What goes beyond natural order? The articulation of fate (ming) and principle (li) in Zhu Xi's (1130-1200) philosophical and mantic discourse
Dr. Maud MBondjo
East Asian Civilizations Research Centre CRCAO, Paris
Research stay: January 2017 - April 2017
What goes beyond natural order? The articulation of fate (ming) and principle (li) in Zhu Xi's (1130-1200) philosophical and mantic discourse
This research project aims to analyze an interpretation of the notion of mandate (ming) and to explore its mantic dimension in a premodern Chinese context. Zhu Xi’s ambition to restore the essence of fundamental learning conveyed by the Classics shows how influenced his conceptions may be. Nevertheless his understanding of Confucian patrimony’s fundamental point of mandate is original and must be considered vis-à-vis the issues of rationalization, modernization and divination. Structured around a critical analysis of the most influential Song scholar’s discursive process, philosophic outlooks, spiritual practices and mantic conceptions, this research project intends to determine and question how seeing Heaven’s principle (tianli) allows knowing what is destined to happen.
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