Confucian Hermeneutics From A Comparative Philosophical Perspective

Zhu Xi's Philosophy has been,and continues to be,criticized in various respects. Without going into the details,or warrant,of each criticism,this paper will attempt to deal with two underlying tendencies nearly all such criticisms of Zhu Xi's thought have in common.The first tendency is to critique Zhu's interpretation of the Confucian Classics as unfaithful to the original meaning or authorial intent.The first section of my paper,by making use of contemporary developments in the Western tradition of Philosophical Hermeneutics(focusing especially on the works of H.G.Gadamer) will attempt to undermine this criticism by showing that it is based on an untenable notion of "fixed meaning" or "textual essentialism".This mode of thought fails to take into account the complexities of historical consciousness,temporal-cultural distance,and the linguisticality of understanding..Only when we begin to appreciate the complexities involved in a seemingly simple act like reading a Classical text can we begin to understand Zhu Xi's contribution to what can be called a Confucian Hermeneutical Tradition.This contribution is made most manifest in his Methodology for Reading (du shu fa读书法) and his magnum opus Collected Annotation and Commentary on the Four Books(sishuzhangjujizhu四书章集注).The second tendency is to see Zhu Xi's emphasis on knowledge(gewuzhizhi格物致知) in self-cultivation as a type of epistemological foundationalism and thus a deterent from practical application and enlightenment of the heart-mind.This criticism rests on a mistaken reading of knowledge(zhi知) in Zhu Xi's philosophy.For Zhu Xi knowledge is always related to knowledge of appropriate social roles(ren lun人伦) and the axiological ordering of the cosmsos(tianli天理).This kind of knowledge is not like the Western philosophical tradition of epistemological foundationalism,or natural science,which both emphasize "knowledge for knowledge's sake".Rather the "knowledge" Zhu Xi refers to should be understood as a means of facilitating wisdom for everyday living culminating in sagacious virtuosity(shengrenzhishizhong圣人之时中).To get a better grasp of Zhu Xi' s related notions of knowledge(zhi知) and wisdom (zhi智) and their implications for understanding human nature(renxing人性) I make use of the American tradition of Pragmatism,focusing especially on Dewey and James. This section of the paper unfolds by focusing on Zhu Xi's treatment of several passages in the Mencius and related passages found in his interpretations of the other three of the Four Books and in the Collected Sayings of Master Zhu(Zhuzi Yulei朱子语类).By revealing the superficial and tendentious nature of the great majority of critiques leveled at Zhu Xi I hope to open up the way for productive thinking regarding the value and significance of Zhu Xi's brand of Confucian Hermeneutics for 21st century Confucians.This line of thought could also dovetail quite nicely with thinking about the need for reviving various traditions as humanity at large faces global catastrophe.This catastrophe is the result of the nihilism we encounter due to unimpeded economic growth and the implementation of the hope of the Enlightenment which is to achieve a "demystification of the world".Although a man of the distant past, Zhu Xi's thought has much to offer in terms of contemporary relevance.