Classical Interpretation Of Northern Song Dynasty And Its Relationship With Neo-Confucianism

The forming and developing of Neo-Confucianism have closely associated with the interpretation of Confucian classical texts.In some ways,these two processes are consistent.Nevertheless,if we regard "the forming and developing of Neo-Confucianism is the same as the interpretation of Confucian classical texts" as a consensus,much of details are omitted.More than that,academic research in the field of classical interpretation in Song dynasty and its interaction of Neo-Confucianism is insufficient,which determines further research is needed to see how Neo-Confucianism takes shape through the interpretation of Confucian classical texts.To illustrate this issue more clearly,Northern Song(960-1127)is a time quantum which could not be neglected by its historical and critical role in Song dynasty,and this thesis has made this period as the cut-in point.The article divides Song dynasty into two stages:Qingli and Xining,and selects several Confucian as a representative,such as Fan Chungyan,Sun Fu,Hu Yuan,Ouyang Hsiu,Wang Anshih,Chang Tsai,Ch'eng Hao and Ch'engi.Their interpretation of classical texts and its relevance to Neo-Confucianism is the main body of the dissertation.Fan Chungyan has not yet formed a classical interpretation system completely;"explain with the overall meaning" is his method of classical interpretation which mainly incarnates the transformation of approaches to annotation.Fan's thought of interpretation bring a turning of the awareness about the classical texts.Sun Fu's thought of classical interpretation presents the form of "the old term has taken a new meaning",which manifested a self-notion of "the king should be and ought to be respected".This thought of interpretation and its deep connection with political identifies the move toward the early Neo-Confucianism.Hu Yuan's train of thought in interpretation is "understanding of meaning have priority over text annotation".To realize this goal,Hu has a presupposition of explaining though human affairs,which referred to the field of moral self cultivation and made the topics of Neo-Confucianism become visible.Ouyang Hsiu questioned all the paradigm of interpretation in the Han and Tang dynasties,and instead of the concept which he named "Renqing".This concept has crossed the boundary between the field of interpretation and the common thought of Ouyang Hsiu.So Ouyang's thought of interpretation defined the fundamental form of Neo-Confucianism.There also has a changing from Qingli to Xining which reflects as the turning of classical texts'interpretation.As the typical case,Wang Anshih emphasized the consistency of moral and the correlation between morality and human nature,which makes the pursuit of philosophical connotations to be the main idea of his thought of interpretation.Wang's philosophical connotations are formed by metaphysical sense and the theory of human nature which set the keynote of Neo-Confucianism's interest in philosophical connotations.Chang Tsai go even further in the search for philosophical connotations,which showing his ideological style of inference and deliberateness.And his method of interpretation is "using mind to understand the classic work",which expanded the domain of Neo-Confucianism 's discourses as well.Ch'eng Hao and Ch'eng I's demand of "bring comprehending to philosophical connotations"is more clearly,which aroused the thought of "self-felt and self-complacent".With this thought,a efficient and convictive ideological system is possible.Meanwhile,it legitimized the philosophical concept of "Tian Li" or"Li" which raised by the Ch'eng Brothers.It further promoted the development of Neo-Confucianism toward theoretical level.Based on the discussion above,the question such as the correlation between Sun Fu's interpretation of The Spring and Autumn Annals and the three biographies of Spring and Autumn Annals,Ouyang Hsiu's view on Xing,whether Wang Anshih's interpretation is a farfetched one or not.And a futher discussion is necessary,this dissertation held that the transition in Neo-Confucianism of northern Song dynasty which started from "text annotation" to "concept explanation",and gradually turned into "ideological interpretation" is actually a dramatic but orderly one.Some revelation perhaps have come to us.Firstly,there is a effective range for the paradigm of interpretation which dominated by the value orientation.Secondly,some necessary factors for a efficient and convictive ideological system could be summarized from those practice of interpretation which got us to think the predicament of contemporary transformation of Confucianism.