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Xuanxue

January 01, 1970

Xuanxue (simplified Chinese: 玄学; traditional Chinese: 玄學; pinyin: Xuánxué; Wade–Giles: Hsüan2-hsüeh2), sometimes called Neo-Daoism (Neo-Taoism), is a metaphysical post-classical Chinese philosophy from the Six Dynasties (222-589), bringing together Taoist and Confucian beliefs through revision and discussion. The movement found its scriptural support both in Taoist and drastically reinterpreted Confucian sources. Xuanxue, or "Mystic Learning", came to reign supreme in cultural circles, especially at Jiankang during the period of division. The concept represented the more abstract, unworldly, and idealistic tendency in early medieval Chinese thought. Xuanxue philosophers combined elements of Confucianism and Taoism to reinterpret the I Ching, Daodejing and Zhuangzi.

Definition edit

The name first compounds xuan (玄) "black, dark; mysterious, profound, abstruse, arcane." It occurs in the first chapter of the Daodejing ("玄之又玄，眾妙之門"). The word xuan literally depicts a shade of deep, mystical, dark red. Daodejing speaks of the Dao as Xuan, more specifically underpinning the depth, utter impenetrability, and the profound mystery of the Dao.[1]

Xue (學) means "study, learn, learning"; thus, xuanxue is literally the "learning" or "study" of the "arcane", "mysterious", or "profound". Therefore, the meaning of xuanxue can be described as "study of the mysterious or profound".

In Modern Standard Chinese usage, xuanxue can mean "Neo-Taoism", "esoteric", "metaphysics", "spiritualism", or "mysticism". The New Treatise on the Uniqueness of Consciousness by Xiong Shili defines Xuanxue as "dark/obscure/mysterious/profound learning". The concept can be described by such abstractions as "to initiate no action", "emptiness", "one and the many", "root and branches", "having and not having", and the "emotional responses" and "pattern".[2]

In modern Chinese, Xuanxue is also taken to refer to astrology, geomancy and other popular religious arts.[1] Another translation of xuanxue could be "learning of the dark."[3]

History edit

 
Distribution of philosophical ideologies (Jingxue and Xuanxue) during the Northern and Southern Dynasties

Xuanxue arose after the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) in early Medieval China. It is mainly represented by a few scholars, namely Wang Bi (226-249), He Yan (d. 249), Xiang Xiu (223?-300), Guo Xiang (d. 312) and Pei Wei (267-300).[1] In general, these scholars sought to reinterpret the social and moral understanding of Confucianism in ways to make it more compatible with Taoist philosophy.[1] Xuanxue philosophers of the Han dynasty were concerned with restoring unity and harmony to the land, not by condemning the teachings of the sages, but by interpreting them in new ways. Xuanxue thinkers thereby developed their theories by reinterpreting the relationship between Taoist and Confucian texts through an appreciation of their common themes.[1] Through this syncretic movement, the "Way of Mysterious Learning" (Xuanxue) emerged.

Two influential Xuanxue scholars were Wang Bi and Guo Xiang, editors and leading commentators on the Daodejing and Zhuangzi, respectively.[1] For instance, the Daodejing exists in two received versions named after the commentaries. While the "Heshang Gong version" explains textual references to Daoist meditation, the "Wang Bi version" does not. Richard Wilhelm said the Wang Bi commentary changed the Daodejing "from a compendiary of magical meditation to a collection of free philosophical aperçus."

One of the major defining features of Zhengshi Xuanxue is the "Pure Conversation" (清談) gatherings that took place among political and intellectual elites from the 3rd century onward, through which intellectuals questioned tradition and shared their ideas during the Wei-Jin and Six Dynasties periods.[4] These sessions were transformed versions of the more politically charged "Pure Criticism" (清議) protests of the later Han, which were, in turn, continuations of political remonstration practices.[4] Much of Xuanxue had become divorced from the realities of life and afforded an escape from it.

During the 5th-century CE, Xuanxue formed a part of the official curriculum at the Guozijian, together with Rú (Confucian learning), Literature, and History.[1] Although Xuanxue does not represent one monolithic school of thought, it does encompass a broad range of philosophical positions.

Function edit

The goal of Xuanxue is to bring to light the nature and function of Dao, which appears dark and impenetrable. It started from the assumption that all temporally and spatially limited phenomena (anything "nameable"; all movement, change, and diversity; in short, all "being") is produced and sustained by one impersonal principle, which is unlimited, unnameable, unmoving, unchanging, and undiversified.[5] Rather than a school of set doctrines, Xuanxue is a broad, dynamic intellectual front. Many Xuanxue scholars argued that "words cannot fully express meaning," as meaning transcends the limiting confines of language. Xuanxue seeks to bring together Confucian and Daoist ideologies with fresh annotation and discourse, working with the classical definitions, doctrines, and rules set by previous philosophers.[1]

The concept of Wú is central to Xuanxue. It is translated as "nothing", "nothingness", "non-being", and "negativity".[6] The Tao can literally only be described as nameless and formless, not having any characteristics of things. That the Tao is the "mother of all life" is also central to Xuanxue ideology. Because of the Tao being the beginning of all things, while simultaneously being indescribable and non-being, the Tao is said to be "dark" or "mysterious" (xuan).[6]

Misinterpretations edit

Xuanxue should not be misinterpreted as interchangeable with the Dao. Rather, Xuanxue is the study of the mystery and darkness of the intangible. Dao represents xuan, the mystical that is central to the philosophy. The Dao supplies the subject matter/basis for the "Mystic Learning" that underpins the thinkings and teachings of Xuanxue.[7]

Xuanxue aims at unlocking the mystery of the Dao, but should not be confused with a revival of preceding schools of Taoism.[1] Xuanxue is committed to analytic rigor and clarity in explicating the meaning of Dao, employing the new, contemporary language of the time. However, critics sometimes condemn it as "dark" because they judge it as obfuscating and detrimental to the flourishing of Dao.[8] They use phrases like "dark words" (xuanyan) or "dark discourse" (xuanlun) in a pejorative sense, indicating that to them Xuanxue was nothing but convoluted empty talk. In these contexts, xuan may be translated as "abstruse", "obscure", or words to that effect.[8]

To classify Xuanxue as merely "Neo-Taoism" misleadingly reinforces suggestions that Wei-Jin thinkers were only "reinterpreting Confucianism through the lens of Taoism" (Chan 2010: 5). Chan points out that since xuan (玄) is already something "obscure" and "insubstantial" in Chinese, xuanxue can be left "untranslated, though not unexplained" (Chan 2010: 6). Xuanxue is also often classified as "Profound Learning". Although "profound" is more appropriate than "dark", ambiguity is still an issue with this classification.[8]

Xuanxue is not a kind of scholasticism that pitches one school against another. Instead of seeing them as attempting to reconcile Confucianism with Taoism, it may be suggested that they were primarily concerned with the substantive issue of the relationship between mingjiao and ziran.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Chan, Alan. "Neo-Daoism", Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
  2. ^ Shili, Xiong (2015). New Treatise on the Uniqueness of Consciousness. New Haven & London: Yale University Press. p. 110.
  3. ^ "Dark Learning | Chinese philosophy | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  4. ^ a b Bo Mou (27 October 2008). The Routledge History of Chinese Philosophy. Routledge. pp. 303–. ISBN 978-1-134-24938-1.
  5. ^ Zürcher, Erik; Twitchett, Denis C. China - Dong (Eastern) Han, Britannica.com.
  6. ^ a b JeeLoo Liu; Douglas Berger (13 June 2014). Nothingness in Asian Philosophy. Routledge. pp. 214–. ISBN 978-1-317-68384-1.
  7. ^ Sellmann, James D (September 2020). "Xuanxue's Contributions to Chinese Philosophy". researchgate.org.
  8. ^ a b c d "Neo-Daoism" (PDF). edisciplinas.usp.br. Sep 2, 2014.

Further reading edit

  • Theobald, Ulrich. "Chinese Literature and Philosophy - Xuanxue 玄學 The School of the Mystery". www.chinaknowledge.de.
  • Littlejohn, Ronnie, "Daoist Philosophy", section 11 "Neo-Daoism", Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
  • D'Ambrosio, Paul. "Xuanxue "Neo-Daoism": Reworking the Relationship between Confucian and Daoist Themes". academia.edu.

External links edit

  • "Philosophy and Religion in Early Medieval China", sunypress.edu.

January 01, 1970
xuanxue, simplified, chinese, 玄学, traditional, chinese, 玄學, pinyin, xuánxué, wade, giles, hsüan2, hsüeh2, sometimes, called, daoism, taoism, metaphysical, post, classical, chinese, philosophy, from, dynasties, bringing, together, taoist, confucian, beliefs, th. Xuanxue simplified Chinese 玄学 traditional Chinese 玄學 pinyin Xuanxue Wade Giles Hsuan2 hsueh2 sometimes called Neo Daoism Neo Taoism is a metaphysical post classical Chinese philosophy from the Six Dynasties 222 589 bringing together Taoist and Confucian beliefs through revision and discussion The movement found its scriptural support both in Taoist and drastically reinterpreted Confucian sources Xuanxue or Mystic Learning came to reign supreme in cultural circles especially at Jiankang during the period of division The concept represented the more abstract unworldly and idealistic tendency in early medieval Chinese thought Xuanxue philosophers combined elements of Confucianism and Taoism to reinterpret the I Ching Daodejing and Zhuangzi Contents 1 Definition 2 History 3 Function 4 Misinterpretations 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDefinition editThe name first compounds xuan 玄 black dark mysterious profound abstruse arcane It occurs in the first chapter of the Daodejing 玄之又玄 眾妙之門 The word xuan literally depicts a shade of deep mystical dark red Daodejing speaks of the Dao as Xuan more specifically underpinning the depth utter impenetrability and the profound mystery of the Dao 1 Xue 學 means study learn learning thus xuanxue is literally the learning or study of the arcane mysterious or profound Therefore the meaning of xuanxue can be described as study of the mysterious or profound In Modern Standard Chinese usage xuanxue can mean Neo Taoism esoteric metaphysics spiritualism or mysticism The New Treatise on the Uniqueness of Consciousness by Xiong Shili defines Xuanxue as dark obscure mysterious profound learning The concept can be described by such abstractions as to initiate no action emptiness one and the many root and branches having and not having and the emotional responses and pattern 2 In modern Chinese Xuanxue is also taken to refer to astrology geomancy and other popular religious arts 1 Another translation of xuanxue could be learning of the dark 3 History edit nbsp Distribution of philosophical ideologies Jingxue and Xuanxue during the Northern and Southern Dynasties Xuanxue arose after the Han dynasty 206 BCE 220 CE in early Medieval China It is mainly represented by a few scholars namely Wang Bi 226 249 He Yan d 249 Xiang Xiu 223 300 Guo Xiang d 312 and Pei Wei 267 300 1 In general these scholars sought to reinterpret the social and moral understanding of Confucianism in ways to make it more compatible with Taoist philosophy 1 Xuanxue philosophers of the Han dynasty were concerned with restoring unity and harmony to the land not by condemning the teachings of the sages but by interpreting them in new ways Xuanxue thinkers thereby developed their theories by reinterpreting the relationship between Taoist and Confucian texts through an appreciation of their common themes 1 Through this syncretic movement the Way of Mysterious Learning Xuanxue emerged Two influential Xuanxue scholars were Wang Bi and Guo Xiang editors and leading commentators on the Daodejing and Zhuangzi respectively 1 For instance the Daodejing exists in two received versions named after the commentaries While the Heshang Gong version explains textual references to Daoist meditation the Wang Bi version does not Richard Wilhelm said the Wang Bi commentary changed the Daodejing from a compendiary of magical meditation to a collection of free philosophical apercus One of the major defining features of Zhengshi Xuanxue is the Pure Conversation 清談 gatherings that took place among political and intellectual elites from the 3rd century onward through which intellectuals questioned tradition and shared their ideas during the Wei Jin and Six Dynasties periods 4 These sessions were transformed versions of the more politically charged Pure Criticism 清議 protests of the later Han which were in turn continuations of political remonstration practices 4 Much of Xuanxue had become divorced from the realities of life and afforded an escape from it During the 5th century CE Xuanxue formed a part of the official curriculum at the Guozijian together with Ru Confucian learning Literature and History 1 Although Xuanxue does not represent one monolithic school of thought it does encompass a broad range of philosophical positions Function editThe goal of Xuanxue is to bring to light the nature and function of Dao which appears dark and impenetrable It started from the assumption that all temporally and spatially limited phenomena anything nameable all movement change and diversity in short all being is produced and sustained by one impersonal principle which is unlimited unnameable unmoving unchanging and undiversified 5 Rather than a school of set doctrines Xuanxue is a broad dynamic intellectual front Many Xuanxue scholars argued that words cannot fully express meaning as meaning transcends the limiting confines of language Xuanxue seeks to bring together Confucian and Daoist ideologies with fresh annotation and discourse working with the classical definitions doctrines and rules set by previous philosophers 1 The concept of Wu is central to Xuanxue It is translated as nothing nothingness non being and negativity 6 The Tao can literally only be described as nameless and formless not having any characteristics of things That the Tao is the mother of all life is also central to Xuanxue ideology Because of the Tao being the beginning of all things while simultaneously being indescribable and non being the Tao is said to be dark or mysterious xuan 6 Misinterpretations editXuanxue should not be misinterpreted as interchangeable with the Dao Rather Xuanxue is the study of the mystery and darkness of the intangible Dao represents xuan the mystical that is central to the philosophy The Dao supplies the subject matter basis for the Mystic Learning that underpins the thinkings and teachings of Xuanxue 7 Xuanxue aims at unlocking the mystery of the Dao but should not be confused with a revival of preceding schools of Taoism 1 Xuanxue is committed to analytic rigor and clarity in explicating the meaning of Dao employing the new contemporary language of the time However critics sometimes condemn it as dark because they judge it as obfuscating and detrimental to the flourishing of Dao 8 They use phrases like dark words xuanyan or dark discourse xuanlun in a pejorative sense indicating that to them Xuanxue was nothing but convoluted empty talk In these contexts xuan may be translated as abstruse obscure or words to that effect 8 To classify Xuanxue as merely Neo Taoism misleadingly reinforces suggestions that Wei Jin thinkers were only reinterpreting Confucianism through the lens of Taoism Chan 2010 5 Chan points out that since xuan 玄 is already something obscure and insubstantial in Chinese xuanxue can be left untranslated though not unexplained Chan 2010 6 Xuanxue is also often classified as Profound Learning Although profound is more appropriate than dark ambiguity is still an issue with this classification 8 Xuanxue is not a kind of scholasticism that pitches one school against another Instead of seeing them as attempting to reconcile Confucianism with Taoism it may be suggested that they were primarily concerned with the substantive issue of the relationship between mingjiao and ziran 8 References edit a b c d e f g h i Chan Alan Neo Daoism Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Shili Xiong 2015 New Treatise on the Uniqueness of Consciousness New Haven amp London Yale University Press p 110 Dark Learning Chinese philosophy Britannica www britannica com Retrieved 2022 07 06 a b Bo Mou 27 October 2008 The Routledge History of Chinese Philosophy Routledge pp 303 ISBN 978 1 134 24938 1 Zurcher Erik Twitchett Denis C China Dong Eastern Han Britannica com a b JeeLoo Liu Douglas Berger 13 June 2014 Nothingness in Asian Philosophy Routledge pp 214 ISBN 978 1 317 68384 1 Sellmann James D September 2020 Xuanxue s Contributions to Chinese Philosophy researchgate org a b c d Neo Daoism PDF edisciplinas usp br Sep 2 2014 Further reading editTheobald Ulrich Chinese Literature and Philosophy Xuanxue 玄學 The School of the Mystery www chinaknowledge de Littlejohn Ronnie Daoist Philosophy section 11 Neo Daoism Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy D Ambrosio Paul Xuanxue Neo Daoism Reworking the Relationship between Confucian and Daoist Themes academia edu External links edit Philosophy and Religion in Early Medieval China sunypress edu Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xuanxue amp oldid 1216381571, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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