Book of Changes: Cosmological and Anthropological Metaphors in Chinese Philosophy

• Authors: İlknur Sertdemir

Abstracts

EN

Ancient Chinese history holds a quality which has syncretized traditional thought with its cultural wealth unified of mystical and mythological figures in the background. Such that classical documents, which had begun to be written before Common Era, has directly influenced the political regime, education system and status of society in China. One of the most prominent features of these works is to propound collective knowledge about perception of cosmology, attitudes to earthiness, community standards, policy and morality. Among Five Classics works of these masterpieces of Chinese philosophy, Book of Changes which stands closest to metaphysical narrative, mainly consists of the texts about prophecy. While this piece of work had been referred as a divination guide in Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC), it turned into a cosmological text that included a range of philosophical commentary during Warring States Period (475-221 BC). The mainstay of this remarkable change is the direct correlation of all the concepts and terms that characterize the worldly beyond along with the relevant text, especially yin-yang dualism, which symbolizes an extraordinary harmony in early Chinese thought. Traditional idea suggests reciprocity in which heaven, earth and man are interconnected to maintain natural order. However, the superiority attributed to human beings also brings compulsive responsibilities to idealize a compatible society. This paper aims to discuss influences of cosmological and anthropological items on human behaviors explained in prescriptive perspective.

Keywords

EN

Chinese philosophy; Book of Changes; harmony; moral principles; self-cultivation; self-identification

• Publisher: Academicus. International Scientific Journal publishing house
• Journal: Academicus. International Scientific Journal
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 24
• Pages: 214-225

Dates

published

2021

Contributors

author

İlknur Sertdemir

• University of Ankara, Turkey

• https://orcid.org/0000000243253097

References

• 1. Analects - Lunyü 论语. Taipei: Chongwen Shuju, 2016.
• 2. Bai, Gang, General History of Chinese Political System - Zhongguo Zhengzhi Zhidu Tongshi 中国政治制度通史. Beijing: Renmin Chubanshe, 1993.
• 3. Book of Changes - Yijing 易经. Changsha: Hunan Renmin Chubanshe, 1993.
• 4. Book of Documents - Shujing 书经. Taipei: Zhongyang Tushuguan, 1991.
• 5. Chan, Wing Tsit, A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1963.
• 6. Doctrine of the Mean - Zhongyong 中庸. Taipei: Sishu Duben, Sanmin Shuju, 2003.
• 7. Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters - Shuowen Jiezi 說文解字. Beijing: Zhonghua ShujuYouxian Gongsi, 2011.
• 8. Feng, Youlan, The History of Chinese Philosophy - Zhongguo Zhexue Shi 中国哲学史. Beijing: Chongqing Chubanshe, 2009.
• 9. Gardner, Daniel K., Zhu Xi and the Daxue: Neo-Confucian Reflection on the Confucian Canon. Cambridge: Harvard University Asia Center, 1986.
• 10. Book of Rites - Liji 礼记. Xinjiang: Xinjiang Qingshaonian Chubanshe, 2006.
• 11. Liu, Zhao, Aannotated Guodian Chu Bamboo Texts - Guodian Chujian Xiaoshi 郭店楚简校釋. Fuzhou: Fujian Renmin Chubanshe Press, 2003.
• 12. Nelson, Eric S., Onto-Hermeneutics, Ethics, and Nature in the Yijing. Journal of Chinese Philosophy 38(3), 2011: 335–338.
• 13. Sertdemir, İlknur, The Concept of Human Being throughout Classical Chinese Texts. PhD Thesis, Ankara: Ankara University Graduate School of Social Sciences, 2020.
• 14. Tu, Weiming, Confucian Thought: Selfhood as Creative Transformation. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1985.
• 15. Xu, Zi, Origin and Evolution of Heaven-Earth-Sovereign-Ancestors-Masters - Tiandi Junqinshi Yuanliu Kao 天地君親師源流考. Beijing: Beijing Shifan Daxue Xuebao, 2006.

Identifiers

DOI

10.7336/academicus.2021.24.14

Biblioteka Nauki

1968651