The Dao Loss And Reconstruction

In view of the limitations of case study and the challenge of textual research in the study of Chuang Tzu, the article inspects the logic development and differences betwween The works of Chuang Tzu,Kuo Hsiang's commentary on Chuang Tzu and Cheng Xuanying's sub-commentary on Chuang Tzu according to the unity of logical and historical thinking and using the method of comparing.The whole thesis consists six chapters. Chapter One described the noumenon development from Tao of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu to non-bing of Xuanxue to "non non-being" of the study of twofold-negation. The Tao of Lao Tzu has cosmology connotation, but it is not the real intention of Lao Tzu. And it is not substance in western philosiohy, but a metaphisics noumenon about perfect state and absolute value. In this meaning, the Tao can be summarized by the word "round". The formation of the concept "round Tao" in LuShiChunQiu highlighted the meaning of round of the Tao, and deepened the idea of round state of Chinese culture. In order to increase the distance between Tao and all kinds of things and make Tao become metaphisics noumenon, Lao Tzu annotates Tao with "non-bing" without any rule. Chuang Tzu follows Lao Tzu and he also explains the Tao with "non-bing". Therefore,"non-bing" in the philosophy of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu has the meaning of round state. As ontology and cosmism mixes and ontology occupys the leading position in their philosophy, the noumenon "non-bing" was not constructed before the theory of Xuanxue. We think that there is only noumenon Tao before noumenon "non-bing" was constructed. There is an intermediary thoery namely "non-action" from Tao to non-being, and the noumenon "non-bing" was implied in the administering country, mastering subjects and choosing talents. Administering country and mastering subjects with non-action of the doctrine of Yellow Emperor and Lao Tzu discussing non-being laying special emphasis on trends acting process of subject, but Renwuzhi's non-action talent and nature discussing non-being laying special emphasis on static state of subject. The three kinds of intermediary thoery projects metaphysics meaning of noumenon "non-bing", but they could not really constructed noumenon "non-bing" in the meaning of univers unity owing to be constrained by concrete affairs. Noumenon "non-bing" was constructed by Wang Bi in the trend of thought to differentiate the notions and analyse the arguments inXuanxue theory. Noumenon "non-bing" of Xuanxue expresses flexible state of subject.In the meaning of philosophy the theme of Xuanxue is the relationship between being and non-being. "Being'" has special rules, so exalting being can not make subject come to flexible state. Similarly, though "non-being" can give subject a kind of distant state, it also can make subject persistent it and leads to value fixes, so appreciating non-being alao can not make subject gain flexible spirit. The study of twofold-negation solves the difficult position of the principle of exalting being and appreciating non-being of Xaunxue. As an ideological trend of philosophy from Jin to Tang dynasty the essence of the study of twofold-negation lie in its mode of thingking for twofold negation, and its extention includes Taoism, Taoism in religion even Buddhism, but it ultimately is part of Taoism in religion. Noumenon "non non-being" of the study of twofold-negation integrates the theory of Taoism, Xuanxue, Buddhism and Taoism in religion, at the back of twofold negation contains the seeking for flexible life state and wisdom state of Taoism (even the whole Chinese philosophy).Chapter Two is a research for deconstruction and reconstruction of the Tao between The works of Chuang Tzu,Kuo Hsiang's commentary on Chuang Tzu and Cheng Xuanying's sub-commentary on Chuang Tzu. Kuo Hsiang's deconstructing about the Tao and approving the value of the ten thousand things of creation is refraction of his era, namly Confucianism declines and pluralistic value standards rises. The rational thinking of deconstructing the dominating Heaven, Wang Bi's appreciating non-being,and the theory attaching importance to spirit cultivating of Xuanxue all affects Kuo Hsiang. Besids, the theory of conditoning cause of Buddhism and The works of Chuang Tzu both affectes Kuo Hsiang's deconstructing noumenon.Tao is the highest belief of Taoism, if it is short of demonstration the whole system of Taoism will be challenged, exactly in this meaning Cheng Xuanying reconstructs the Tao. The debating between Taoism and Buddhism directly arouses his again annotates the Tao. First, choosing "Tao follows the laws of its intrinsic nature" in the book of Lao Tzu as breakthrough point, Buddhism nagates the value of the Tao of Taoism. Secondly, by way of denies "nature" equal to the Tao with causes and conditions, Buddhism indirectly denies the Tao of Taoism. Tirdly, making use of double meaning of Qi in Taoism, by way of regarding Tao as physical Q. Buddhism cut the Tao down to phisical level. The three debates greatly infuences Cheng Xuanying's thinking of reconstructing the Tao. In view of the challenge origin from Buddhism Cheng Xuanying solve thetheory regret of Taoism in the course of reconstructing the Tao.Chapter Three to six differently comparing the thinking of "nature", "the equality of things ", "carefree" and destiny view between The works of Chuang Tzu,Kuo Hsiang's commentary on Chuang Tzu and Cheng Xuanying's sub-commentary on Chuang Tzu. In the course of camparing, the article goes through with the differences between original Taoism, Xuanxue and the study of twofold-negation and with the diffrence that Tao exsists or non-exsists. Concretely say, the article insists on three important arguments: First, Chuang Tzu emphasizes the opposite not unity between Tao and things; second, Kuo Hsiang holds things emerge by themselves and "nature-and-his-boundary" in his philosophy has double meaning namely approving and limiting things. Third, Cheng Xuanying's theory belongs to Taoism and he absolutely can not abandon the belief of Taoism, and "essence of Tao" in his philosophy also has double meaning namely approving the ideal value of things but denied real value of them. Through comparing, the three reflect an "obvers-reverse-their combinition" logical course in a sense.In essence, "natue" shows the real condition of Tao or completely appearing of inherent quality and value of subject. Chuang Tzu exalts Tao and disdains things and he especialy stresses things are not natual, so he thinks that only Tao is natual. Because of deconstructing Tao and thinks that only things exsist in the world Kuo Hsiang stressing things are natual. In order to uphold the belief of Taoism, Cheng Xuanying follows Chuang Tzu and transfoms Kuo Hsiang's thinkng and he insists that Tao is natual and things are natual too.As a single philosophy proposition, the intension of "the equality of things " shows that the differences among things are relative. But it is different that the direction of equaling things betwween Chuang Tzu, Kuo Hsiang and Cheng Xuanying. Chuang Tzu comparing things in the angle of view of Tao, so he equals things on the base of denying their value. Kuo Hsiang equals things on the base of their self-satisfied "nature-and-his-boundary". Cheng Xuanying equals things on the base of "essence of Tao", including ideal aspect and real aspect."Carefree" symbolizes free soul and free spirit in essence. As Chuang Tzu does not stress the unity under the ideal state but the opposote under the realistic state between Tao and things, and there are two kinds of contradictory "carefree" in The works of Chuang Tzu namely things can get equal carefree and they can not get it at all. KuoHsiang thinks that everyone's "nature-and-his-boundary" can satisfy the subject it belongs to, and as long as every one indulges in himself, he will get his carefree. Cheng Xuanying follows Kuo Hsiang's concept "things emerge themselves" and "nature-and-his-boundary", but he develops another kind of carefree. His "carefree" includes carefree for the time being and carefree ultimately.Because of different thinking Chuang Tzu, Kuo Hsiang and Cheng Xuanying annotates destiny in different direnction. There is the factor of being content with the arrangement of destiny in Chuang Tzu's destiny view, but his real intension is that each one must live by his nature or each one must return to the Tao. And he expresses his destiny view from reverse side. Kuo Hsiang's destiny view belongs to a kind of theory of being content with destiny, because he propagates that everyone's intrinsic nature is unchangeable on the base of "nature-and-his-boundary". Cheng Xuanying's destiny view contains double meaning namely be content with destiny and oversteps destiny. However, he expresses overstepping destiny from obverse.