Publication Type

Book Chapter

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

1-2020

Abstract

This chapter offers a reading of Pei Wei’s “On the Pride of Place of Being”, or in David Knechtges’ translation, “Disquisition on Esteeming the Existent.” In this work, Pei sets out the reasons why the concept of “being” should be privileged in philosophical and ethical reflection. This was an audacious project, for in so doing Pei Wei took on almost the entire intellectual establishment, which during the early years of the Jin dynasty was enamored of the view that “being” is derivative, that all beings ultimately arise from a deeply profound and mysterious source, which though subject to different interpretation can only be described as “non-being” or “nothingness” in view of its radical “transcendence.” The “chongyou lun” in its entirety has not been made available in English translation; it merits a full presentation, with special attention to bringing out the logical flow of its argument. In my concluding remarks, I will briefly comment on its place and reception in Xuanxue learning, and raise a couple of hermeneutical questions for discussion.

Keywords

capacity/nature, discourse, non-being/being, Pei Wei, wuwei

Discipline

Asian Studies | Philosophy

Research Areas

Integrative Research Areas

Publication

Dao Companion to Xuanxue 玄學 (Neo-Daoism)

Volume

14

Editor

David Chai

First Page

325

Last Page

341

ISBN

9783030492274

Identifier

10.1007/978-3-030-49228-1_17

Publisher

Springer

City or Country

Cham

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49228-1_17

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