A Research On Laoism In Ming Dynasty

With a comprehensive and insightful study of the works interpreting Lao Tse in Ming Dynasty, this dissertation intends to explore the developmental characteristics of Laoism in Ming Dynasty. It consists of three chapters.Chapter One gives a survey of the existing works interpreting Lao Tse in Ming Dynasty as well as their authors. Through the work of sorting out the data and detailed analysis of about fifty of the works and the analysis of all the uthors, four conclusions are drawn. First, the authors who interpreted Lao Tse were from all walks of life and various academic schools. This implies that the book Lao Tse cherished a large readership and was widely valued in Ming Dynasty. Second, in spite of its popularity, few of the numerous authors gave an in-depth study of Laoism in Lao Tse and few authors were pioneering thinkers. This indicates the alienation of Laoism from the academic mainstream and contemporary thinking in Ming Dynasty. Third, the fact that most of the Lao Tse interpreters then were Confucianists points to the main role Confucianists played in the continuation of Laoist school then. Fourth, as far as time is concerned, most of the writings were done in mid- or late Ming Dynasty. This strongly suggests that the social transformations of Mid- and late Ming Dynasty were probably the underlying reason for the sudden boom of Laoism study during that period.Chapter Two rnakes an in-depth study of the characteristics of the interpetations of Lao Tse in Ming Dynasty. The characteristics of the works interpreting LaoTse are analyzed from an brand-new angle by this author, that is, by focusing on the themes of the works. It is pointed out that most of the previous interpretations of Lao Tse focused on two ideas: self-cultivation and state-governing. And according to this study, the two ideas remained to be the two major themes of those interpreting works in Ming Dynasty, only that the latter's "self-cultivation" was mentalism-inclined. This was further proved by the detailed case studies of the works by Xie Hui, Lu Xixin, Shi Deqing, Li zhi and Sheng Yiguan. Then the characteristics and thinkingachievements of the interpreting works in Ming Dynasty were expounded and summarized. The author also maintains that this new angle of analysis is worth adopting in studying the historical place and influence of the book Lao Tse.Chapter Three explores Metaphysical Taoism in Laoism of Ming Dynasty. It first gives an overview of explanations of Lao Tse' Taoism in previous history. Then it elaborates on the development of Laoism in Ming Dynasty in two aspects- Ontology and mentalism. It is argued that there was almost no new theory or method or influential proposition put forward concerning ontology in Ming Dynasty. "Tao is nothing" or "Tao is the source of all beings", this was still the mainstream understanding of Lao Tse' s "Tao" by the Ming scholars. However, in terms of mentalism, new interpretations are observed during this period, with those given by Taoist scholars insightful and systematic while those by Confucian and Buddhist scholars though original but unsystematic. It is thus concluded that in expounding the Metaphysical Taoism of LaoTse, the Laoism of Ming Dynasty displays the obvious tendency of marginization.To sum up, this study reveals two major developmental characteristics of Laoism in Ming Dynasty: its marginization and its popularization.