Chang Tsais Philosophy of Material Force推荐.pdfVIP

••• 30 ••• CHANG TSAIS PHILOSOPHY OF MATERIAL FORCE LIKE OTHER Neo-Confucianists, Chang Tsai (Chang Heng-chü, 1020- 1077) drew his inspiration chiefly from the Book of Changes. But unlike Chou Tun-i (Chou Lien-hsi, 1017-1073) according to whom evolution proceeds from the Great Ultimate through the two material forces (yin and yang) and the Five Agents (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth) to the myriad things, and unlike Shao Yung (1011-1077) according to whom evolution proceeds from the Great Ultimate through the two material forces and other stages to concrete things, Chang Tsai identifies material force (chi) with the Great Ultimate itself. He discards both yin and yang and the Five Agents as generative forces. To him, yin and yang are merely two aspects of material force, and as such are basically one. As substance, before consolidation takes place, material force is the Great Vacuity. As function, in its activity and tranquillity, integra- tion and disintegration, and so forth, it is the Great Harmony. But the Great Vacuity and the Great Harmony are the same as the Way (Tao), the One. As contraction and expansion, the two aspects of material force are kuei-shen, or negative and positive spiritual forces. Here Chang replaces the traditional theory of spiritual beings or spirits of deceased persons and things with a completely rationalistic and naturalistic inter- pretation, and establishes a doctrine from which later Neo-Confucianists have never deviated. Also, believing existence to be perpetual integra- tion and disintegration, he strongly attacked Buddhist annihilation and Taois