Zhuang Lao Tong Bian -- The Works of Qian Mu Series

Author: Qian Mu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: The authorship and composition period of the Laozi are considered one of the major "unsolved mysteries" in the history of Chinese philosophical scholarship. Traditional views held that Laozi lived before Confucius, but Liang Qiping criticized Hu Shi's History of Chinese Philosophy in modern times, arguing that the Laozi was written after Confucius. Gu Jiegang and Feng Youlan supported this view, asserting that Laozi lived before Zhuangzi. The author of this book, following the principle of "seeking to understand a person and then tracing their era" as advocated by Mencius, meticulously examines the mutual influences, transmissions, and debates among various schools of thought in Daoist philosophy and the intellectual history of pre-Qin China. With compelling arguments and solid evidence, the author convincingly concludes that the Laozi should be dated after Zhuangzi. Since the Twelfth Year of the Republic of China, spanning over thirty-eight years, the author has made successive discoveries, resulting in eighteen essays that are compiled into this book. Please read an excerpt:
1. On the Origins of Zhuangzi's Thought
The late emergence of the Laozi should be even later than Zhuangzi, as the author has argued repeatedly. This excerpt focuses specifically on the cosmological perspectives of Laozi and Zhuangzi, further elaborating on them. The evolution of thought clearly follows a chronological order. In the realm of cosmology, if one posits that Laozi came before Zhuangzi, certain difficulties arise. However, if Laozi is dated after Zhuangzi, then the progression and transformation between the two become coherent and clearly traceable. There arises a question that must be addressed alongside this: if Zhuangzi preceded Laozi, what were the origins of Zhuangzi's thought? This question is eagerly sought by readers. Upon careful study of Zhuangzi's works, one would discover that his thought is indeed a continuation of Confucianism as taught by the school of Confucius, despite numerous modifications. Yet, the traces of inheriting the broader framework remain unmistakable. The Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi frequently mention Confucius and highly praise him. The Principle of Equivalence rejects the dichotomy between Confucianism and Moism, yet the Inner Chapters cite Confucius but not Mozi, revealing Zhuangzi's implicit evaluation of the two. Han Feizi classified Confucianism into eight schools, indicating that after Confucius' death, his disciples' teachings had diversified. Mencius often cited Zengzi and Zisi, which belong to a major branch of Confucianism. Xunzi highly regarded Zhonggong, representing another branch. Ziyu and Zixia had their own traditions, and the Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi occasionally speak of Yan Hui. If Zhuangzi's thought truly drew from Confucianism, it would likely be closer to the branch represented by Yanzi. Han Feizi's "Eight Confucians" included Yanzi, suggesting that even by the late Warring States period, the Yan School continued to be transmitted as an independent branch of Confucianism. The Commentary on the Changes (Xici) was written later than the Laozi, and its presentation of...