| The current study attempts to examine the dialectical unity between the theories and practices of Yangsheng (nourishing-life).The process is based on the exploration of two essential theoretical concepts, that of Dangxia (presence) and Yongsehng (eternity). Starting with the specific practices, moving on to the general principles, the paper concludes with the pre-Qin Confucian and Taoist ideologies of nourishing-life. It aims at making both theoretical and practical contributions to the inheritance as well as innovation of the academic tradition in the field.Chapter1focuses on the concept of life and explores the ontology and value system of life in pre-Qin Confucianism and Taoism. Ontological theories defining the concept of life in the two schools are composed of two concepts, the "body" and the "mind". Either in the Confucian ethical values of life or in the belief of natural life value in Taoism, the true meaning of life is established under the premise of the "body-mind unification"."Ren"(benevolence) and "Qi"(gas), respectively, completes the mission of the "body-mind unification" in Confucianism and Taoism. Value systems of life discuss the Presence-Eternity Unification in Confucian and Taoist thoughts. Confucian school pursuits the immorality while Taoists emphasizes the limitless of life. Both can be said to attempt to discover the meaning of an eternal life, which is based on the realization of the perfection of the present life. The unification of Presence and Eternity is the means of approaching an immortal life in pre-Qin Confucian and Taoist thoughts.Chapter2,3and4discuss the Confucian philosophy of nourishing-life as well as its practice in diet, manner, and leisure. At a macro-level the chapters analyze the purposes, characteristics and methods of nourishing-life stated in three major Confucian texts, the Analects, Mencius, and Xunzi. Pre-Qin Confucianism believes that diet is the most basic element to ensure the existence of life, and the most important means of conserving life as well. The diet practices of sauce and ginger reflect the characteristics of Confucian ethical life that reconciles the various relationships within the Presence. Manner and leisure are the important means of realizing the harmony of society and perfecting the individual life. Guqin (playing musical instruments) and Lishe (ceremony shot) reveal the concrete process of nourishing life in Confucian thoughts which emphasizes the nourishing of "body" and "mind" through the harmony in manner and leisure.Chapters5,6and7focus on pre-Qin Taoist thoughts in nourishing-life and explore the practice of "Abdomen as the Base"(yifuweidi) and "Unity of Life and Death"(shengsiyiti). Pre-Qin Taoist theories of nourishing-life generated from Laozi and Zhuangzi emphasize the eternity of life. Laozi views "body" as the real essence of people whereas asserts that the development of the "mind" leads to the alienation of people. Thus, he argues for a principle of conservation of people’s good health or body, while at the same time weakening their minds. According to Laozi. the abdomen is the key to the survival of the "body", feeding the abdomen is the approach to keep the root deep and solid. He, thus, advocates the practice of emptying the mind and solidifying the abdomen. Zhuangzi claims that the metamorphosis of the heavens and the earth are born in different forms of accumulation or bulking of "Qi". He also asserts that human beings are unified with the nature through "Qi". Viewing from the nature, human beings are never born or dead, rather, we are only in the transformation between the different forms of the "Qi". Coming from this mind set of going beyond life and death, Zhuangzi starts with the exploration of the means of nourishing the present life and attempts to discover the practical approaches to the eternity of life. |
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