Wuji in Chinese texts Wuji (philosophy)

1 wuji in chinese texts

1.1 daodejing
1.2 zhuangzi
1.3 xunzi
1.4 huainanzi
1.5 liezi
1.6 taijitu shuo

wuji in chinese texts

wuji 無極 references found in chinese classic texts associated diverse schools of chinese philosophy, including taoism, confucianism, , school of names. zhang , ryden summarize philosophical transformation of wuji limitless .

the expression limitless , relatives found in laozi , zhuangzi , in writings of logicians. has no special philosophical meaning. in song-dynasty philosophy, however, same expression limitless should translated ultimate of beinglessness, negative element no longer qualifying word limit rather qualified word limit, here translated song philosophical jargon ultimate . wu = nothingness, void, zero; chi= energy. science says ground state of our universe made of 0 point energy. wu-chi source of tai- chi.(2002:71)

daodejing

the term wuji first appears in daodejing context (ca. 4th century bce) returning 1 s original nature.

know whiteness, maintain blackness, , model under heaven. being model under heaven, eternal integrity not err. if eternal integrity not err, return infinity. (28, tr. mair 1990:93)

zhuangzi

the taoist zhuangzi (ca. 3rd-2nd centuries bce) uses wuji limitless; infinity 4 times.

i astounded words, limitless milky way. extravagant , remote human experience. (1, tr. mair 1994:6)

who can associate in non-association , cooperate in noncooperation? can ascend heaven , wander in mists, bounding through infinity, forgetting in life forever , ever without end? (6, tr. mair 1994:59)

to enter gate of inexhaustibility , roam in fields of infinity. shall mingle light of sun , moon, , become eternal heaven , earth. (11, tr. mair 1994:97)

[he] forget everything, yet possess everything. tranquility unlimited, yet multitude of excellences follow in wake. way of heaven , earth, integrity of sage. (15, tr. mair 1994:145)

wuji in zhuangzi, zhang , ryden (2002:72), refers infinite , boundless.

this text uses related word wuqiong 無窮 infinite; endless; inexhaustible 25 times, instance,

supposing there ride upon truth of heaven , earth, chariot upon transformations of 6 vital breaths , thereby go wandering in infinity, have rely on? (1, tr. mair 1994:6)

the zhuangzi uses wuqiong quoting relativistic theory school of names philosopher hui shi; (tr. mair 1994:344) southern direction limitless yet has limit.

xunzi

the (ca. 3rd century bce) confucianist xunzi uses wuji boundless 3 times. 1 context describing legendary horse parallels wuqiong inexhaustible .

qiji cover 1,000 li in single day, if worn-out nag takes journey in ten stages, it, too, can cover distance. going try exhaust inexhaustible , pursue boundless? if do, though break bones , wear out flesh in attempt, in end impossible reach goal. (2, tr. knoblock 1988:155)

huainanzi

the (2nd century bce) huainanzi uses wuji 6 times. 1 syntactically playful passage says sage can qiong wuqiong 窮無窮 exhaust inexhaustible (used in xunzi above) , ji wuji 極無極 [go the] extreme [of] extremeless .

it these men know how preserve root creation springs, , causes, or antecedents, of affairs of life. therefore able pursue investigations without limit, , reach has no end; understand things thoroughly, without misconception or delusion; respond requirements echo sound, , untiringly; , ability may called endowment of heaven. (1, tr. balfour 1884:86)

liezi

the (ca. 4th century ce) taoist liezi uses wuji limitless 8 times in cosmological dialogue (with wuqiong inexhaustible once).

have there been things?

– if once there no things, how come there things now? approve if men live after there no things now?

in case, things have no before , after?

– ending , starting of things have no limit began. start of 1 end of another, end of 1 start of another. knows came first? outside things, before events, not know

in case, limited , exhaustible above , below in 8 directions?

– not know ...it nothing limitless, inexhaustible. (2) how know this? [textual lacuna] ... (3) there nothing limitless outside limitless, , nothing inexhaustible within inexhaustible. there no limit, neither there limitless; there no exhausting, neither there inexhaustible. why know limitless , inexhaustible, yet not know may limited , exhaustible . (5, tr. graham 1980:94-5)

taijitu shuo


zhou s taijitu diagram

the (11th century ce) taijitu shuo 太極圖說 explanation of diagram of supreme ultimate , written zhou dunyi (1017-1073 ce), cornerstone of neo-confucianist cosmology. brief text synthesized confucianist metaphysics of yijing aspects of daoism , chinese buddhism. in taijitu diagram, wuji represented blank circle , taiji circle center point (world embryo) or broken , unbroken lines (yin , yang).

zhou s key terms wuji , taiji appear in famous opening phrase wuji er taiji 無極而太極, adler notes translated supreme polarity non-polar! .

non-polar (wuji) , yet supreme polarity (taiji)! supreme polarity in activity generates yang; yet @ limit of activity still. in stillness generates yin; yet @ limit of stillness active. activity , stillness alternate; each basis of other. in distinguishing yin , yang, 2 modes thereby established. alternation , combination of yang , yin generate water, fire, wood, metal, , earth. these 5 [phases of] qi harmoniously arranged, 4 seasons proceed through them. 5 phases yin , yang; yin , yang supreme polarity; supreme polarity fundamentally non-polar. [yet] in generation of 5 phases, each 1 has nature. (tr. adler 1999:673-4)

robinet explains relationship.

the taiji 1 contains yin , yang, or 3 (as stated in hanshu 21a). 3 is, in taoist terms, 1 (yang) plus 2 (yin), or 3 gives life beings (daode jing 42), 1 virtually contains multiplicity. thus, wuji limitless void, whereas taiji limit in sense beginning , end of world, turning point. wuji mechanism of both movement , quiescence; situated before differentiation between movement , quiescence, metaphorically located in space-time between kun 坤, or pure yin, , fu 復, return of yang. in other terms, while taoists state taiji metaphysically preceded wuji, dao, neo-confucians taiji dao. (2008:1058)