Abstract: As one of the principal commentaries to the Zhōuyì周易 (Changes of the Zhōu, c. 9th-8th century BCE), the Xìcí Zhuàn繫辭傳 (‘Commentary on the Appended Phrases’, c. 4th-3rd century BCE) has traditionally been credited with reinterpreting this influential divination manual in ‘philosophical’ terms, providing a detailed account of its underlying cosmology and of the normative role that human beings take in this structure.
Many traditional and contemporary scholars have maintained that the Xìcí presents a profoundly optimistic view of human beings’ ability to take up the particular role that they share with the natural forces of heaven and earth, thus participating in the generative processes of the cosmos in a way that avoids harm and misfortune. On this view, studying the various configurations and situations codified in the Zhōuyì is supposed to help us understand and involve ourselves appropriately in the continuous process of change.
In this talk, I argue that the Xìcí has a more nuanced view of the supposed congruence of the natural world and human beings than this traditional account suggests. I propose that paying close attention to the significant differences indicated between heaven, earth, and human beings reveals the text’s concern with a particular attitude that human beings ought to take with regard to this mismatch. Exploring what this attitude consists in offers a different perspective on the text’s endorsement of divinatory practices: they emerge as crucial means of self-cultivation, ensuring that human beings gain the proper perspective on their peculiar position of sharing in the generative potential of the cosmos and yet being radically distinct from its processes and aims.
See the DPhil Seminar website for details.
DPhil Seminar Convenor: Asia Sakchatchawan and Dan Gallagher
