Research On Name Thoughts Of The Taoist School In Pre-Qin

"Name" is a very important field in the pre-Qin ideological history and one of the central elements discussed by the pre-Qin philosophers."Name" was complex in their discussions. Concepts related to "name" include "Name and Reality","Name and Shape","Name and Punishment","Name and Law","Name and Reasoning","Name and Word","Name and Argumentation","Name and Duty","Name and Compliance", and "Rectification of Names".In the introduction of this paper, the basic meanings of "name" are discussed. The relationships between the thought of "name" and the Chinese traditional logic, the thought of "name" and the School of Names, and the thought of "name" and logic are defined. It is argued that the study of name is often used to specifically refer to the academic thinking of pre-Qin School of Names. The study is logic-based, the academic thinking of pre-Qin School of Names are only part of the "name" thoughts, and "logic" is more distant from the "name" thoughts. These two are inadequate to reflect the abundant connotations of "name" thoughts. The core contents of the pre-Qin "name" thoughts contain the following:The functions of "name" to create the universe and act as the operating rules of things; The application of "name" in social and political aspects; The language and philosophy connotations of "name". Among these, only the third point has something in common with the traditional study of "name", which focuses on logic.Since the Spring and Autumn Period, social upheaval had occurred. In the new social environment, the old "name" thoughts were severely lashed, which led to a new understanding and debate of the "name" thoughts by the pre-Qin philosophers. The "name" thoughts in the Taoist school are an important part, but the study in this respect is far too insufficient. Except for Laozi, the study on the "name" thoughts in Zhuangzi,Huangdisijing Guanzisipian and Heguanzi is very limited. Only a few articles address this topic, and books in this field are currently unavailable. The Taoist philosophers’specific "name" thoughts, the way their "name" thoughts are inherited and developed, the relationships between their thoughts and the society and politics, these issues are to be further clarified in this paper. This paper conducts a diachronlstic comprehensive research into the "name" thoughts of the pre-Qin Taoism, reveals the clues and laws of the development of the "name" thoughts; in this paper, the "name" is compared with other fields for a synchronic in-depth analysis to reveal the complex relations between "name" and "rites" and "Taoism".Besides the introduction and conclusion, this paper is divided into five chapters. The first chapter discusses Confucius’s "name" thoughts, which had a huge influence on the thinking of the pre-Qin philosophers about "name" and was the academic background of Taoist thoughts on "name". The chapter argues that before Confucius, traditional Chinese "name" thought was "giving names to things", while the rectification of name by Confucius started from words and acts. By means of words, Confucius built bridge to the "name" thoughts. In addition, Confucius began the linguistic turn of "name" thoughts.The second chapter argues that the "name" upheld by Laozi is a reflection over the drawbacks in Zhou Dynasty’s literature. Laozi’s "nameless" was direct at "Tao". Laozi acknowledged that "name" existed and functioned. He realized that the laws of things were infinite and the cognition of the people was finite."The Tao that can be expressed is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be defined is not the unchanging name", this is the philosophical thinking of Laozi about the laws of things and the cognitive ability of human beings.The third chapter holds that plagiarizing the Confucianism and the Mohism and opposing "name and reasoning" constitute the two pillars of the "name" thoughts in Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi’s "name" thoughts were significantly influenced by the Confucian ideas. What stimulated Zhuangzi’s response was not "idealism" or "truth" as pointed out by Mr. Chen Qiyun, but the overstress of rites in the Confucian humanism. The core value of rites is represented by name and duty. The overstress of name and duty by Confucianism caused serious human alienation, which was the entry point for Zhuangzi to plagiarize the Confucianism and the Mohism. Zhuangzi denied that the "name" defined and excelled a person. From a higher level of "heaven" and the highest level of "Tao", Zhuangzi examined social issues, in the hope of solving them by looking at them as an outsider. This was a quite different way of thinking from the Confucianism. Zhuangzi denied "knowing" and "argumentation" and revealed the inherent contradictions and dilemmas of them. He dispelled "knowing" and "argumentation" to get rid of human egocentrism.The fourth chapter considers that in the developing period, the "name" thoughts in Huangdisijing is between Laozi and Heguanzi. the "name" thoughts in Huangdisijing has less abstract than Laozi, but it hasn’t developed into governing a country. The "name" thoughts in Guanzisipian is limited in the field of helping a king to control a country. In Guanzisipian, there is no connection between "name"and "dao", there is only one connection between "name" and law, it indicates that the "name" thoughts in Guanzisipian is in the early stage of "name" thoughts.The fifth chapter considers the "name" thoughts in Heguanzi came down in one continuous line from Laozi, both attributing the thoughts to "Tao". When "name" is mentioned in Heguanzi, it often focuses on the practical point of view of country governance. Heguanzi indicated a path declining from Tao to practice, generally oneâ†'vital energyâ†'meaningâ†'pictureâ†'nameâ†'shapeâ†'thingâ†'agreement."Name" is a key node from Tao to practice. The "name" coming down to human affairs as laws, the "name" thoughts in Heguanzi absorbed the thinking of Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi, showing an all-embracing feature.