A Restrict View Of Cheng Xuanying's Thinkings On The Study Of Zhuang

Cheng xuanying, a renowned Taoist scholar at the early Tang dynasty, achieved fame for his paraphrases to Lao Zhuang's thinkings which proved important in the history of both Taoism and Lao Zhuang's thinkings. However, a systematic study to his thinkings is not fully done yet, This article, outlined on the basic conceptions in his article Preface To The interpretations Of Zhuang's Thinkings, centered on his Paraphrases To Zhuang's "Inherence", and guided by his train of thoughts in the study of Zhuang' s thinkings, is to reveal Fang's understandings to Lao Zhuang's thinkings and his philosophical implications.Cheng Xuanying thought that the essays of the three different volumes in Zhuang Zi proved a complete and meaningful whole, especially the seven essays in the INHERENCE, which reflected his thoughts to Zhuang's thinkings. After a careful study on Fang's Paraphrases To Zhuang's "Inherence", it is clear that the essence of Fang's study is based on the connotation -peripateticism. He thought that the state of human life consisted of layers of forward-moving stages, and the two footstones which contributed to the landing of the highest state were the transformation of wisdom and moral perfection. A man can be "Be rich in inner morality" only through the bi-transformation in wisdom, that is, the principle part of the psychic should transform from presumptuousness of classifying true and false to daozhi of self-knowledge, the subject the psychic chase after transform from outer matter to inner self-the real state of life, and eventually transcend the physical mortality towards the final peaceful mind. This state of psychic possesses many benefits, and a perfect stage of life can be attained, too.Philosophically, cheng's principle aims are based on four concepts: they are moral, bi-dimensional transformation of inner life, inaction and the favor of naturalness, and separateness. Each has its own independent conception and reflects different philosophical implications. And they share certain similarities and express Zhuang Xuanying's principle aims.