A Study Of Jia Yi’s Doctrine Of’Tao’

The doctrine of Tao of Jia Yi is based on "morality". Jia Yi explored "Tao" through inquiry into what "Tao" is. In his view,"Tao" is a means through which people deal with man, things and objects."Tao" can be classified into root(ben) and branch(mo). Both ben and mo are part of Tao", but Ben refers to emptiness(xu) and mo refers to technique(shu). The actions that Tao communicates with objects are manifested in two aspects:"Xu" communicates with objects and "shu" communicates with objects. Jia Yi believes that "Tao" is based on "xu". It does not mean that "Tao"is absolute empty. In fact, it intends to emphasize the subtleness of "Tao"."xu" is the subtle feature of "Tao", and regards "proper"as a guiding principle of actions that Tao communicates with objects. However,"xu" itself can not communicate with the object. Hence, if communicating with the object,"Tao" should use "shu" to fulfill it on the basis of "xu" rather than stay at the level of "xu". In this sense, Jia Yi believes that "shu"is also "Tao". On this basis, Jia Yi relied on the ethical principles of Confucianism, integrated fifty-six pairs of concepts which are widely discussed by pre-Qin dynasty philosophers, and considered them as a standard of judging good and evil, right and wrong.The theory of "virtue" is the unique characteristics of Jia Yi’s moral metaphysics. Jia Yi thought that although "Tao" was the fundamental of the creation of all things, the creation and change of "Tao" can not develop if there is no conveyor------"virtue". Therefore, when discussing "Tao" and "xu", Jia Yi introduced the concept of "moral" and illustrated torsion and operation of "Tao" between heaven and earth with the aid of two propositions------"Moral having six li"(de you liu li)and "moral having six beauties"de you liu mei)."De you liu li" means that "Tao","virtue","nature"(xin),"spirit"(shen),"wisdom"(ming) and "fate"(min) are the process of creation of "Tao" from intangibility to tangibility and from the virtual to the real. Among six "li","virtue" from the perspective of generative theory is the downward condensation of the "Tao". The creation and change of "Tao" can be realized due to the existence of "virtue","xin" is the gathering of "shen and qi of virtue"(dao de shen qi). The object created by virtue must experience "erectness of human nature"(xin li)."Shen"is not only the result of "Tao","virtue","spirit","qi" which generated from "xin", but also the function of "xin"."Ming"is the result of outward manifestation of "dao de shen qi"."Min" is the final link in which all the things have shapes."De you liu mei" means that "Tao","benevolence"(ren) and "righteousness",""loyalty","faithfulness","sincerity" and "nobility"(mi) are the value significance shown by the practice of "virtue". Among "liu mei","Tao","ren","righteousness","faithfulness"and "loyalty" are basically consistent with the theory of "virtue". But from the original meaning of "mi", Jia Yi considered "mi" as one beauty of "virtue" in order to express the idea of "advocating virtue"."Liu li" and "liu mei"only reveal the function of "virtue" from different perspectives. Both of them do not fundamentally differ from each other. On this basis, Jia Yi’s idea---using six as rule (yi liu wei fa)---goes throughout his theory of "virtue"."Liu li"and "Liu mei" form the rules in the interior of the object, which is known as "liu fa". It is reflected in the exterior of the object and forms "Six the chin ques"(liushu). Taking actions guided by "liu shu"is called "liu xing". The idea of "liu xing" is one characteristiics of Jia Yi’s "yi liu we ifa". Though it is affected by the thought in Wu Xing, both differ a lot from each other. Jia Yi’s emphasis on the thought of "liu" is influenced by water systerm in the early Han Dynasty. On the other hand, it intends to settle Six Arts of Confucianism in the metaphysical world so as to determine necessity, absoluteness and feasibility of Six Arts.Jia Yi’s theory of "virtue"can find its expression in his political philosophy. Jia Yi used "Tao" to talk about politics, which was shown in the followings:on the one hand, he explored the idea of Tao ruling of ancient emperors and pointed out that the so-called "governing Tao" is "practicing Tao"; on the other hand, through reflecting the rapid collapse of Qin Dynasty, he believed that "Tao"can not be deserted. Only through the praise and promotion of the sage who possesses virtue and obtains "Tao","Tao"can be applied into political operation. Therefore, the idea of "Tao ruling"of the sage is the main subject Jia Yi elaborated. In Jia Yi’s view, the idea of "Tao ruling"of the sage mainly reflected in ren, sincerity, reverence and cautiousness."ren" and "sincerity" are the basic principle of governing Tao. Political Tao and governing Tao are different, but both of them are unified."cautiousness" and "reverence"are necessary for ren and sincerity."cautiousness" is to get rid of evilness in order to protect the good, and "sincerity" is to express the reverence by heart. The administration of ren and sincerity and the virtue of cautiousness and reverence is the manifestation of the thought of the people as root. Jia Yi’s thought of the people as root is put forward on the basis of summarizing the lesson of Qin Dynasty’s collapse and synthesizing the thoughts of pre-Qin Dynasty philosopher. The feature lies in the fact he uses "暝" to explain the internal attribute and thinks people is a group where there are stupid and sage people. In addition, he talks of heaven-destiny and the people as root at the same time, and guarantees the effective application of the thought of the people as root. In Jia Yi’s thought of the people as root,"Tao" is the supreme principle, and "people"is the ultimate goal. The supreme principle and the ultimate goal are fundamentally consistent. The regulation of Tao between emperor and subordinate(jun cheng zhi dao) is to ensure the consistency between the supreme principle and the ultimate goal. Jia Yi believes that emperor should treat people fairly by means of ren and righteousness, use Tao to choose officials. Meanwhile, officials should look loving people as loyalty and facilitate the emperor. He discusses the relationship of emperor and subordinateness on the basis of justice.The further implement of Jia Yi’s kingcraft ideal and moral governing appeals were embodied in what he did to the institutional set-up of the regime of the early Han Dynasty which was in the outline for ritual. Jia Yi’s ritual theory had three characteristics: first, he thought the realization of virtue and morality couldn’t do without ritual,which was the continuity of his moral philosophy; Secondly, emphasizing political function of ritual was focus of his ritual theory,and he explained the concrete connotation of ritual from political perspective;Thirdly,Jia Yi carried forward the pre-Qin Confucians’thought that ritual was major while law minor,and he thought law plaid a "supplementary role" for ritual. Jia Yi’s law was actually legal rule but not punishment. Facing with political problems and hidden dangers in the Han Dynasty, Jia Yi formulated a series of legal measures,which was to ensure the smooth implementation of ritual thought of Confucian from the system level. Among these thought, Jia Yi had the theory of system of succession by the eldest son and education thought about prince, which were the continuos discussion of the pre-Qin Confucians’ power granted theory under grand unification epoch.The ideal of "Tao" is not only reflected in Jia Yi’s political philosophy and ritual thought,but also in his life practice and literary creation. Different from the elder of "more content and less form" in political lives in west Han Dynasty, Jia Yi was the opener of the han dynasty ideal and mind. When "Tao"can be used in political life, Jia Yi treated the king with the standard of "Tao", and he kept loral to the king and devoted his life to the king. On the contrary, when "Tao "can’t be used in political life,Jia Yi realized he should try to keep good moral character,far away from the dirty dark politics,and apperceive the meaning of life,which is a kind of Chinese traditional scholar-official life portrait after the formation of the han regime.Jia Yi delt with these two kinds of different life circumstances with the attitude Confucian’ concern for worldly affairs and Taoism’ transcending the reality, which was not divided to his "Tao " thought. With the view of "Tao",making a difference in the political life and reclusion away from the political life just were due to the changes of circumstances where "Tao" was used.As long as you are willing to act in accordance with the standard of "Tao", then "Tao"will not be far from you.In addition to this,Jia Yi’s composes began with emotions and were confined to the scope of ritual,being enlightenment-oriented.Jia Yi’s compose of Mourning qu yuan,Tung Chung-shu’s compose of scholar-official being unrecognized and Si ma qian’s compose of being sorrowful for scholar-official’s being unrecognized established the model of compose With the theme of scholar-official being unrecognized.