Written by GUO Qi-yong

( School of Philosophy , Wuhan University , Wuhan 430072, China )

Translated by Zhang Wen-zhi

(Center for Zhouyi & Ancient Chinese Philosophy, Shandong University , Jinan 250100, China )

 

Abstract: The representatives of the Modern New Confucianism laid great stress on Yi Zhuan , with the interpretation of which they have elucidated their philosophical ideas. XIONG Shi-li's thought on Yi takes the “originality (symbolized and inspired by the 1 st hexagram of) Qian ” as the core of his ontological cosmology; MA Yi-fu's takes “nature and idea” as the center of his ontology by daily practice of cultivation; FANG D ong-m ei's takes (the quality of) “producing and reproducing” as the center of his metaphysics; MOU Zong-san's takes “attaining to the state of profound and miraculous transformations” as the core of his moral metaphysics; TANG Jun-yi's takes “spiritual acknowledgement” as the core of his all-inclusive religion within which heaven and human participate into and produce each other both internally and externally. From modern philosophical concepts and issues, they gave priority to the explication of the cosmology, ontology, theories for life and human nature, the attainment of lofty life realm, axiology embraced in Zhouyi , and the relationship between them. At the same time, they confirmed the distinctive differences between Chinese and Western philosophy are exhibited as that the former reveals views of organic nature, of holistic harmoniousness, and the idea that values conceived in the natural universe and the factual world, the pursuit of perfect beauty and good, the relationship between the theory of life and the experience of immanent quality. As a result, they reestablished ontology and cosmology of Chinese philosophy and proved the significance of the communion between transcendence and immanence, and the unity of virtue between heaven and human.

Key words: Zhouyi ; Modern New Confucianism; ontology; cosmology; axiology

 

 

All the Modern New Confucian scholars attached importance to the Text and Commentaries, esp. the Commentaries of Zhouyi , regarding it as important spiritual resources and giving forth creative interpretations and transformations. In general, they followed in the approaches of the scholars of Yi of the Song Dynasty to the interpretations of Yi . Influenced by the Western philosophy received, they interpreted the Yi again from the visions of metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, axiology, and methodology, breaking a fresh ground.

 

I. XIONG Shi-li's Ontological Cosmology with the “Originality of Qian ” being the Core

 

For XIONG Shi-li's thought on Yi , I have introduced it in a special chapter (Chapter Six) in the Studies on XIONG Shi-li' Thought . (1) His thought on Yi is mainly derived from WANG Bi's views on the substance and function, CHENG Yi-chuan's theory of that “substance and function share the same origin and are inseparable” and views of WANG Chuan-shan conceived in his Zhou yi Nei zhuan and Zhou yi Wan Zhuan . Mr. XIONG claimed the core upon which the idea of his whole life was based and related to Zhouyi was “venerating life but not being indulged in void”, “manifesting existence against non-existence”, “upholding dynamic against static”, and “following human nature to oppose asceticism”, which is common with WANG Chuan-shan's thought. He adopted the novelty, originality, and practicality of Chuan-shan's thought on Yi , but criticized that Chuan-shan's “dual establishment of Qian and Kun ” was suspected of dualism.

Mr. XIONG Shi-li claimed that he “abandoned Buddhism to study Yi ” or “abandoned Buddhism and return to Yi ” at the age of forty or so, and the center of weight of his thought is the ontology within which “substance and function are inseparable”. The wisdom conceived in Zhouyi he advocated, in contrast to western philosophy and Buddhism, was a wisdom which does not separate metaphysics from physics, nor separate the noumenon from the phenomena. His “true originality” and “noumenon” is the originality of Qian , and he regards “the body of nature of the originality of Qian ” as the noumenon of the myriad of things and the phenomenal world, the origin of all the changes and transformations, the foundation of all the existing things, and considers it contain all principles but not being illusive.

This noumenon is just the “body of benevolence”. He interprets “benevolence” by “producing and reproducing”. Both “ Qian ” and “benevolence” possess the attributes of producing and are the noumenon of life. He said: “the word of Shen ming , life, is a name for noumenoun. …… For Sheng ming was concerned, ever-creating and ever being novel are called Sheng (literally, producing), self-dependence and self-rootedness are called ming (literally, destiny)”, “the noumenoun (literally, body of origin) is ceaselessly producing, changing, and transforming, the great Yi of Confucianism particularly extended this thought.” (Ps. 358 and 200) (2) Thus he extremely expanded the thought of creativity and novelty conceived in Yi Zhuan .

Mr. XIONG holds that in the universe there are “vigor, purity, advance and enhancement, void, spiritually brightness, as well as the momentum all the things possess, that is what is called the attribute of opening, is exhibited with closing and silently moving in the closing and includes all. In Yi , that the originality of Qian governs the heaven connotes this meaning. The originality of Qian designates Yang , i.e. opening. …… The power and function of opening is actually to control all the celestial bodies, so we call it governs the heaven. …… Closing does not hinder opening. From Kan to Li , we know that the transformations of heaven will at last not deviated from its correct course, while peril is a must for life to experience by which the exuberance of virtue of strength and advancement and so on innately possessed by life is more manifested, because it eventually can transform things but not be materilzed, and it will not abandon its innate nature. It is in this way that it accomplishes its correctness and eternality.” (pp. 349-350) (2)

By Mr. XIONG Shi-li, the reason for the noumenon to be the noumenon is that it has a kind of life spirit, called heart or opening, and possesses a ceaselessly producing and creative strength, and can accomplish the whole world (universe). By criticizing Chuan-shan's thought on Yi , he established a set of theory of life creating, pointing out that the formation and evolution of the world (universe) are not accomplished intentionally, that is to say, they are neither intentionally scheduled by God or man, nor blind impulses, but the life spirit's adaptableness to chances. It is because there is the wisdom of adaptableness that the course of materialization is an accomplishment of the course of strength but not a course of impulse of confusion. By interpreting trigrams Kan and Li , he indicated the freedom of life after jumping out of the materialized hindrance. In this sense, he expounded that, for the noumenon of life, “when raising the substance, the function is included”, “in the function the substance is manifested”, “producing is the destiny”, and “destiny is producing”. The noumenon possesses many potentials and endless possibilities, because the character of the noumenon of life is creating and transforming. This is a quality of Yang of Qian , which can be realized thoroughly and completely from hiding to conspicuousness.

Mr. XIONG also compares the “no in-two of bubbles and sea” explicated in the Hua yan Sect of Chiese Buddhism and the relationship between “changing” and “no-changing” expounded in Yi wei Qian zao du , Chiseling Open the Regularity of Qian (Heaven) in the Apocrypha of the Changes, to the relationship between the noumenon and phenomena and that of noumenon and function. The hidden and delicate eternal body possesses complete qualities, covers all specific principles, and could unfold into concrete functions and manifest as phenomena.

XIONG objects to adding another head in Tai ji , Tai yi , and Qian yuan . He thinks the “sea of natures contained in the originality of Qian ” may be developed and transformed into the myriad of things but itself does not separate from the world of phenomena. As the noumenon, the originality of Qian governs Qian and Kun , spirits and utensils, heaven and human, the external things and internal self.

His ontology is a onto-cosmology and his view of “no in-two of noumenon and function” includes the theory of that “opening and closing lead to changes”. This view originated from YAN Fu's translation of Evolution and Ethics written by Thomas Henry Huxley. Closing and opening are two forces and functions of the benevolence body of the originality of Qian . Closing is an ability to gather things, while opening is a firm force and function occurred simultaneously with closing. The two factors are both opposite and complementary to each other. This is called exhibiting function from the noumenon and tracing the function back to the noumenon. Qian Kun Yan, An Expansion of Qian and Kun , Mr. XIONG's final conclusion in his old age, directly replaced opening and closing with Qian and Kun . He thinks the development of the celestial bodies, animals and plants, human, and human mind is an endless course, and each change from the old to the new on any instant is heading for the future. Development is always an overall and holistic development. He also thinks the great changes of the cosmos originate from the interaction between the two opposite forces containing within the originality of Qian . Qian and Kun are not two separate things, but two kinds of vitality. Either isolated Yang or isolated Yin can't change and transform, for oppositeness of two things is indispensable for change. These views coincide much with the Yi -ology of the Song Dynasty.

Basing on Zhouyi , Mr. XIONG expounded a set of theories about cosmology and human life. This is an unfolding of the body of the originality of Qian within which substance and function coexist. Without the noumenon, there won't be function, and vice versa. Function is an unfolding, appearing, and transformation in the real level, while the noumenon is a true nature under the sate of which one is united with the heaven, earth, as well as the myriad of things, an innate bright acknowledgment which can communicate and fuse with the heaven, earth and the myriad of things. Only those of virtue could manifest his spiritual nature and consciousness, and thus culminate in the accomplishment of the Dao and man and complete the Dao of heaven.

His theory of substance and function, heaven and human was also developed to the theory of cultivation of “inseparableness of nature and cultivation and the political outlook of “(unity of) internal moral cultivation and external fulfillment”. For the external fulfillment, he advocates politics of common people and revolution and adopts “no head for the host of dragons” in Zhouyi to interpret politics of democracy.

 

II. MA Yi-fu: Taking “Nature and Idea” as the Center of His Ontology with Cultivation

 

Mr. MA's thought on Yi has obvious traces of neo-Confucianism and Buddhism. The core he mastered is “accomplishing the Idea, nature, as well as the mandate” and “following the principles of nature and mandate” . His thought on consists of the following contents:

At first, he attributes the learning and Dao (Way) under heaven to the Six Confucian Classics, while the preaching of the Six Confucian Classics derives from the Dao conceived in Yi jing . He said: “ Yi is the origin of the Six Classics, and the destination for the Six Classics. Qian and Kun open up things, and the six children accomplish the undertakings . The Dao of the Six Classics intimates the (principles of) heaven and earth, so they can make people accomplished. ‘To get through the aims of all under the heaven' (mentioned in Xi Ci , a component of Yi Zhuan ) refers to the function of the books of Poetry and History, ‘to stable the undertakings under the heaven' (ibid) can be realized by the books of Rituals and Music, ‘to determine doubts under the heaven' (ibid) can be accomplished by Yi and the Spring and Autumn Annals . Knowing Yi ‘embraces the Dao of all things under the heaven' (ibid), we get to know all Six Classics embrace the Dao of all things under the heaven, and ‘nothing is not sprung out from the dharma-realm, and nothing will not return to the realm.' So, the teaching of the Six Classics culminates in the teaching of Yi .” (pp. 422-423) (3) He also used the theory of the Hua yan Sect of Buddhism of that one embraces all, all embraces one, one enters into all, all enters into one, there is all in one and there is one in the all, and thus all and one are completely intermingled without any stagnation, to explicate what the teachings of Poetry , History , Rituals , Music , and the Spring and Autumn Annals are not beyond the teaching of Yi .

Secondly, he regards “accomplishing the Idea, nature, as well as the mandate” and “following the principles of nature and mandate” as the main purpose of teaching of Yi . He said, the establishment of the Dao of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Human) aims at following the principles of nature and destiny, a Confucianist who does not follow the principles of nature and destiny will absolutely not master the Six Classics comprehensively. He explicates the thought conceived in the Six Classics, esp. Yi jing , by “nature” and “idea”. He said: “The essential for the study of Yi is observing the images and the essential for the observance of images is studying the Ten Wings . Confucius commented on Yi in his old age. Fortunately the Ten Wings were not lost and its remarks are very concise, but the purports are very clear.” (p. 421) (3) Having generally accounted the thoughts by Yi of the past dynasties, Mr. MA particularly pointed out: “Modern people dislike speaking of the connotations and principles, do they regard the theory of ‘accomplishing the principles and nature' as a absurd? Otherwise, why are there so many people dislike it? …… Without the Ten Wings, won't the Yi at last become an utter divinatory book? (pp. 421-422) (3) He takes both images and remarks affiliated to the hexagrams into consideration, and thought the idea was manifested by images and the auspices or omens were expressed by the remarks, so we ought not to rashly uphold “forgetting images” and “forgetting speech”. He said: “by seeking the images in the remarks, the images can be obtained, and by seeking the Idea in the images, the Idea can be accomplished. Numbers are like images, and images are the Idea. If we say they are expressed in different ways, it is true. If we say there are some things lost, why it is said “if we speak of it in connection with all between heaven and earth, it embraces all”? Directly seeking it from the Ten Wings is better than from the thoughts of the later generation Confucianists.” (p. 422) (3) He also said, images are able to interpret and the Idea is what had been interpreted. Numbers comes behind the images while the principles come into being before the images. Without the principles, there will be no images, and without the images, there will not exist the numbers. The images of matter are images of mind. He further pointed out that now the scholars studying Yi only pay attention to images of hexagrams but not to seeking the sages' Idea, thus the images become futile.

Mr. MA pointed out: “The sages composed the Yi to stress the nature and principles.” “The establishment of the Dao of the Three Powers (Heaven, Earth, and Human) aims at following the principles of nature and destiny. The Idea is different from the Dao in the extent of manifestation. The Idea is originally still, but it can be proven silently, while the Dao is conspicuous and manifested in the motions. For the motion is concerned, it is called the Dao of the Three Powers; and for the stillness is concerned, it is called the Idea. Nature and destiny have no difference in essence, there are different when they are analyzed from different angles. Nature is only the Idea, destiny also contains the factor of Qi . The Idea is pure and all-inclusive, while Qi is partial. So, nature has no obstruction, but destiny has beginning and end. Yet, Qi carries the Idea, so destiny can also be interpreted by the Idea. The Dao moves by the Idea of nature and destiny. Here we don't say moving but establishment, because only having been established can the move be carries out. Following the Idea means following the (immanent) nature, and establishing the Dao designates arriving at the destiny, hence the saying of ‘accomplishing the Idea and nature to arrive at the destiny', this is the purpose to compose the Yi . Only if one has known the sages' purpose of composing the Yi like this, could he speak of the Dao of Yi .” (p. 425) (3)

In the above-mentioned interpretations about the Idea and Dao , nature and destiny, Mr. MA applies the mode of the relationship between the Idea and Qi raised by the neo-Confucianists of the Song Dynasty, the Idea and nature be the noumenon, the Dao be the motion, and the destiny simultaneously hold Qi . He also said the originality of Qian designates nature while the originality of Kun the destiny, and the combined virtue human. What the things depend upon to originate is the Idea, and what they depend upon to give birth is the Qi, which at last is attributed to the Idea. In addition, the Idea must follow the nature and destiny, because without the nature and destiny there will not exist the Idea. But the Idea does not exist outside of us and could not be sought externally in an objective way, nor be attained to by analysis, mathematics, comparison, and inference, but could not be obtained through acknowledgment and comprehension of the subject. Therefore, to some sense, Mr. MA's “Idea” is “heart (or mind)”.

Similar to XIONG Shi-li , MA Yi-fu eventually regarded the Idea of nature and destiny as the innate heart. The heart conceives all laws, so the heart is the source of all laws. The Dao of the Three Powers is just a manifestation of the great function of the innate heart, i.e. the noumenon. The purpose for the sages to compose the Yi to expand edification is to let people acknowledge the innate heart. The innate heart differs from the habitual heart. If we only follow the habitual heart, the innate heart will lose and deteriorate.

From ontology to moral cultivation, Mr. MA upheld “beginning cultivation from accomplishing the nature”, “accomplishing the cultivation depends on the nature”, and the combination of Qian and Kun , “therefore the moral cultivation and the nature are inseparable”. For the relationship between the attribute of nature and that of cultivation, “nature is revealed in the cultivation, and one ought to just stick to nature by neglecting cultivation.” He also spoke of self-accomplishment and things' accomplishment, holding that accomplishing things is the nature's duty. But different things possess different Qi, this has to be attributed to the destiny. The sage accomplishes nature to destiny, so they even do righteous things even they know they are destined to fail. In his opinion, “accomplishing the Idea, nature, as well as the destiny” designates nature and moral practice simultaneously, internal cultivation and external realization simultaneously. Searching out exhaustively what was deep and investigating the minutest springs (of things) is to expand the cause and virtue, and open up (the knowledge of the issues of) things and accomplish the undertakings (of men). This is called accomplishing nature, potency, and (social) positions.

In the relationship between substance and function, between nature and cultivation, XIONG and MA are of the same opinion to some extent. For instance, they hold similar views on “the spirit is unconditioned by place and the changes are not restricted to any form” (mentioned in Xi Ci), “entering into the inscrutable and spirit-like realm” (ibid), and “everything obtains its correct nature and destiny” (referred to in Tuan for Qian , a component of Yi Zhuan ). Moreover, they were almost identical in the relationship of the noumenon and its function (unfolding). But Mr. MA would adopt terms of Buddhism, while Mr. XIONG did not. XIONG and MA undoubtedly succeeded the neo-Confucianists' views of the Song and Ming dynasties and attached importance to ontology. Yet MA's interpretation was more traditional while XIONG adopted some concepts of modern philosophy. XIONG stressed onto-cosmology while MA emphasized onto-axiology.

 

III. FANG Dong-mei: Metaphysics with “Producing and Reproducing” Being the Core

 

Mr. FANG paid much attention to the logics of Yi . He commented on Jing Fang, XUN Shuang, and YU Fan's Yi-ology and held that the theory of Pangtong , but “the principles of Pangtong ought to be sought in the images but not in the remarks affiliated …… One should begin with the images of the hexagrams and then seek the correlation between the images and remarks by the inter-hexagram logic” (p.3) (4) . He had introduced the correlation between the 64 hexagrams by modern logical method.

In Mr. FANG Dong-mei's Philosophy of Original Confucianism and Daoism , there is a chapter “ Original Confucian Thought : In the Part of Yi jing ”, in which he examined the logic in Yi , the origin and structure of the system of symbols, and affirmed the transformation from symbols to virtues. Mr. FANG holds that the hexagrams and the remarks affiliated to them were products from the remote antiquity to the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty. After that, with the Duke of Zhou and Confucius' interpretations, Zhouyi became an ideological system of humanity and was enhanced with the rationality of virtue, not only remaining its value of original religion, but also transforming it with the value of virtue. In this way, they correlated the spiritual world to the real world and established a virtuous order of human life. Mr. FANG pointed out that, only with Confucius, Mencius, and their disciples' systematic studies and philosophical interpretations, did Zhouyi possess real philosophy.

What Mr. FANG stressed was that the “original virtue” and “original Idea” was the mainstream of Chinese cultural spirit and the essence of Chinese wisdom. Just as XIONG Shi-li and MA Yi-fu did, Mr. FANG also confirmed Confucius' composition of the Ten Wings of Yi Zhuan , and even held that Confucius' real contribution was in his commentaries on Yi . He further pointed out that, adopting Confucius and Zi si's thought, Mencius was the great mater who genuinely and thoroughly comprehended the spirit of Zhouyi , threaded through Yi and the Doctrine of the Mean, and arranged man's position and dignity from the angle of life, ideal of value, and the axis of philosophy.

What Mr. FANG called “original virtue” and “original Idea” refers to the heaven-earth spirit of the “attribute of producing and reproducing” and “ceaseless producing”. The innovational spirit of the Dao of heaven can transform into the innate creativity in human nature and into the value system of humanism. Here the “originality of Qian ” refers to the “attribute of grandly producing” and the “originality of Kun ” to the “attribute of widely producing”. The life of “heaven” and that of “earth” united together and established a producing attribute with grandeur and width, i.e. a creative force, with human being the pivot between the heaven and earth. Zhouyi was a philosophical system with life and value being the center. (pp. 156-160) (5)

For Yi Zhuan was concerned, Mr. FANG considered it conceives the “cosmic-ontology” and “axiology oriented ontology” uniquely existing in Chinese philosophy. Please note what Mr. XIONG raised was “onto-cosmology” while the approach of Mr. FANG was from cosmology to ontology to axiology.

In his paper of Cosmos and Man in Chinese Metaphysics, Mr. FANG held, “ Yi jing as a book is profound and extensive, and lasting historical document including: 1) a set of mode of historical development, thought its structure is extremely complicated, its levels are methodical; 2) a set of holistic symbolic system of hexagrams and lines, all its deducing procedures are based on rigid logics; 3) a set of combinations of characters, by the interrelated grammar one may find the associations between the hexagrams and lines. These three features forms a kind of temporal prelude or introduction by which we can extend out a set of metaphysical principles to interpret the cosmic order.” (p. 289) (4) He also pointed out: “ Zhouyi as a revolutionary philosophy began from Confucius …… . Its essential philosophical connotations consist of four aspects: 1) upholding ‘the myriad of things have lives', a new outlook on nature, asserting all the natural world are pervaded and filled with the cosmic lives. Nature itself is a big vital and exuberant life which produce things ceaselessly. The myriad of things in the universe are born by their innate nature and take part in the producing and thus form the all-inclusive body of innate nature. 2) Advocating man's innate nature is good and expanding the beauty and goodness in man's nature, making each of beauty and goodness shines more brilliantly in the other's company, and regarding the acme of beauty and goodness as the acme of personality. Only man can realize this consummate idealism. 3) Having established a ‘general axiology', setting the comparatively different values in different positions, each of them is contained in the ‘acme of goodness'. 4) Founding an axiological ontology, to affirm the use of the real being.” (pp. 289-290) (4)

These four essential connotations summarized by FANG Dong-mei indeed exhibit his insight. He expounded the cosmology, theory of nature, theory of realm, and axiology, especially the union of the four aspects conceived in Zhouyi . He pointed out that Confucianism stresses time, while the concepts of “timeliness” in Zhouyi is particularly obvious.

For the cosmological view of nature in Zhouyi is concerned, he holds that what Yi Zhuan exposed was that all beings have lives and the universe are exuberant and harmonious with producing and reproducing. This was founded by Confucius and could be seen in Xiang Zhuan , Xi Ci Zhuan , and the former two sections of Shou Gua Zhuan . FANG Dong-mei holds that all the connotations of giving birth and establishing nature, opening up (the knowledge of the issues of) things and accomplishing the undertakings (of men), creating things ceaselessly and perpetually are worth studying deeply. (pp. 127-129) (6) Mr. FANG pointed out that Chinese like replace “cosmos” with “nature”. The “nature” (cosmos) in Chinese mind is different from the westerners'. It is not of material, nor mechanic, nor an empirical object which can be cut apart (or conquered) but a living residence for the entire existing world, a process of the myriad of things' changes by their natural regulations and rhythm, and a realm within which all things are integrated into one. His interpretation of the cosmological view of nature conceived in Yi Zhuan affirmed the vitality of the nature. He holds that our cosmos is a ceaselessly producing, constant novel and creating realm. The impulse of any life will not be in danger of extinction. Hopes of any life are possible to be satisfied. And the ideals of any life are necessary to be realized. The state of that “everything obtains its correct nature as appointed and (thereafter the conditions of) great harmony are preserved in union” (mentioned in Tuan Zhuan for Qian ) is really an overall appearance of our cosmos. This theory of that the cosmos is living is indeed the unique character of Chinese philosophy represented by the philosophy conceived in Zhouyi . He holds that Yi wei Qian zao du (Chiseling Open the Regularity of Qian (Heaven) in the Apocrypha of the Changes) also represents the characteristic of organism of Chinese philosophy. What called the organism of Chinese philosophy denies the absolute oppositeness between man and things, between subjective and object, denies the mechanic world made up of some elements, and denies compressing the changing world into a set of tightly closed system. This is directed against western philosophy. (p. 284) (4)

For the theory of human nature and realm, Mr. FANG held that only man could comprehend the concept of living universe, and when it wells up, man could accomplish a sense of mission of virtuous value inherent in human nature, exploit the quality of beauty and goodness in human nature, and realize the ideal of complete beauty and goodness. He pointed out this connotation was also initiated by Confucius and could be seen in Wen Yan for hexagrams Qian and Kun . Xiang Zhuan had particularly exploited this thought. Zhouyi advocates nerving oneself, creating, and living a substantial life. Both the macrocosm of the universe and the microcosm of our life are filled with vitality and vividness. Man's virtuous life and ideal of value are enhanced with his diligence. Mr. FANG expanded the saying of that “the attribute of simplicity in Yi correspond to the supreme virtue” (mentioned in Xi Ci), holding that all men in the whole existing world attain to the realm of supreme goodness through actual practice. When people attain to the perfect realm through their creativity, they are able to unite themselves with the heaven and earth in virtue and do things as spirit-like things do. This is just the spiritual ideal personality, the sages in Confucianism, who accomplished their nature and engaged in practical cultivation to the state of supreme goodness. In interpreting Wen Yan Zhuan, Mr. FANG stressed the realm of supreme goodness with man's virtue being united with the attribute of heaven and earth, a most lofty realm of the great men and the sages.

For the relationship between the axiology, theory of realm, views on the natural world, and views on nature in the philosophy of Zhouyi , FANG Dong-mei pointed out that in Chinese philosophy the natural world is a realm for the great circulations of the cosmic life, and it is full of infinite vitality. There isn't any freak between human and nature, because man's life and the cosmic life are united into one. The nature is a harmonious system. By miraculous creativity, it vitalizes the stagnated material world, refines man's sentiment and temperament, and enhances man's virtue. The heaven gives forth producing and the earth transforming, forming a vast producing and reproducing world. The greatly circulating life is interrelated with man's work. It is because of man's active participation in the eternally infinite creation and gradually getting the axial positions in the process that individual life obtains infinite value and significance as the cosmic life does. We are facing a creative cosmos, only if each of us is full of the same creative spirit as the cosmos' could our virtue match the heaven and earth. So, the dynamically circulating cosmology in Confucianism is a kind of ontology with value being the core. It is of philosophical anthropology.

Mr. Fang's interpretation on Yi is of grandeur, magnanimous, and threading through the west and east, the ancient times and the present. His modern philosophical interpretations had transcended the demarcation between the philosophical tradition of Yi of the Song Dynasty and the image-number tradition of Yi of the Han Dynasty. Compared with XIONG and MA's interpretations, the philosophical connotations he extended were more unrestrained.

 

IV. MOU Zong-san: From Natural Philosophy to Virtuous Metaphysics

 

Mr. MOU in his early years interpreted Chinese philosophy by metaphysics of Greece philosophy and natural ontology, especially applied new realism and mathematic logics to the discussion of Zhouyi . He attached importance to the Yi traditions of the Han and Qing dynasties. In his early years he held Zhouyi was in possession of four connotations: 1) mathematical and physical outlook of the world, i.e. an outlook of regularity; 2) a mathematically logical methodology, i.e. a “prepositional logic” presenting the world by symbols; 3) a realistic cognition, i.e. a cognition to demarcate or analogize the world's attributes by images; 4) a realistic axiology, i.e. ethics indicated by the commentaries in Tuan and Xiang . ( Chong yin Zhi yan , a Remark in the Reprint) (7)

1. Views on Yi in His Early Years: Studies of the Image-number of the Han Yi Tradition

He set forth five fundamental axioms: one, each position of the six lines has its image and implies a class, called “six-position” axiom; two, the six positions are dissected into three section of upper, mid, and lower positions correlated with the three powers of heaven, earth, and human, called “three-quality” axiom; three, the second line is in the mid of the lower trigram and the fifth in the mid of the upper trigram, the are the focuses or governors of a hexagram, called “mid” (or impartial) axiom; four, Yang lines ( — ) are in Yang positions (the initial, third, and fifth lines) and Yin lines (--) in Yin positions (the second, fourth, and top lines), forming a Ji Ji ( ), called “matching-position” axiom; five, in the lines matching positions, the initial and the forth, the second and the fifth, the third and the top lines are mutually responsive, called “responsive” axiom. (p. 49) (7) Mr. Mou is sensitive to the six-line correlations reflected by the positions of the lines. In his opinion, the former four axioms are static existence, while the last one embodies the function of mobility of the lines. From the cosmology manifested by the six lines, “responsive” means “sensational communication”. By the approach of images and numbers, the transformations between Yin and Yang are shown in Han Yi .

In discussing the “ascent of Qian and descent of Kun ”, Mr. MOU set forth a cosmology of interaction of the Qi, and studied the significance of Ju , Cheng , and Cheng , the issues of Hu Ti , and temporal and spatial issues, raising much creative thinking. (pp. 149-152) (8)

Mr. MOU had a deep research on HU Xu and JIAO Xun's Yi -ology, getting many attainments. Mr. XIONG Shi-li appreciated much for MOU Zong-san's explication of HU Xu's philosophy concerning production and formation. Taking JIAO Xun's Yi -ology into account, Mr. MOU pointed out that JIAO established his virtue philosophy “penetrating emotions” (mentioned in Wen Yan). As for the discussion on JIAO Xun's Dang wei Shi Dao Tu , Diagram of Matching Positions but Losing the Dao (Way), the relationship between “forming two Ji Ji ( )” and “matching positions but losing Dao ”, whether the saying of “matching-position law” and “losing- Dao law” is tenable and their relationship with Pangtong, Mr. QIN Yi-cheng discussed in detail in his JIAO Xun Dang wei Shi Dao Tu MOU Shi Shu Bu, A Recount and Supplement To MOU's Interpretations on JIAO Xun's Diagram of Matching Positions but Losing the Dao , and exposed JIAO Xun's confusion and lack of Mr. MOU's inference and analysis. (pp. 245-262) (9) . Nevertheless, Mr. MOU's promotion and praise for JIAO's basic principles in interpreting Yi is of great significance in all.

2. Views on Yi in His Old Years: “Comprehending the inscrutable and spirit-like and knowing the principles of transformation” became the core.

Mr. MOU's general view on Zhong Yong , the Doctrine of the Mean, and Yi Zhuan , the Commentaries on Yi is that, both of them expound human nature by descending the mandate of heaven and the Dao of heaven, i.e. by a cosmological approach, different from Mencius approach of “innate benevolence and righteousness”.

He pointed out: the nature from the mandate of heaven is always of transcendence and value significance. “The changes and transformations of the Dao of Qian (Heaven) correct the nature and mandate” expressed in Xiang for Qian refers to this kind of nature; the (human) nature mentioned in Xi Ci of “the interaction between Yin and Yang is called the Dao , what succeeds it is called goodness and what accomplishes it is called the nature” refers to this kind of nature. The nature mentioned in Shuo Gua Zhuan as “probing into the Idea and accomplishing the nature and mandate” also refers to this nature. This nature is endowed from the heaven, the mandate of heaven, and the Dao of heaven is not the nature determined by the materialized Qi. Expounding human nature from the Dao of heaven, Yi and Zhong Yong followed the traditional “objective principles” in Confucianism. (pp. 60-61) (10)

Mr. MOU holds that Tuan, Xiang, Wen Yan, and Xi Ci generally exposed the philosophical and moral connotations conceived in Zhouyi from Confucianism. The main idea is “Comprehending the inscrutable and spirit-like and knowing the principles of transformation” (mentioned in Xi Ci). The Tuan for Qian and Kun centralized this spirit, especially the remark of “the Dao (Way) of heaven is to change and transform, so that everything obtains its correct nature as appointed, and (thereafter the conditions of) great harmony are presented in union” is worth contemplating. The so-called “knowing the principles of transformation” refers to knowing the attribute of producing and transforming of the heaven and earth, i.e. knowing the Dao of heaven. And the so-called “comprehending the inscrutable and spirit-like” refers to the spirit-like of the unpredictable producing and transforming, such as described “the unpredictability of Yin and Yang is called the spirit-like”, “may those who know the Dao of changes know what the spirit does?” and “the spirit is not restricted by any place and the change is not restricted by any form”, etc. (p. 300) (11) . Mr. MOU repeatedly explicated the following saying: “ Yi has no thought and no action. It is still and without movement, but when acted on, it penetrates forthwith to all phenomena and events under the sky. If it were not the most spirit-like thing under the sky, how could it be found doing this? The Yi is the method by which the sages searched out exhaustively what was deep, and investigated the minutest springs (of things). On account of the depth, the Yi could penetrate to the views of all under the sky; On account of the minuteness, it could bring to a completion all undertakings under the sky; And on account of the spirit-likeness, it could make speed without hurry and reached their destination without traveling.” “The virtue of the stalks is versatile and spirit-like; that of the hexagrams or trigrams is exact and wise; and the meaning given by the six lines is changeful to give (the proper information to men). The sages, by their possession of these (three virtues), cleansed their minds, retired and laid them up in the secrecy (of their own consciousness). But their sympathies were with the people in regard both to their good fortune and evil. By their spirit-like ability they knew (the character of) coming events, and their wisdom had stored up (all experiences of) the past. Who could be able to accomplish all this? (Only our) ancient sages, quick in apprehension and clear in discernment, of far-reaching intelligence, and all-embracing knowledge, and with a majesty, going spirit-like to its objects, it was only they who could do so. Therefore (those sages), fully understanding the Dao of heaven, and having clearly ascertained the experience of the people, instituted (the employment of) these spirit-like things, as a provision for the use of the people. The sages went about the employment of them (moreover) by purifying their hearts and with reverent caution thereby giving (more) spirituality and intelligence to their virtue”. For these remarks in Xi Ci and interpretations related, what Mr. MOU stressed are:

a. “Comprehending the inscrutable and spirit-like” means “knowing the principles of transformation” means “knowing the principles of transformation”, and vice versa. Here “comprehending” does not mean scientific seeking of knowledge, and the “knowing” does not mean the scientific knowledge. “Comprehending the inscrutable and spirit-like and knowing the principles of transformation” is a demonstration and proving of virtuous life, a metaphysical insight from the virtuous life based completely on “benevolence”. What was said in Xi Ci of “It is manifested in the benevolence and it conceals and stores up its resources” refers to the Dao of heaven demonstrated. The Dao of heaven is not an empty thing, it ought to be realized and show its great utility. The Dao of heaven is manifested as “benevolence” and “sincerity”, and the order of producing and transforming of the heaven (cosmic order) is also an order of virtue. This is an inevitable comprehension departed from the virtuous life. (pp. 301-302) (11)

b. Yi Zhuan speaks of the Dao of heaven, i.e. the Dao of benevolence, on the omnipresence of benevolence. So, the Dao of Yi is that of benevolence and that of production. The Dao of heaven exhibited as what “ Qian (heaven) initiates and Kun (earth) accomplishes” is the substance producing and transforming unpredictably. On account of Confucius” insight, a comprehension of innate virtue, Yi and Zhong Yong became conspicuous. The powerful motion of the virtuous life and the piously “following the time of heaven” form a union of transcendence and innateness. (p. 304) (11)

c. In Yi the truth of life is seen in the operation of stalks in divination. What was said as “searching out exhaustively what was deep and investigating the minutest springs (of things)” just exposed the original meaning of the Yi . This means the arrival to a purist and unobstructed transcendent substance through the material world. Yi just proves the transcendent substance by the spirit-like unpredictable producing and transforming mode and the principle of simplicity. Either the producing & transforming of the Dao of heaven or the sages' spirit-like heart can be modified by “non-thinking, non-action, still and without movement, and penetrating by sensation”. This is called “the truth sensed in stillness”. So, the transcendent substance actually refers to this truth, spirit-like transformation and simplicity being its essential quality. All these were attained in the advancement of the pure, and sincere virtuous and spiritual life. What they comprehended and attained to were the origin of the universe. So what was described in Xiang for Qian of “Heaven, in its motion, (gives the idea of) strength, the superior man, in accordance with this, nerves himself to ceaseless activity” just reflects the difference of the transcendental wisdom of Confucianism from that of Buddhism and Daoism. (pp. 307-308, 310) (11)

MOU Zong-san did not stick fast to actual utility and concrete objects, but concentrated his effort on the ideal value and spiritual life conceived in Yi , to affirm that comprehending and attaining to the noumenon was just the essence of the edification of the Yi , urging people to nourish the heart and nature to attain to a lofty realm of virtue. His interpretation of Yi Zhuan is in consistent with his “innateness-transcendence” philosophical system. By his view, the existence of this metaphysical realm and the direction of this spiritual vitality are versatile, eternal, and truthful, and are always specifically versatile.

 

V. TANG Jun-yi: All-round Religion with the Heaven and Human, Internal and External Mutually Producing and Embracing

 

Mr. TANG Jun-yi's discussion on Yi was also philosophical and much similar to Mr. MOU's. They exerted influences on each other's thought. Comparing with the above-mentioned MOU's thought in his old years, TANG's similar discussion was earlier.

In his Zhong guo Zhe xue Yuan lun · Yuan Dao Pian Er, On Original Chinese Philosophy · On Dao (Part II), and Yuan Xing Pian, On Human Nature, Mr. TANG discussed Yi Zhuan many times. From the titles of “Depending on the Dao of Yi to Contemplated the Spirit-like Dao of Heaven in Yi Zhuan ”, “Speaking of Goodness along with Succession, Speaking of Human Nature along with Accomplishment, and Obtaining the Spirit-like Wisdom by Virtue in Yi Zhuan ”, “Operating the Spirit-like Mind to Comprehend the Dao of Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) and Speaking of the Human Nature along with the Dao ”, etc., it is not difficult to find his interpretative approach.

Mr. TANG pointed out that, by the state of “stillness without movement” yet “penetrating by sensation”, it can be seen that all the myriad of the things were sensed from stillness, from formless to having form, from the metaphysics to physics, and all the physical actable and thinkable things were flowed out and produced from the no-thinking and no-action world. Having comprehended this, one could enter into the threshold of the metaphysics of Yi Zhuan . Having comprehended that the production and formation of all things were all from metaphysical formlessness to physical form, one could find that the “successive” producing and forming of all things was a process from the minute to the conspicuous and from the conspicuous to the minute, from closing to opening and from the opening to closing. It was with these connotations that Yi Zhuan spoke of the succession of closing and opening, and the endless producing from the images to forms to utensils. These utensils can be invented and utilized by man, and their utility is adaptable, changeable, adaptable, and unpredictable. (pp. 140-145)

Mr. TANG affirms that man has the “spirit-like acknowledgement” transcending over certain time and space. He said, the Dao of the things' sensation and change is just the Dao of Yi, while the spirit is included in it. So, the Dao of Yi is a spirit-like Dao . Yi is not restricted by any form and the spirit-like thing is unconditioned by any place, so, it does not mean there is a spirit-like Dao except the Dao of Yi . He expanded the remarks of “The seeing their spirit-like intimations and understanding them depended on their being the proper men, and the completing (the study of) them by silent meditation, and securing the faith of others without the use of words, depended on their virtuous conduct” and “if we have thoroughly comprehended the inscrutable and spirit-like, and known the processes of transformation, it is called the fullness of virtue”, and further discussed the relationship between the spirit-like acknowledgement and virtuous conduct.

He said: “if man does not have a selfish heart, nor think the selfish heart is owned only by himself, but return this heart to the heaven and earth, and thus finds that all the places where the heaven and earth exist are the places where his spirit-like acknowledgment exists and functions, i.e. the heaven and earth is a heaven and earth in his spirit-like acknowledgment, the heaven and earth appeared will be boundless, and the spirit-like acknowledgment will be boundless.” (p. 163) (12)

In interpreting “the spirit-like miraculously creates the myriad of things”, he particularly pointed out that this did not mean that “the spirit-like is superior to the myriad of things”, nor mean that “the spirit-like is universally present in the myriad of things”. Why? Because “the spirit-like is superior to the myriad of things” connotes that it produces things by certain plans, then it can be limited and predictable; and “the spirit-like is universally present in the myriad of things” designates that it is universally present in the accomplished things. They are different from the unpredictability of the spirit-like when it circulates in the things to be produced designated by “the spirit-like miraculously creates the myriad of things”. Here Mr. TANG distinguished Chinese philosophy (esp. Confucianism) from the monistic extrinsically transcendental Christianity and pantheism. (p. 164) (12)

Mr. TAGN adheres that when man view the mutual sensations in the natural world, on one hand, he finds the assembling of the attributes of natural things, on the other hand, he seek virtuous conducts to respond to them. The natural world inspires man to act virtuously. Therefore here nature is not a pure nature, but a nature with significance of virtuous conducts. (This is much similar to FANG Dong-mei's view.) Chinese scholars are well versed in obtaining the inspirations from nature at any place to man's virtuous conducts. This is related to the influences of the edification tradition of Da Xiang Zhuan (literally, Great Image) in Zhouyi . Not only should man's virtuous conducts correspond to the virtue of the heaven and earth, but also man's conducts should conform the requirements of time, just as what was expressed in the Tuan for hexagram Bi (the 22 nd hexagram in the current version of Zhouyi ): “We look at the ornamental figures of the sky, and thereby ascertain the changes of the seasons; we look at the ornamental observances of society, and understand how the processes of transformations are accomplished all under heaven.”

In discussing Xu Gua (The Orderly Sequence of the Hexagrams), Mr. TANG pointed out that dialectics conceived in Zhouyi differs from western dialectics. Zhouyi mostly advocates development through obedient transformations, while the western dialectics first of all stresses the direct transformations between two opposite sides. He upholds Qian 's (Heaven's) initiating corresponded with Kun 's (Earth's) obedient reception. In addition, he in Zhouyi the mutual supplements can be seen in the transformation between two opposite sides. This is different from that there exist internal contradictions within a thing in the western dialectics. His original meaning is to emphasize that the harmony-style dialectics in Chinese philosophy differs from the struggle-style dialectics in western dialectics.

Mr. TANG also upholds the saying of that “what is departed from the Dao is called the mandate, what constitute one is called human nature” in Chapter Ben Ming , Original Mandate, in Da DAI Li Ji, Records of Rituals by Senior DAI, and “human nature differs from the mandate” in Yue Ji, Records of Music, “everything obtains its correct nature and mandate”, “comprehending the Idea, accomplishing nature and mandate”, “follow the principles of nature and mandate” in Yi Zhuan , and “the mandate of heaven is called nature” in the Doctrine of the Mean. This is identical to MA Yi-fu and MOU Zong-san's views.

Mr. TANG holds: “in the process of accomplishing innate nature, one can see a self-destiny in his virtuous life. This self-destiny likely flows from a source for all the existing things transcending real life. So it is called originating from the mandate of heaven. Actually, this mandate of heaven can be seen in the self-destiny of virtuous life, i.e. can be seen in one's accomplishing his nature and seeking self-sincerity and self-accomplishment, hence the saying of that the mandate of heaven is called nature. For the character of Zhong Yong (the Doctrine of the Mean) of relating the mandate of heaven to nature, it regards that with constantly seeking of pure virtuous conduct, one will inevitably accomplish his virtuous nature, i.e. a nature is inevitably obtained from “accomplishment” and “correction”. This is identical to the purport of Yi Zhuan . This nature completely dwells in the self-destiny. So, as one accomplishes his nature, he can accomplish the mandate of heaven and his self-destiny. Thus ‘what to be accomplished is nature', ‘everything obtains its correct nature and mandate', and ‘accomplish nature and destiny' mentioned in Yi Zhuan just reflect a similar thinking mode to the Doctrine of the Mean.” (p. 88) (13) Here he tried to speak of the similarity between Zhouyi and Zhong Yong .

Mr. TANG pointed out that “the reaction between Yin and Yang is called the Dao , what succeeds it is called goodness, and what accomplishes it is called nature”, “the accomplishment of nature leads to the Dao and righteousness”, “the Dao of heaven is to change, thereby everything obtains its correct nature and destiny”, “ Qian (Heaven) initiates and Kun (Earth) accomplishes”, and Qian and Kun 's function of stimulating all things resulting in abundant virtue and great business mentioned in Yi Zhuan , its thought seems to be a pure system putting the metaphysics in the first place and communicating the Dao of heaven with human nature. This differs from what Mencius upholds of accomplishing heart to understand nature and (the mandate of) heaven, preserving the heart and nourishing the nature to serve the heaven in a way to attain to the state directly in the heart and nature, and seems different from what Zhong Yong advocates of seeing identity between the sages' virtue and the virtue of the heaven and earth in producing the myriad of things through their ceaseless sincerity. Mr. TANG further pointed out that Yi Zhuan 's stressing Yin and Yang , Qian and Kun simultaneously is particularly different from Zhong Yong which maintains communicating the Dao of heaven and that of human only by sincerity. Here he speaks of the differences between Zhouyi and the Doctrine of the Mean .

Mr. TANG holds that the approach from Dao to goodness to human nature in Yi Zhuan is that, first of all, we must comprehend it first of all in our virtuous life journey and in the observance, by the spirit-like acknowledgment of heart, of the changes of the objective cosmos. This is in our virtuous life to seek self-accomplishment (of heart) from self-sincerity, i.e. to seek a pure flawless one with succession. This is a journey with goodness succeeded. Here at first there is the goodness of succession, and then the accomplishment of nature can be seen, so the succession of goodness is referred to earlier than the accomplishment of nature. It does not mean there is only goodness but without nature in the succession, or there is only accomplishment in nature but without goodness, nor means that there is a priority in goodness and nature. (pp. 83-89) (13)

Mr. TANG pointed out that our spirit-like acknowledgement could enable us to store up (all experiences of) past and know the coming events. By examining the past and the coming events, we could see that they transform between the form and formlessness, and from the form to formless we could see all the visible forms actually function by a metaphysical Dao , shifting between coiling and straightening. This metaphysical Dao is not an empty principle, but a practical Dao of Qian and Kun enabling the form “to be visible in the production and invisible in the accomplishment”.

In short, Mr. TANG said, there were two arguments about the relationship between the Dao of Qian and Kun and human nature & destiny, both included in Yi Zhuan . “Getting the bottom of the Idea and accomplishing human nature and mandate” belongs to one argument, while “the Dao of Heaven is to change and transform, thereby everything obtains its correct nature and destiny” belongs to the other argument. The former is from the subject to object, while the latter is in an opposite way. The former indicates that we could understand by our spirit-like acknowledgement the Dao of Qian (Heaven) and Kun (Earth) in the universe. The spirit-like acknowledgement comes out of our heart, nature, and mandate. Then, the objective Dao of Qian and Kun is exposed to and innately exists in our nature and mandate. Getting to the bottom of the objective Idea is equal to accomplishing our nature and mandate.

The latter argument makes our nature and mandate as objective as the myriad of things' nature and mandate coexisting in the objective universe, and thus obtain, produce, and accomplish by self along with the change of the Dao of Qian and Kun to correct individual nature and mandate. In this way our nature and mandate are produced, accomplished, and corrected by the changes of Qian .

These two arguments are mutually based and rooted. Both the route from human (nature) to understanding the (mandate of) heaven and that from the (mandate of) heaven to knowing human (nature) are attributed to the purport of the union of the heaven and human in virtue, to comprehend that both externally getting to the bottom of the universal Idea and internally accomplishing nature could correct and accomplish the nature and mandate. Mr. TANG's conclusion was: “The arguments on nature and mandate and the Dao of Qian and Kun in Yi Zhuan fundamentally regards the heaven-human external-internal relationship as a mutually producing and conceiving, all-round religion. And therefore Zhouyi and Zhong Yong concurrently conceive great wisdoms.” (P. 96) (13)

By the above-mentioned discussion, we can know that, in contrast with Mencius, Mr. MOU adheres that both Yi and Yong share a cosmological approach, and the center of weight is an objective principle from the Dao of heaven to human nature. Yet, also in contrast with Mencius, Mr. TANG exposed not only the similarities but also the dissimilarities between Yi and Yong . Though he also thought Yi Zhuan is a system from the Dao of heaven to human nature, he further pointed out that it includes two principles from subject to object and from object to subject, emphasizing Qian and Kun simultaneously. Mr. MOU expanded the significance of “getting to the bottom of the spirit-like and understanding the (principles for) transformations” and confirmed it as the virtuous life based on benevolence. While discussing the “spirit-like acknowledgment”, Mr. TANG pointed out that it contains form and formlessness, i.e. ceaseless succession from the journey of virtuous practice, the spirit-like mind to the changes of the objective cosmic changes.

 

VI. Significances of the Modern New Confuciansits' Views on Yi

 

FENG You-lan, XU Fu-guan, ZHANG Jun-li etc. discussed Zhouyi , esp. Yi Zhuan , too, and expanded the original purposes of Yi Zhuan . The reason why this paper does not discuss their views here in detail is that generally they did not unite their interpretations of Zhouyi and their own philosophical system or philosophical thought into one, in other words, they only expounded their views from a position as an ideologist or expert in the history of philosophy. Mr. FENG You-lan stressed the significance of the concepts of oppositeness, change, and circulation, especially development conceived in Yi Zhuan on outlooks of cosmos, society, and human life. Mr. XU Fu-guan emphasized the thought concerning human nature and mandate embraced in Yi Zhuan , holding that it added the concepts of Yin and Yang between nature and mandate, and the virtues mentioned in Yi Zhuan were more externally significant, which was different from Mencius and Zhong Yong in this point.

The five scholars' views discussed above are mutually expansive all over. Except Mr. MOU's views in his old age, none of them paid attention to image-numberology and concretely studied the Yi -ology or the history of the Yi studies by academic approaches. The common attention they share is that adopting some key and philosophical remarks to creatively interpret them and reestablish the metaphysics on Yi , especially the metaphysics of virtue, and develop the metaphysics from the two aspects of existence and motion as well as their union.

There maybe some differences between in the contents they discussed, yet, by a comprehensive view, it is not difficult to find that, though they adhere to the Song Yi tradition, they brought the new from the old and assumed Zhouyi with modern philosophical implications. The values and significances of their discussion are as follows:

a. Being no longer bound by tedious system of form, nor sticking hard to the materialized world, but enhancing the spirit and world of value of Confucianism, even the whole Chinese philosophy represented by Zhouyi , to urge people to pursuit the realm of life united with truth, goodness, and beauty and found the belief by which to secure one's body and destiny.

b. Expanding the spirit of creativity in Yi Zhuan and promoting the “function”, “world of phenomena”, “physical world”, as well as the “external conducts” to open up (the knowledge of) things and accomplish undertakings (of men), exalt virtues and enlarge one's cause in facing the challenge of the western world and modern life. This is called No-two (inseparableness) between the substance and function and concurrent establishment of Qian and Kun included in their discussions.

c. Having emphatically re-explicated the cosmology, ontology, theory of life, theory of human nature, theory of realm, axiology, and the relationship between them by modern philosophical concepts and conscience of issues. Confirming the unique character of Chinese philosophy different from western philosophy is its views of natural vitality, views of holistic harmony, and indicates that the natural cosmos and real world conceives the concept of value, pursuit of consummate goodness and beauty, theory of life, and internal experience.

d. Having reestablished ontology and cosmology, demonstrated the significance of the union of transcendence and the innateness and the combination of the virtue of heaven and that of human, reinterpreted the value of the propositions like “getting to the bottom of the Idea, completing nature and mandate”, “succeeding goodness and accomplishing nature”, affirmed man's “spirit-like acknowledgment” and the ability to “enter into the inscrutable and spirit-like to know the (principles of) change”, and thus accomplished the Confucian virtuous metaphysics.

The Text and Commentaries of Zhouyi are important classics of Chinese philosophy, especially Yi Zhuan gradually formed in the late Warring States Period represented Chinese humanistic awaking and founded a mode for ontology, cosmology, theory for human life, and axiology of Chinese philosophy. Different from the cosmology of the Yin-yang and Eclectics schools prevalent in the Han Dynasty, the thought of Yi Zhuan is more profound and extensive. Today, philosophy of Yi Zhuan still has its value and significance. In the past fifty years, scholars in the mainland of China attached importance to the value of the view of dialectical development, whereas foreign sinologists stressed the cosmic evolution diagram conceived in Yi Zhuan . Both approaches are not bad. Comparatively, the interpretations of the modern New Confucianism particularly grasped the onto-cosmology in the Dao of Yi as the key. In other words, the greatest value is that it succeeded the great tradition from the Yin and Zhou dynasties, to Confucius and Mencius, turned the religious mode (of the Text) into a mode uniting religion and virtue, and integrated the three powers of Heaven, Earth, and Human into one grand system. The spirit of Yi Zhuan requires people to comprehend the Dao of heaven by the creative strength and vigor, understand the Dao of earth from the angle of obedience and generosity, and comprehend the Dao of Yi of ceaseless producing by the sensation between the Dao of heaven, the Dao of earth, and the Dao of human (principles of human affairs). The onto-cosmology contains two aspects of understanding the Dao of heaven by practical cultivation and explicating the Dao of heaven to expand the Dao of human, contains Confucian “virtuous edification” of accomplishing both self and things, integrating the internal cultivation and external virtuous conducts. Modern New Confucianists explicated their views on the substance and function by this kind of onto-cosmology, established new philosophical mode by which to include modern science. They also particularly integrated the Dao , Idea, nature, and mandate based on the enhancement of virtue and virtuous practice, by this they actually admitted man's freedom of virtue, absolute order and unconditional righteous conducts undertaken by men. This leaves more space for development in virtuous metaphysics. Today, we are still asking for the issues like the significance of the Dao of heaven, the natural world, society, human nature, individual life, and their ultimate attributes. Modern New Confucianists' explication gives forth multiple inspirations to us to develop the spirit of Zhouyi philosophy. This itself is an important spiritual legacy.

 

References:

(1) GUO Qi-yong: XIONG Shi-li Si xiang Yan jiu, Studies of XIONG Shi-li's Thought [M]. Tianjin : Tianjin People's Publishing House, 1993.

(2) XIONG Shi-li: Xin Wei shi Lun, Neo-vij?ā namā trasiddhi-?ā stia [M]. XIONG Shi-li Quan ji, Collected Works of XIONG Shi-li, vol. 3 [Z]. Wuhan : Hubei Educational Press, 2001.

(3) MA Yi-fu Ji, Colleted Words of MA Yi-fu, vol. 1 [Z]. Hangzhou : Zhejiang Ancient Books Press, Zhejiang Educational Press, 1996.

(4) FANG Dong-mei: Sheng Sheng Zhi De, Virtue of Producing and Reproducing [M]. Taibei: Liming Cultural Cause Company, 1987.

(5) FANG Dong-mei: Yuan shi Ru jia Dao jia Zhe xue, Philosophy of Original Confucianism and Daoism [M]. Taibei: Liming Cultural Cause Company, 1987.

(6) FANG Dong-mei: Zhong guo Ren sheng Zhe xue, Chinese Philosophy of Life [M]. Taibei: Liming Cultural Cause Company, 1980.

(7) MOU Zong-san: Zhou yi De Zi ran Zhe xue Yu Dao de Han Yi, Natural Philosophy and Virtuous Connotations In Zhouyi [M]. Taibei: Wenjin Publishing House, 1988.

(8) DENG Li-guang: A New Philosophical Interpretation of the Image-number Yi Studies: Mr. MOU Zong-san's Yi -ology [A]. LIU Da-jun: Da yi Ji Shu, Collected Papers On Yi Submitted to the Third Cross-Strait Symposium on Yi Studies [C]. Chengdu : Bashu Publishing House, 1988.

(9) QIN Wen-zai: Mr. MOU Zong-san and the Reestablishment of Chinese Philosophy [M]. Taibei: Wenjin Publishing House, 1996.

(10) MOU Zong-san: Zhong guo Zhe xue De Te zhi, Unique Character of Chinese Philosophy [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Press, 1997.

(11) MOU Zong-san: Xin ting Yu Xing ti, Noumenon of Heart and That of Human Nature, vol. 1 [M]. Taibei: Zhengzhong Publishing House, 1990.

(12) TANG Jun-yi: Zhong guo Zhe xue Yuan Lun · Yuan Dao Pian Er, On Original Chinese Philosophy · On Dao (Part II) [M]. Collected Works of TANG Jun-yi, vol 15 [Z]. Taibei Xuesheng Publishing House, 1993.

(13) TANG Jun-yi: Zhong guo Zhe xue Yuan Lun · Yuan Xing Pian, On Original Chinese Philosophy · On Human Nature [M]. Collected Works of TANG Jun-yi, vol 13 [Z]. Taibei Xuesheng Publishing House, 1991.

Also called Yi, the Book of Change, is made up of two parts: Yi jing , the Text, which consists of the 64 hexagrams and the remarks affiliated to the hexagrams and lines, and Yi Zhuan , the Commentaries, which includes ten chapter, called Ten Wings, attributed to Confucius in the past, but now to his disciples or his disciples' disciples by most scholars.

A famous scholar of the Yi studies in the Wei Dynasty (220-265) who interpreted Lao zi and Zhouyi and adopted Daoism into Confucianism, and initiated the metaphysics of the Wei and Jin dynasties, advocating that non-existence is the noumenon and foundation of the universe.

A famous neo-Confucian scholar of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), he and his younger brother CHENG Yi being the founder of school of Idea prevailing in the Song and Ming dynasties.

A famous scholar on Yi at the turn of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1911) dynasties who wrote Zhou yi Nei zhuan , Interior Commentaries on Zhouyi , and Zhou yi Wan zhuan , Outer Commentaries on Zhouyi .

The first hexagram in the current version of Zhouyi , symbolizes heaven, originality, creativity, positive, and so on.

The second hexagram in the current version of Zhouyi , symbolizes earth, receptiveness, submissive, and so on.

One of the eight trigrams, symbolizes water, midnight, moon, winter, dim, peril, and so on.

One of the eight trigrams, symbolizes fire, bright, noon, sun, summer, bright, happiness, and so on.

Literally, Grand Pole, a term referred to in Yi Zhuan , the Commentaries on Yi, usually interpreted as the beginning of the universe by scholars. Noted by the translator.

Literally, Great Change, a term mentioned in Yi wei Qian zao du (Apocrypha of Change Chiseling Open the Regularity of Qian (Heaven), denotes the beginning of the cosmos.

Mentioned in Shuo Gua , Treatise of Remarks on the Trigrams, a chapter of the Yi Zhuan . Noted by the translator.

For the eight trigrams, Qian ( ) and Kun ( ) are regarded the father and mother, and the other the six children: Zhen ( ) the oldest son, Xun ( ) the oldest daughter, Kan ( ) the second son, Li ( ) the second daughter, Gen ( ) the youngest son, and Dui ( ) the youngest daughter.

A theory originated with YU Fan (164-233) in interpreting Yi . By this principle, if a hexagram's Yin and Yang line(s) change into its (their) opposites and form another hexagram, the transformed hexagram is called the Pangtong hexagram of the former, for example, Qian ( ) and Kun ( ) are mutually Pangtong , Meng ( ) and Ge ( ) are mutually Pangtong .

Literally, lean on. The upper line of an adjacent pair of lines in a hexagram is said to “lean on” the lower line.

承 , literally, support. The lower line of any adjacent pair of lines is believed to “support” the upper line.

乘 , literally, mount. When the upper line of an adjacent pair of lines is a Yin line, it is believed to “mount” the lower line.

Literally, interlocking trigrams. Whereas a hexagram is composed of two trigrams and six lines, by the Hu Ting theory, the 2 nd to the 4 th line can form a new trigram, the 3 rd to the 5 th lines can constitute a new trigram, called interlocking trigrams. By this way, more hexagrams can be exposed in an original hexagram. Image-number scholars utilize this tradition to seek the correlation between the images and remarks affiliated to the hexagrams and lines.

(Originally published in Chinese in the STUDIES OF ZHOUYI/No. 6, 2003)