The Echo Of External Taoism And Internal Confucianism:Reverberation And Decadence

The thought of Huang-Lao appeared and began at the Jixia Academy in the State of Qi and revived at the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, which not only inherited policies of the feudal princes in Pre-Qin Dynasty and the thoughts of all schools but also started the political, economical and cultural situation that the great unity appeared in the Western Han Dynasty so that Confucianism was respected only. According to the comparison between’Huang’ and ’Lao’of ’Huang-Lao’in The Records of the Grand Historian, what of’Huang’was conspicuous and what of’Lao’was ignored? The nominatum of’Huang’ was distinct and the purport of’Lao’was young. In the Western Han Dynasty, the thought of Huang-Lao revived, which was an actual contention of all schools of thoughts, especially combined with the thoughts of Confucianism, Legalism and Taoism. It was essential to make use of thoughts of Taoism, Legalism and the internal thoughts of Confucianism. Under the new situation of appealing to great unity,’other doctrines of all schools were ousted, but Confucianism was overwhelming’, which not only revealed the undercurrent of Taoism but also led the contention of all schools of thoughts in the Pre-Qin Dynasty to a new direction that was profound, blended and obscure.The developmental logic of theories accorded with the opportunity of the historical period. With the revival of the metaphysics of Taoism, Taoists in Wei and Jin Dynasties developed Taoism and the Confucianism also surged. Ruan Ji and Ji Kang, two representatives of metaphysics, settled the philosophical theories of Confucianism and Taoism, i.e., thoughts of Confucius and Menci as well as opinions of Lao-tzu and Zhaungzi. In fact, they developed the philosophy that advocated "external Taoism and internal Confucianism as well as joint advance of Confucianism and Taoism’ in essence.Ruan Ji’s statement of Taoism mainly involved the field of epistemology, helped Taoism integrate with Confucianism and explained Confucianism by Taoism. His refining of thoughts and paradigm of behavior conformed with the tradition of Confucianism. In Ruan Ji’s philosophy,’change’was the theoretical dimension of’the peace in the world’, while Confucian’etiquette’and Taoistic’unity’were the practical dimension of’the peace in the world’. Metaphysical’change’ was corresponding to the Confucian’etiquette’and Taoistic’unity’, respectively.’Etiquette’was a specific way to practice’change’and’unity’was an essential approach to realize’change’. It seemed that’etiquette’and’unity’belonged to Confucianism and Taoism respectively, but they were linked to each other because both of them were corresponding to’change’. In another word,’change’provided a philosophical direction for metaphysical dimension to investigate Ruan Ji’s philosophy. Therefore, Confucianism and Taoism connected with each other.According to the famous sayings of Ji Kang and other metaphysicians in Wei and Jin Dynasties about Chinese ancient philosophy, such as’surpassing the feudal ethical code and living freely’and’knowing gentle and simple things as well as learning principles’, it was found that Ji Kang developed the common value of Confucianism and Taoism, which was different from traditional opinions that deemed Ji Kang respected Taoism, restricted Confucianism and approached the nature of Taoism. Ji Kang aimed at surpassing the Confucian value with ossification and dissimilation as well as advocating the traditional value of Confucianism (i.e., cultivating oneself, regulating the home, ruling the country and achieving peace in the world) by virtue of Taoism. Ji Kang tended to support the theory of Taoism, i.e., personal health maintenance and longevity, which was the tradition of Taoism in nature. In fact, Confucianism penetrated Ji Kang’s philosophy and philosophical direction. More importantly, the tradition of Confucianism took root in his philosophy. The theory of health maintenance wasn’t the main trend of Ji Kang’s philosophy, so it couldn’t be regarded as the main standard to study and judge the way of his philosophy. In addition, health maintenance informed times of peace and prosperity. Thus, Ji Kang’s philosophy and philosophical direction concentrated on Confucianism. In Ji Kang’s philosophy, he rarely directly expressed’nature’. However, nature should be an important link that connected health maintenance and the management of chaos.’Nature’ was more authoritative than ’neutral’.’Neutral’referred to ’honest’ and ’honest’ was ’neutral’. Confucianism and Taoism could be interlinked if people consulted’Neutral’and’honest’in The Doctrine of the Mean as well as regarded’nature’as an intermediate link to investigate Ji Kang’s philosophical way. Outwardly, Ruan Ji and Ji Kang stated’from Confucianism to Taoism’and’Confucianism didn’t carry Taoism forward’. In fact, they advocated’external Taoism and internal Confucianism as well as joint advance of Confucianism and Taoism’. Ruan Ji centered on’Change’to have a thorough knowledge of Confucianism, while Ji Kang focused on’Nature’to understand Confucianism thoroughly, which reflected the thinking approach and idealistic pattern that Chinese philosophy and Confucianism connected with each other. The thoughts of Huang-Lao were decadent, but its behaviors were resounding; while the behaviors of personages of Zhulin School were decadent, but their thoughts were resounding. In the serious conflicts and contradictions, the tension of thoughts and behaviors was continuous; and the contrast between reverberation and decadence was sharp and distinct. Because of the contention of all schools of thoughts in the Pre-Qin Dynasty, such schools descended so that Confucianism and Taoism became the main tendency. At the beginning of Han Dynasty, the thought of Huang-Lao’regarded Legalism as minds’, advocated the philosophical way of’the joint advance of Confucianism and Taoism’in Zhulin philosophy in Wei and Jin Dynasties and led to the philosophical direction of ’external Taoism and internal Confucianism’. When Qin Dynasty declined, Han Dynasty emerged and Wei and Jin Dynasties evolved, the philosophical way and direction were encouraged to connect and combine different opinions with each other. The revitalization of the thought of Huang-Lao and the’external Taoism and internal Confucianism’of Zhulin Qingxiao were the obscure echo of the collision of all schools in Pre-Qin Dynasty, which was the theme of this paper as well.