Wang Chong and His Literary Thought

Author: Wang Zhili
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Wang Chong was a renowned philosopher in the early Eastern Han Dynasty and one of the most skeptical thinkers in ancient China. He left behind a masterpiece for posterity——《Lunheng (Discourses Weighed in the Balance)》, which contains rich philosophical and literary ideas. This book aims to conduct a systematic study of Wang Chong's life, personality, the motivations behind the creation of 《Lunheng》, and his literary thought, building upon previous research. Wang Chong's literary thought is deeply intertwined with his philosophical ideas, requiring an exploration of 《Lunheng》 through the lens of his philosophy to uncover its literary ideas and theories of art. Therefore, this book cannot completely separate the two. Before delving into the exploration of Wang Chong and his literary thought, it is necessary to review and summarize the current research status of his thought (including literary thought) and 《Lunheng》. Academic research often involves certain emotional elements, and the author holds great admiration for Wang Chong as a person. He believes that under the harsh rule of long-term feudal autocracy, individuals with independent skeptical thoughts in Chinese history were exceptionally rare, and Wang Chong stands out as one of the most outstanding among them. Compared to Wang Chong, the masses of people who blindly followed the crowd throughout history lacked the spirit of skepticism and the courage for critique. Some rigidly adhered to ancient teachings without daring to step beyond established boundaries, while others curry favor with the powerful, indifferent to right or wrong and uninterested in seeking truth. Wang Chong's doctrines of "resisting teachers" and "attacking sages" inspired progressive thinkers throughout the ages, guiding them to lead the times.