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| Onto-Hermeneutics of “ Liyi Fenshu”: Ontological Feature of Confucian Classics |
| CHENG Zhong-ying |
| Hawaii University, the U.S. |
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Abstract Today, the purpose of study of Chinese classics is not simply to establish Confucian classics as canons of traditional Chinese Learning but to promote Confucian learning or Confucian philosophy as learning and understanding of identity of humanity，the fundamental generative ontology of humanity through onto-hermeneutics. “Liyi fenshu 理一分殊 (one principle and many manifestations) ”is the core proposition of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism. This proposition occupies an important position in development of Confucianism as a holistic philosophy which involves ontology, epistemology and ethics. In contemporary times, these three aspects of Confucianism are merely studied mostly as objects of commentaries or historical expositions in Confucian Classics in so far as I can see. How to take a step forward for theoretical and creative development is a serious challenge. How to work out implications and ideal values in the Confucian texts is something we need also to face as a problem. Regarding the sources of this doctrine, one view is that it originated from Buddhist theory of huayan (华严). Although I see its relevance, I argue more for the initial relevance of the tradition of Yijing learning. For it is in the system of the Yi one can easily see the functioning of “liyi fenshu” whereby the power of qian realized its wide distribution in the kun. As for the mind-philosophy in the School of Wang Yangming, what needs to be stressed should be the active initiative of the mind which unifies experiences into one dynamical unity. Hence we may not have to rely on Chan Buddhism as a necessary source. What I wish to point out is that there is already a tradition of the dao in Confucianism and its many presentations finally come to the ideas of li and qi and thus the proposition of “liyi fenshu”. In the beginning of Neo-Confucianism in Song, this idea presents itself in Chang Hao and Zhang Zai as direct experience of the ultimate reality. The result of my analysis is that “liyi fenshu” also requires“qiyi fenshu 气一分殊”(one qi and many manifestations of qi). This shows the unity of li and qi and their unity in oneness as well as in manyness. This relationship can be said to support the unity of heaven and man, unity of human self and others, unity of knowledge and action, unity of ren and yi or other virtues. With these being said, we have a unity of onto-cosmology, epistemology and ethics to be experienced as a resonance of the creativity deep in the nature and mind of man, which eventually illustrates the principle of“one origin and many particularities”(yiben fenshu一本分殊or yiben wanshu一本万殊).
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Received: 18 January 2015
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2015, Vol. 32 
