This article aims to show that the concept of ＂naturalness＂ in the Laozi is able to provide cultural guidance concerning values for contemporary social development. Specifically, the Laozi＇s concept of ＂naturalnes...This article aims to show that the concept of ＂naturalness＂ in the Laozi is able to provide cultural guidance concerning values for contemporary social development. Specifically, the Laozi＇s concept of ＂naturalness＂-- manifested in the text＇s exhortation to ＂honor the dao and exalt the de＂ and its statement that ＂the dao models itself on naturalness＂--has profound ontological, political and social implications concerning ＂naturalness＂ that are strongly expressed through a variety of propositions including ＂achieving all through non-action＂ and ＂downsizing the state and simplifying the people.＂ With respect to the question about individuals living a life of appropriateness and establishing their destiny, the Laozi emphasizes such cultivation methods as ＂sticking to simplicity and authenticity＂ and ＂watching in quietude and observing in depth,＂ which are also infused with the conception of ＂naturalness,＂ which stresses the notion that understanding the harmony between man and nature can provide useful lessons for the development of contemporary human society.展开更多
Daoist political philosophy is a hot point in the study of Chinese philosophy.This paper introduces and comments on Professor Zheng Kai’s new book from four aspects,including the concept of Daoist political philosoph...Daoist political philosophy is a hot point in the study of Chinese philosophy.This paper introduces and comments on Professor Zheng Kai’s new book from four aspects,including the concept of Daoist political philosophy,the political philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi,the political philosophy of Huang Laodao,and the comparison between the political philosophy of Confucianism and Daoism.While speak highly of the systematic integration of the study in Daoist political philosophy,I also point out the shortcomings of this book.展开更多
The Laozi laughs at the joy of those who violate the Dao and praises the suffering of those who attain it, yet this does not mean that the political philosophy of the Laozi does not encompass a notion of happiness, a ...The Laozi laughs at the joy of those who violate the Dao and praises the suffering of those who attain it, yet this does not mean that the political philosophy of the Laozi does not encompass a notion of happiness, a notion that is grounded in the ＂enjoyment of something together＂ （gong le 共乐） by the sage and the common people. The philosophical foundation of the Laozi＇s view of happiness is its cosmology, of which there are two sequences： one is generation and the other is growth. With the influences of Wei/Jin-era metaphysics and Western philosophy, Chinese scholars used to overemphasize generation, tracing only the origin. But in the cosmology of the Laozi, both generation and growth are indispensable, and this is part of the reason why the Dao and the De are equally important in the Laozi. The happiness of the common people does not come from a psychological dependence on or attachment to certain form of domination, but from the full development of each individual＇s initiative and action affected by Mysterious De.展开更多
基金This essay is part of a key project of the National Social Science Foundation 2015 known as ＂Study of Core Values for Socialist System＂ （No. 2015MZDB011）.
文摘This article aims to show that the concept of ＂naturalness＂ in the Laozi is able to provide cultural guidance concerning values for contemporary social development. Specifically, the Laozi＇s concept of ＂naturalness＂-- manifested in the text＇s exhortation to ＂honor the dao and exalt the de＂ and its statement that ＂the dao models itself on naturalness＂--has profound ontological, political and social implications concerning ＂naturalness＂ that are strongly expressed through a variety of propositions including ＂achieving all through non-action＂ and ＂downsizing the state and simplifying the people.＂ With respect to the question about individuals living a life of appropriateness and establishing their destiny, the Laozi emphasizes such cultivation methods as ＂sticking to simplicity and authenticity＂ and ＂watching in quietude and observing in depth,＂ which are also infused with the conception of ＂naturalness,＂ which stresses the notion that understanding the harmony between man and nature can provide useful lessons for the development of contemporary human society.
文摘Daoist political philosophy is a hot point in the study of Chinese philosophy.This paper introduces and comments on Professor Zheng Kai’s new book from four aspects,including the concept of Daoist political philosophy,the political philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi,the political philosophy of Huang Laodao,and the comparison between the political philosophy of Confucianism and Daoism.While speak highly of the systematic integration of the study in Daoist political philosophy,I also point out the shortcomings of this book.
基金This work was supported by the National Social Science Foundation program on ＂The study of spiritual experience and the inner world in early Daoism＂ （14BZX118）. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for providing constructive comments.
文摘The Laozi laughs at the joy of those who violate the Dao and praises the suffering of those who attain it, yet this does not mean that the political philosophy of the Laozi does not encompass a notion of happiness, a notion that is grounded in the ＂enjoyment of something together＂ （gong le 共乐） by the sage and the common people. The philosophical foundation of the Laozi＇s view of happiness is its cosmology, of which there are two sequences： one is generation and the other is growth. With the influences of Wei/Jin-era metaphysics and Western philosophy, Chinese scholars used to overemphasize generation, tracing only the origin. But in the cosmology of the Laozi, both generation and growth are indispensable, and this is part of the reason why the Dao and the De are equally important in the Laozi. The happiness of the common people does not come from a psychological dependence on or attachment to certain form of domination, but from the full development of each individual＇s initiative and action affected by Mysterious De.
