Wang Bi’s Annotation Of Zhou Yi And The Academic Transform In Han And Wei Dynasties

The transition period between the Han and Wei dynasties witnessed great changes in the development of Chinese learning,while Wang Bi’s annotation of Zhou Yi,as one of the most intact and complete texts preserved of I Ching learning and metaphysics,has long been regarded as a perfect embodiment and representative of the transitioning of Han and Wei learning from scripture to metaphysics,which plays a role of great importance in Chinese ideological history.Therefore,based on a reflection of the relationship between scripture and metaphysics as well as the nature of the latter,this paper intends to explore the specific texts of Wang Bi’s annotation of Zhou Yi and analyze its significance in the academic transformation during the Han and Wei dynasties by taking a closer look at the annotation style,ideological content,realm,the interpretation methods and thinking pattern of this book in combination with the annotations of different scholars in Zhou Yi Zheng Yi.Chapter 1 focuses on the annotation forms of Wang Bi’s annotation of Zhou Yi.As a style of interpreting the Confucian classics,Zhu,originating from the East Han dynasty,is not bound by the strict teachers’ law or family rule of doctoral scripture.Instead,it is characterized by a strong color of ancient learning.Based on that,Wang Bi further developed the interpreting scope of "Zhu" so that it could be used to interpret profound meaning like Zhuan Ji and Zhang Ju rather than being limited to exegetical interpretations of words and analyses of sentences.Moreover,Chapter 2 aims to investigate Wang Bi’s breakthroughs of the Han Confucianism in terms of cosmic outlook and theory of human nature.By using Fu from Guan Fu by Lao Zi to interpret Fu hexagram and reinterpreting Tao and Tai Chi in Yi,Wang Bi was able to convert cosmology,characterized by Yin Yang Wu Xing of Han Confucianism,into the way of nature which is centered on Wu.Apart from that,he was also able to construct the theory of human nature via interpreting the ideas of Saint having feeling and Xing Qi Qing.In addition,Chapter 3 mainly talks about the interpretation methods and thinking pattern displayed in Wang Bi’s annotation of Zhou Yi.Having inherited the after-wind of the revival of Xing Ming by the end of the Han dynasty,Wang Bi was able to find the differences between the name and reality of languages and correct the reversed thinking of Meaning stemming from Image regarding the image and number of the Yi studies,with an emphasis on the time in a hexagram and the change in a hexagram line.In the meantime,by interpreting the profound meaning of Tuan Zhuan,he developed the theory of body and function.In brief,the key to the academic reform of the Han and Wei dynasties consists in the dramatic shift in the thinking pattern of looking at the Cosmos and the human nature,etc,from simple analogies and deductions to the level of metaphysics,with Wang Bi being a crucial part of completing the transformation of academic ideology in this era.