A Study Of The Yi-ology In Tai Xuan

This dissertation consists of seven parts. In the first part, we introduce Yang Xiong's life and his work of Tai xuan (The Great Mystery) and some related issues, and review the current situation of the study of Tai xuan, then make an introduction of the train of thought in this dissertation. This dissertation discusses Tai xuan from the angles of image, number, principle and divination with the reference of the former achievements of the scholars, to expound its succession and development from the Zhouyi.In Chapter one, we review Yang Xiong's decades and think that Yang returned to the study of Confucian classics and created Tai xuan to purify the mind in the declining society, reflected the crisis of Confucianism at that time. Imitating the structure of the Zhouyi, Yang composed Tai xuan, with the influence of the approach of Han Yi tradition. Yang Xiong integrated all kinds of text of the Zhouyi, elaborated the thought conceived in it, and broke away from the trend of Confucian divinity, expounded the original meaning of Confucius, then built up a metaphysics of moral. We think that Huang Lao-thonghts had influence on Yang Xiong's creation in Tai xuan.Chapter two, Tai xuan's Succession and Development from Image of Yi. Yang Xiong carried on the Han Yi tradition, explained Yi by Five-element theory and established the standard which set up image on the basis of number, then explained the approach of contemplating the image of eight trigrams. Tai xuan stressed on the humanistic attribute of physical images. In the theoretical system of image, Tai xuan tried to integrate the eight trigrams and Five-element theory. As for the physical image, Tai xuan attempted to research on the intrinsic relationship of things, which developed the image of eight trigrams in the Yi zhuan.Chapter three, we make a research on Tai xuan's explanation and creation of Yi number. beginning with the number of 3, Tai xuan elaborates perfectly the idea of noumenon in the system of sixty-four hexagrams of current version. In the system of Jiu zan, Tai xuan believes that in the process of things, it contains a dialectic development with some stages. This system generalizes the process reflected in the hexagrams of the Yi. From the above, we find that Jiu zan inherited the thought of zhi ji (lit., knowing the munite), zhong he (lit., mean and harmony) and so on from the Yi. Tai xuan absorbed the Gua-qi theory (lit., relate the hexagrams and their lines to the 12 months) by Meng Xi, and transformed the theory, reflecting the concept of time in the Zhouyi.Chapter four, it researches on Tai xuan's integration and hermeneutics on principles of Yi. In this chapter, we mainly explain the cosmology of Tai xuan, which describes the things' transformation from the old to the new in the prevalence of Qi. This is influenced by the idea conceived in Shuo gua. Moreover, Tai xuan made a diagram of number from the cosmology in Yizhuan. Based on the main principles in Yizhuan, Tai xuan unified the concepts which were developed to different connotations in the past dynasties to the concept of Xuan (lit., mystery). In Tai xuan, the three cardinal guides and the five constant virtues as specified in the ethical code was regarded as noumenon, which carried out the abstract moral categories in Yizhuan, and made moral practice simple and easy to do. Morality subject's thinking and heart / mind decides the evil and good. In brief, Tai xuan integrated and explained principles of Yi, with the basis of Yi.Chapter five, Tai xuan's imitation and development on divination of Yi. The thought of upholding divination in Yizhuan was succeeded in Tai xuan, and it came into a perfect divine system. Tai xuan ran through the creation of divination, ceremony of divination and the Dao of divination as well, etc., though Tai xuan originated from the number of 3 and deduced its divine number. In Tai xuan, the divinantion, in fact, was a tool of moral practice, which is development of the thought that the evil and good are decided by human.In the end, we expound the influence from Tai xuan to the later Yi study. Yang Xiong created Tai xuan, which is actually an imitation of the structure of the Zhouyi with the flavor of the thought of Daosim and that in Hong fan. However, Tai xuan's significance to the 17 history is far less than that of the old Text and Commentaries of the Zhouyi itself. From the above, we make a conclusion that the theory of Tai xuan manifested the minute and lightened the obscure in the Zhouyi, which is a construction of 17 learning with the integration of the Zhouyi, and marked the improvement of thinking ability of the Han Yi-ologists.