussed the relation between psychoanalysis and western political philosophy. If the characteristic trait of Modernism was what Kant mean by “the insocial sociability of mankind,” I argue that Freud was the last and the greatest modernist.
Firstly, for Freud, the most important feature of human beings was the ambivalence of affection. Therefore, on the one hand, humans were by nature a political animal, that is to say that there was always a social relationship between men; but on the other hand, humans are also an anti-political animal, because the original structure of human desire is incompatible with the civilisation or the common life with the others.
Secondly, this structural paradox in the psychological world made Freud exclaim that there was an impossible synthesis between the human desire and the demand of culture. The symptom of neurosis for the modern man was the witness of the impossibility cohabitation between the satisfaction of individual desire and the fulfillment of strict cultural requirements.
Finally, I conclude that the “formation” of a social relationship is a “transformation” of a non-relation which is nothing but a kind of narcissistic movement. As the same, the absence of social relationship or the state of narcissism made it necessarily that men live together. |
Lee, Chien-Chang |
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