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Xuanxue
Xuanxue (), sometimes called Neo-Daoism (Neo-Taoism), is a metaphysical post-classical Chinese philosophy from the Six Dynasties (222-589), bringing together Taoist and Confucian beliefs through revision and discussion. The movement found its scriptural support both in Taoist and drastically-reinterpreted Confucian sources. ''Xuanxue'', or "Mystic Learning", came to reign supreme in cultural circles, especially at Jiankang during the period of division. The concept represented the more abstract, unworldly, and idealistic tendency in early medieval Chinese thought. ''Xuanxue'' philosophers combined elements of Confucianism and Taoism to reinterpret the ''I Ching'', ''Daodejing'' and ''Zhuangzi''. Definition The name first compounds ''xuan'' () "black, dark; mysterious, profound, abstruse, arcane." It occurs in the first chapter of the ''Daodejing'' ("，"). The word ''xuan'' literally depicts a shade of deep, mystical, dark red. ''Daodejing'' speaks of the ''Dao'' as ''Xuan'', more ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guo Xiang
Guo Xiang (; born 252 AD – died 312 AD) is credited with the first and most important revision of the text known as the ''Zhuangzi'' which, along with the ''Tao Te Ching'', forms the textual and philosophical basis of the Taoist school of thought. He was also a scholar of xuanxue. ''Zhuangzi'' The Guo Xiang redaction of ''Zhuangzi'' revised a fifty-two chapter original by removing material he thought was superstitious and generally not of philosophical interest to his literati sensibilities, resulting in a thirty-three chapter total. He appended a philosophical commentary to the text that became famous, and within four centuries his shorter and snappier expurgated recension became the only one known. This ''Zhuangzi'' recension is traditionally divided into three sections: ‘Inner Chapters’ (1-7), ‘Outer Chapters’ (8-22), ‘Miscellaneous Chapters’ (23-33). This division is quite old and is likely to have been part of the original recension. Guo's redaction focus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Post-classical History
In world history, post-classical history refers to the period from about 500 AD to 1500, roughly corresponding to the European Middle Ages. The period is characterized by the expansion of civilizations geographically and development of trade networks between civilizations. This period is also called the medieval era, post-antiquity era, post-ancient era, pre-modernity era or pre-modern era. In Asia, the spread of Islam created a series of caliphates and inaugurated the Islamic Golden Age, leading to advances in science in the medieval Islamic world and trade among the Asian, African and European continents. East Asia experienced the full establishment of power of Imperial China, which established several prosperous dynasties influencing Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. Religions such as Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism spread in the region. Gunpowder was developed in China during the post-classical era. The Mongol Empire connected Europe and Asia, creating safe trade and stability betwe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geomancy
Geomancy (Greek: γεωμαντεία, "earth divination") is a method of divination that interprets markings on the ground or the patterns formed by tossed handfuls of soil, rocks, or sand. The most prevalent form of divinatory geomancy involves interpreting a series of 16 figures formed by a randomized process that involves recursion, followed by analyzing them, often augmented with astrological interpretations. Geomancy was practiced by people from all social classes. It was one of the most popular forms of divination throughout Africa and Europe, particularly during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In Renaissance magic, geomancy was classified as one of the seven "forbidden arts", along with necromancy, hydromancy, aeromancy, pyromancy, chiromancy (palmistry), and spatulamancy (scapulimancy). History The word "geomancy", from Late Greek ''geōmanteía'', translates literally to "foresight by earth"; it is a calque translation of the Arabic term ''‛ilm al-raml'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Qingtan
''Qingtan'' () was a Chinese philosophical movement and social practice among political and intellectual elites which developed during the Wei- Jin () period and continued on through the Southern and Northern dynasties. Originating among Daoist scholars, particularly those belonging to the syncretic Xuanxue school, ''qingtan'' involved "pure conversation" concerning metaphysics and philosophy in the form of informal gatherings for discourse and debate. These gatherings originated as politically impartial continuations of the more explicitly politically "pure criticism" () protests of the later Han dynasty. As their popularity increased, these conversations were enriched by the participation of Buddhist and Confucian scholars. Consequently, their scope broadened to include a greater variety of perspectives and topics, including the discussion of Confucian ethics and Buddhist sutras. See also * Xuanxue * Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (also ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Wilhelm (sinologist)
Richard Wilhelm (10 May 18732 March 1930) was a German sinologist, theologian and missionary. He lived in China for 25 years, became fluent in spoken and written Chinese, and grew to love and admire the Chinese people. He is best remembered for his translations of philosophical works from Chinese into German that in turn have been translated into other major languages of the world, including English. His translation of the '' I Ching'' is still regarded as one of the finest, as is his translation of ''The Secret of the Golden Flower''; both were provided with introductions by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philo ..., who was a personal friend. Lau Nui Suan introduced Wilhelm to Chinese yoga philosophy and the psychology of the ''I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Syncretism (Chinese Philosophy)
Syncretism or the Mixed School () in Chinese philosophy is an eclectic school of thought that combined elements of Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, and Legalism. The Syncretist texts include the ''Huainanzi'', ''Lüshi Chunqiu The ''Lüshi Chunqiu'', also known in English as ''Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals'', is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239 BC under the patronage of the Qin Dynasty Chancellor Lü Buwei. In the evaluation of Micha ...'', and the '' Shizi''. The (c. 330 BCE) ''Shizi'' is the earliest of the Syncretist texts. References Chinese philosophy Confucianism Taoist schools Mohism Movements in ancient Chinese philosophy Syncretism {{China-philo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sage (philosophy)
A sage ( grc, σοφός, ''sophos''), in classical philosophy, is someone who has attained wisdom. The term has also been used interchangeably with a 'good person' ( grc, ἀγαθός, ''agathos''), and a 'virtuous person' ( grc, σπουδαῖος, ''spoudaios''). Among the earliest accounts of the sage begin with Empedocles' ''Sphairos''. Horace describes the ''Sphairos'' as "Completely within itself, well-rounded and spherical, so that nothing extraneous can adhere to it, because of its smooth and polished surface."Pierre Hadot (1998).''The Inner Citadel'', trans. Michael Chase. Harvard University Press, p. 119 Alternatively, the sage is one who lives "according to an ideal which transcends the everyday." Several of the schools of Hellenistic philosophy have the sage as a featured figure. Karl Ludwig Michelet wrote that "Greek religion culminated with its true god, the sage"; Pierre Hadot develops this idea, stating that "the moment philosophers achieve a rational conception ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pei Wei (Jin Dynasty)
Pei Wei (267–300), courtesy name Yimin, was a Chinese essayist, philosopher, physician, and politician of the Western Jin dynasty. He was the cousin of Jia Nanfeng and rose to prominence during the reign of her husband, the Emperor Hui of Jin. Pei Wei was seen by traditional historian as one of Empress Jia's exemplary supporters along with Zhang Hua and Jia Mo. He pushed for a number of significant reforms during his tenure which met with mixed success before his execution by the Prince of Zhao, Sima Lun, in 300 following Sima Lun's coup. Pei Wei placed great importance in conventional Confucianist teachings, and was taken aback by the growing popularity of Xuanxue in the court during the 290s. His essay, the ''Chongyoulun'' (崇有論), was a response to the works of He Yan and Wang Bi, particularly on their idea that the universe emerged from the concept of "non-being" (''wu'', 無). Life Early life and career Pei Wei was born into the famous Pei clan of Hedong Comman ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xiang Xiu
Xiang Xiu () is one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. His most famous contribution is a commentary on the Zhuangzi, which was later used and amended by Guo Xiang. After his friend Xi Kang was killed by the ruling Jin dynasty, Xiang carefully interpreted his previous antagonistic words to the emperor, Sima Zhao in a new light. Thus he avoided the charge of treason, unlike his friend. He wrote the work ''Xiang Xiu Biequan'' ("Separate Biography"). References * Richard B. Mather, "The Controversy over Conformity and Naturalness during the Six dynasties", ''History of Religions'', Vol. 9. See also *Guo Xiang Guo Xiang (; born 252 AD – died 312 AD) is credited with the first and most important revision of the text known as the ''Zhuangzi'' which, along with the ''Tao Te Ching'', forms the textual and philosophical basis of the Taoist school of t ... Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove Cao Wei politicians Jin dynasty (266–420) politicians Politicians from Jiaozuo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
He Yan
He Yan ( 195 – 9 February 249), courtesy name Pingshu, was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was a grandson of He Jin, a general and regent of the Eastern Han dynasty. His father, He Xian, died early, so his mother, Lady Yin, remarried the warlord Cao Cao. He Yan thus grew up as Cao Cao's stepson. He gained a reputation for intelligence and scholarship at an early age, but he was unpopular and criticised for being arrogant and dissolute. He was rejected for government positions by both emperors Cao Pi and Cao Rui, but became a minister during the rule of Cao Shuang. When the Sima family took control of the government in a ''coup d'état'' in 249, he was executed along with all the other officials loyal to Cao Shuang. He Yan was, along with Wang Bi, one of the founders of the Daoist school of Xuanxue. He synthesised the philosophical schools of Daoism and Confucianism, believing that the two schools compleme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wang Bi
Wang Bi (226–249), courtesy name Fusi, was a Chinese philosopher and politician, expertise in Yijing and Xuanxue Life Wang Bi served as a minor bureaucrat in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He was married with a daughter when he died of sickness at the age of 23. Wang Bi's most important works are commentaries on Laozi's ''Tao Te Ching'' and the ''I Ching''. The text of the ''Tao Te Ching'' that appeared with his commentary was widely considered the best copy of his work until the discovery of the Han-era Mawangdui texts in 1973. He was a scholar of Xuanxue. Writings At least three works by Wang Bi are known: a commentary on Confucius' ''Analects'', which survives only in quotations; commentaries on the ''I Ching'' and the ''Tao Te Ching'', which not only have survived but have greatly influenced subsequent Chinese thought on those two classics. His commentary on the ''I Ching'' has been translated into English by Richard John Lynn, ''The Classi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Medieval China
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapters, 11th century BC), the '' Bamboo Annals'' (c. 296 BC) and the ''Records of the Grand Historian'' (c. 91 BC) describe a Xia dynasty before the Shang, but no writing is known from the period, and Shang writings do not indicate the existence of the Xia. The Shang ruled in the Yellow River valley, which is commonly held to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. However, Neolithic civilizations originated at various cultural centers along both the Yellow River and Yangtze River. These Yellow River and Yangtze civilizations arose millennia before the Shang. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is among the world's oldest civilizations and is regarded as one of the cradles of civilization. The Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) sup ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
