Works of Fu Sinian - The Dialectics of Ancient Teachings on Life and Death

Author: Fu Si-nian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: This book is an outstanding work by Fu Si-nian on the history of ancient Chinese thought. It meticulously counts and analyzes the characters "xing" (nature) and "ming" (fate) from Shang-Zhou oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions to the canonical texts of the pre-Qin philosophers. By examining their origins and evolution, it discusses the thought of the pre-Qin philosophers and ultimately concludes that Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism is a continuation and summary of pre-Qin thought. This book approaches the construction of macro historical thought from micro perspectives of character forms and meanings using methods from etymology, textual criticism, and linguistics, vividly embodying Fu's academic philosophy that "philosophy is a byproduct of linguistics" and his rigorous scholarly style. This book is one of Fu Si-nian's important works in the field of history. It starts from a linguistic perspective, counting all instances of the characters "xing" and "ming" from oracle bone inscriptions, bronze vessels, and ritual vessels to pre-Qin canonical texts. Using phonology, etymology, and textual criticism, it seeks the meaning of characters through their forms. In the process of exploring the evolution of ancient characters, the author further investigates the underlying cultural and historical significance behind their changes, using the interpretations of "xing" and "ming" to organize the thought of Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, and Mozi, ultimately concluding that Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism is the culmination of pre-Qin Confucian thought.