The End of the Third Circle of Ancient Chinese I Ching Development: A Study of Chuanshan I Ching Thought

Author: Chen Yuanning
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Wang Shanshan was a renowned 17th-century Chinese philosopher, classicist, historian, and poet. He was also an outstanding scholar of the I Ching (Book of Changes), living in seclusion in the countryside and devotedly studying the I Ching, authoring six major works on the subject, such as The Inner Transformation of the I Ching and The Outer Transformation of the I Ching. His I Ching philosophy synthesizes ancient wisdom and absorbs the ideas of various schools, both mastering the symbolic and numerical aspects and excelling in the interpretive and philosophical dimensions. He created a unique and innovative system of I Ching thought. His profound I Ching philosophy stands unparalleled in both ancient and modern times, establishing a monumental milestone in the development of Chinese philosophy and leaving behind a valuable legacy for future generations. Comrade Chen Yuanning has dedicated many years to studying the I Ching, with particular focus on Wang Shanshan's thought. In his later years, he took joy in exploring the I Ching, continuing his scholarly work despite being plagued by illness. After more than a decade of effort, he completed The End of the Third Circle of Ancient Chinese I Ching Development—A Study of Wang Shanshan's I Ching Philosophy, providing a comprehensive and systematic analysis of Wang Shanshan's I Ching thought. This book presents original perspectives, is well-documented, and offers numerous insightful contributions, making it a representative work of 20th-century research on Wang Shanshan's I Ching philosophy. The author dedicates significant portions of the book to analyzing Wang Shanshan's philosophical views on the metaphysics of the I Ching, its developmental perspective, the concept of truth, the relationship between heaven and humanity, theories of human nature, and the symbolic and numerical interpretations. These analyses are deeply insightful, combining historical context with rigorous critique, and many of the author's viewpoints offer fresh insights that previous scholars had not previously explored.