Confucianism And Language Theory Is A Comparative Study

In pre-Qin Dynasty period,Confucious,Mencious,Xunzi from Confucianism School and Mozi and his later successors from Mohist School,were not only great ideologists and philosophers but outstanding masters of language.At the very beginning Mozi had learned from Confucinism,he found that Confucianism theory was not suitable for the realistic society,so he gave up his learning in Confucianism School,bulit and developed his own theory,Mohist theory, which achieved the same great influence with Confucianism.The sprachtheorie of Confucianism and Mohist occupies the main point and both had profound influence to pre-Qin Dynasty period's sprachtheorie and numerous later periods' linguistics theory.The comparing research between Confucinism's linguistics theory and Mohist's linguistics theory has blight propect, however,research in this field is deficient.Against with the historical,social and cultural background in pre-Qin Dynasty period,this thesis attempts to make a systematic comparing research of linguistics theory between Confucianism and Mohist in "Mingxue" theory, "Bianxue" theory and rhetoric views.With this method we can find the same and the difference in both,analysis the social,political and ideological root that it emerge,thoroughly understand the historical situation that the linguistics theory of Confucianism and Mohist held and objectly appraise the significant contribution the linguistics theory of Confucianism and Mohist made to pre-Qin Dynasty period's linguistics theory and Chinese linguistic development.This thesis is divided into five parts.The first part is introduction,which mainly concerns with the motivation,methods and significance of the present research.The pre-Qin Dynasty period is a period that witnessed the alteration of societies and regimes,the expansion of kinds of theories and the competition and debate between various schools of thoughts,which all ask unprecedent seriously attention to language and its using.At that time Confucianism School and Mohist School,which were both called "Xianxue",made thorough research to language theory and acquisted profound achievement.However,systematic research to language theory of Confucianism or of Mohist is too deficient to comparing research between language theory of Confucianism and of Mohist.This situation is seriously not symbol with central position the Confucianism and Mohist theory held in pre-Qin Dynasty period acedemic circle.This thesis aims to fill this insufficient and make comparing research and thorough analysis to linguistics theory between Confucianism and Mohist. The second part is comparing research of "Mingxue" theory of Confucianism and Mohist. "Mingxue" is the focal point in bedate between various schools in pre-Qin Dynasty period,the connection between "Ming" and "Shi" is the center of "Mingxue"."Ming" means word,concept, generally means language,"Shi" means objective existence.First,there are something in common in "Mingxue" between Confucianism and Mohist,mainly in that Confucianism and Mohist both asked for "Zhengming",for consistence between "Ming" and "Shi",both realised that "Ming" has haphazardness and is established by usage.Second,the "Mingxue" theory of Confucianism and Mohist have significant difference.Confucious stated "Yi Ming Zheng Shi", later Xunzi changed this view with "Zhi Ming Yi Zhi Shi",however,Xunzi made "Zhiming" a method to service for"Wangdao",which is completely different with Mohist who discussing "Mingxue" from "Ming" itself,so Confucianism and Mohist had significant difference in the defination,classification of"Ming",in the goal and in the central point of "Zhengming".The most important contribution that Mohist made is that they discussed the connection between "Ming","Shi" and "Ju",which Conficianism didn't realise."Mingxue" theory of Confucianism and Mohist stand for the highest level of "Mingxue" theory in pre-Qin Dynasty period and have enormous influence to "Mingxue" theory of later periods.The third part is the comparing research in "Bianxue" theory of Confucianism and Mohist. Confucianism still made "Bian"(logic) a method contribute to their political ideal,however, Mohist researched "Bian" as a independent discipline and stated systematic "Bianxue" theory.So in "Bianxue" theory Confucianism and Mohist had further more different understanding than that had in common.First,there is comparing research in essence of "Bian" of Confucianism and Mohist.They had different view in defination,goal,function of "Bian".Xunzi considered "bian" a reflection of "Zhengdao" and a method to service politic and Eiyi,while Mohist found the essence of "Bian",then they stated that "Bian" is the debate relative both view of relative both sides,and the goal and function of "Bian" is "Ming Shifei","Bie Tongyi".Second,there is comparing research in principle of "Bian".Because of differences in goal and essence realization of "Bian",there were significant differences in essence principle,function principle amd language exchanging principle of "Bian" of Confucianism and Mohist.In the morals principle of "Bian",Confucianism and Mohist both stated that debaters should have reason and basis,should be "Dang",the difference lies in that Confucianism limited debaters as fulling class scholars while Mohist equally deal with all debaters.Third,there is comparing research in language form of "Bian" of Confucianism and Mohist.Confucianism and Mohist both stated the language form of "Bian" from frontage and reverse side.Xunzi stated a completely thinking process of language expression in the form of defination,Mohist also realized this process but the statement was not as succinct as that of Confucianism.Mohist summaried seven kinds of concrete forms of "Bian",which Confucianism didn't achieving.Then Confucianism and Mohist stated language form of "Bian" from the reverse side to expose and avoid error so that achieve the goal of "Bian". Xunzi stated the famous Three "Huo" statement while Mohist stated three kinds of error in"Ming","Ci" and "Shuo".The fourth part is the comparing research in rhetoric views of Confucianism and Mohist. First,there is comparation in "Wen" and "Zhi" views of Confucianism and Mohist,which is mainly the comparation in "Wen Zhi Jian Bei" of Confucianism and in "Xian Wen Hou Zhi" of Mohist.Second,there is comparation in rhetoric criterion of Confucianism and Mohist,which mainly stated the difference in political and social criterion,morals criterion and utterrence understanding criterion of rhetoric of Confucianism and Mohist.Third,there is a comparation in context view of Confucianism and Mohist.Paying attention to "Tizhi Qingjing",which means context is a important part in modern rhetoric,however,in pre-Qin Dynasty period Confucianism and Mohist had profound realization and excellent statement to the surrounding, opportunity and object of rhetoric.All in all,the rhetoric views of Confucianism and Mohist achieved significant achievement and had profound influence to the rhetoric views of pre-Qin Dynasty period and of later periods.The fifth part is conclusion.This part concludes the effect this thesis could achieve and the insufficient this thesis exists,then it explanates that the further research in linguistics theory of Confucianism and Mohist could bring profound theoretical significance and practical significance.