Abstract
From very ancient times there existed in Chinese culture a strand of thought which was proto-scientific in nature and which tried to explain the universe in which we live in terms of natural forces and elements. The representatives of this type of thought talked about the yin and yang energies.
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Notes
- 1.
For fuller information about this subject consult the following:
-
(1)
Y. L. Fung, A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, chs. 12, 17, 19, and 23.
-
(2)
Fung, History of Chinese Philosophy, Vol. I (English Ed.) chs. 3; 7: 7; 14: 8, 9; and 15. Vol. II (Chinese Ed.) chs. 2, 3, 6, 10–13.
-
(3)
Ch’ien Mu, “Cosmology in the Appendices of the Book of Changes and the Li Ki” (in Chinese), Ssu Hsiang Yü Shih Tai, no.34, May 1, 1944.
-
(1)
- 2.
Especially, the “Li Yün” and the Doctrine of the Mean.
- 3.
Esp. the Hsi Tz’u or App. III in Legge.
- 4.
Sect. I, chs. V and XI.
- 5.
YK, App. III, I, V, 29.
- 6.
YK, App. III, I, V, 24.
- 7.
See Footnote 6.
- 8.
YK, App. III, I, chs. VI and XI.
- 9.
The hexagram formed out of six undivided lines on top of each other symbolizing heaven and yang.
- 10.
See Footnote 5.
- 11.
Ch. 42. Bodde’s tr. in Fung, Short History of Chinese Philosophy, p. 96.
- 12.
Li Ki, “Li Yün”, IV, 4, p. 386.
- 13.
YK, App. III, I, XI, 70.
- 14.
Here in this quotation, “law” and “natural law” have been used to translate the Chinese terms Li and Tao which are used in a rather loose and ambiguous way.
- 15.
The idea is that yang, or heaven, and yin, or earth, join together to produce things and creatures which are symbolized by the “Third.” From this primordial stock all the rest of things and creatures are generated by reproduction or transformation.
- 16.
See Footnote 5.
- 17.
Originally form Shih King, p. 314; but here quoted from Doctrine of the Mean, XXVI.
- 18.
Doctrine of the Mean, XXVI.
- 19.
*#ICWC, V, 4a: 8–9.
- 20.
Here, the exact meaning is obscure although the general idea can be made out. It is possible that either the original record or the text is defective at this point.
- 21.
Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and good faith.
- 22.
The term “spiritual beings” appears 26 times in App. III, 4 times in App. I, 2 times in App. IV and 2 times in App. V.
- 23.
Doctrine of the Mean, ch. XXIV.
- 24.
Ibid., ch. XVI.
- 25.
YK, App. III, I, IV, 21. The original text of the quotation is obscure. Here we use the English version of Legge’s, which was based on Chu Hsi’s Commentary.
- 26.
YK, App. III, I, IV, 21.
- 27.
Wang Hsiang was known as one of the model sons. Having noticed that his mother craved for fish, he was deeply concerned to get some for her. But it was winter and the river was frozen. He broke the ice, and two carps leaped out. This was interpreted as a case of spirits being moved by human earnestness.
- 28.
YK, App. III, I, V, 32: App. V, VI, 10.
- 29.
Shu King, II, IV, 2.
- 30.
Analects, VI, XX.
- 31.
Ch’un Ch’iu, one of the five classics.
- 32.
The ancients believed that frost falls from heaven.
- 33.
One li is about 1/3 mile.
- 34.
Yen Kuang, styled Tzu-ling, 37 B.C.–43 A.D., was a friend of Emperor Kuang Wu.
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Ts’ai, Yc. (2018). His Idea of Nature. In: The Philosophy of Ch’eng I. China Academic Library. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8566-6_3
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