Study On Zhu Xi's Classical Hermeneutics

Zhu Xi is the first scholar in ancient China, whose study of the classical school of hermeneutics is the most comprehensive and in-depth. He built up a comparatively mature and full of characteristics theory and methods of interpretation, promoting the development of China's classical hermeneutics to a peak. This dissertation attempts to explore and to sort out classical interpretation of Zhuxi's original materials scattered, as well as to exploit the modern hermeneutics, and other related disciplines theory to examine and analysis the scattered materials, to elaborate on the hermeneutics thinking, and construct the school system of Zhuxi's classical hermeneutics roughly.The dissertation falls into five chapters according to problem area underlined in Zhu Xi"s classical hermeneutics.The first chapter discuses Zhuxi's theory of classic meaning, covering Zhuxi's understanding of classic texts' characteristics.Firstly, Zhu Xi thought that the meaning lies in three layers: language of text, author's intention, relationship between text and interpreter. Thus Confucian classic has three meanings: literal meaning, the classic meaning in depth, extension of the classic meaning.Secondly, Zhu Xi believed that the meaning of classic has two correspondent sides: the difference and identity, and the understandability and ununderstandability, subjectivity and subordinativity. In his view, the relationship of the classic texts' difference and identity is, in fact, the appearance and essence. Generally speaking, the meaning of classical texts is understandable and interpretable, but due to various constraints, in the course of explaining ,ununderstandabiliy exists objectively and partly. In the specific classic text meaning system ,the components' status and value are not of the same level, thus often there is contrasting relationship between affiliation and subjection.Lastly, Zhu Xi considered that the relationship between the meaning of classic text and text words is close, classic authors illustrate the world's principles by words .words in the text used as carriers of principles can explicitly illustrate the meanings of the world's principles. So there is good correspondent relationship between words and meaning. But sometimes the relationship is not so correspondent. And it mainly embodies in the aspect of words can't effectively express one's thought, sometimes meanings are only suggested or implicated.The second chapter discusses Zhuxi's theory of classic understanding. The followings are the Zhuxi's ideas, which relate to the understanding the meaning of the concept, the fundamental characteristics and the formation mechanism of classic understanding. The formation mechanism is the important point which is discussed in this chapter, through systematic analysis, expositing the main ideas about the formation mechanism: the common humanity can become a spiritual link which joins readers and texts and/or authors, thus makes it possible to understand the classics, so it is the fundamental premise of the formation; the reader's existing mental structure such as his life experience, expectation of reading etc, is the starting point of understanding and fundamental conditions for understanding; readers can refer the author's intention by his understanding and communicate mentally with the classic writers, thus understanding comes into being.The three chapter discusses how Zhuxi's methodology in classic explanation comes into being, with the intention to reveal the course of how Zhuxi's principle explanation method come into being and its historical cultural background of coming into being.Zhu Xi is conscious of methodology, he examined deeply about Confucians' explanation methods and their applications in Han and Song dynasties. In his point, the Confucians of Han explained the classics with the method of ancient linguistics and focused on evidence and Exegesis, and their explanations could comply with the original meaning of classics authors, but lack of spiritual exploration and explanation. Thus there exists a shortcoming presenting its text words instead of author's intention. Confucians in Song explained classics through argumentation, taking pains to study and seek Classic authors' "intentions" and focusing on experiencing and creative exposition that helps interpret the depth of classic texts, but often diverted from the classic text and the word purported and gave a strained interpretation. So it was necessary to reform the explanation methodology. Zhu Xi thought in Song's existing conditions, that Han and Song Confucians' explanation methods should not be used all and should not be rejected all, and their methods should be used critically. So Zhu Xi created a model of classic explanation, which is based on text words interception with the target of exploring texts' thinking, and constructed a basic method which combines linguistic explanation and argumentation explanation.This dissertation believes that the formation of the basic methods combines the following realistic reasons and basis:Firstly, considering Song's social reality, on one hand the classic interpretation should help correct people's ideas and rebuild the moral orders, on the other hand it should try resisting Buddhism and Taoism, and resume Confucianism status. Secondly, influenced long and heavily by ancient linguistics and Neo-Confucianism, Zhuxi was very familiar with traditional Exegesis on one hand, on the other hand he complied with Northern Song Confucians' argumentation explanation methods. Lastly, the Confucianism theory to Learn what is below to comprehend what is above is the philosophy basis for the above basic methods to come into being.The fourth chapter discusses Zhuxi's classic understanding and explanation methods in details.The above methods are divided into three categories in this chapter: the first is the appreciation and exploration oriented method, mainly for the purpose of understanding, it includes repeatedly reading and contemplating; quietly meditating; retrospecting by referring to the text; putting himself in the author's position; deducing through common sense; and reasoning by analogy. The second and the third are respectively ways based on mainly ancient linguistics explanation and argumentation explanation for the purpose of explanation, the former includes analysis of the period and the comma; interpreting the meaning through the characters and sounds; interpreting the text through linguistic context and interpreting the meaning by referring to documents and literature. The latter includes recognizing fakes or mistakes in the text through its doctrines; defining the words of the text through argumentation; clearly explaining particular doctrines in various classics; abstracting general doctrines through gathering various classics.The fifth chapter discusses the principles, characteristics and influence of Zhuxi's classical hermeneutics, it is also our summary or reflection about some important issues of Zhuxi's classical hermeneutics.At first based on the above exploration, the dissertation derives some basic principles of hermeneutics through exploring Zhuxi's hermeneutics theory and practice, they are objectivity, creativity, progressing, coherence, thorough depth, and Noe-Confucianism cult.Secondly, through thorough reflection on Zhuxi's hermeneutics, this dissertation summarizes its notable features: it emphasized the seek for Neo, and closely combined with Noe-Confucianism of Song dynasty, heavily embodied features of that time: it innovated on the basis of traditional theories, illustrating his creativity; it is very concerned about the interpreters' self-cultivation and governing others, demonstrating a strong ethical practice and deep rational spirits. Meanwhile this dissertation points out Zhu Xi had some limitations in his classical hermeneutics.Lastly, placing Zhuxi's hermeneutics in a wide and deep historical background, this dissertation reveals his hermeneutics' unique function and deep influence in the history of academy and even culture history after the end of Song.