Title

Body, Mind, Qi-Energy and Self-Cultivation in the Guodian Manuscript “Human Nature Arises from Heaven’s Mandate”

Author

Pham, Lee-moi  

Genre

Article  

Pages

53-96  

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese  

Key words

Guodian Chu Bamboo Slips, Shanghai Museum Chu Bamboo Slips,“Human Nature Arises from Heaven's Mandate,” learning of the body and mind, qi-energy, musical education  

Abstract

        This study investigates the problematic character zhi 治 from the Chu bamboo slips entitled “Human Nature Arises from Heaven’s Mandate.” It moreover analyzes various expressions from the paragraph featuring that character, including yuyao 鬱陶, jiejie 節節, jianjian 蹇蹇, nei 餒, kuiru 喟如, jujie 居節, fanshan fushi 反善復始, and churu 出入. By drawing on the received literary record, this study suggests that the basic import of “Human Nature Arises from Heaven’s Mandate” is found in its discussions of the body, mind, and qi-energy. The text asserts that qi-energy shares with sound and music a flowing and fulfilling quality, which permits music to guide qi-energy in passing through the body and mind, ultimately enabling one to attain moral self-cultivation. This study shows that “Human Nature Arises from Heaven’s Mandate” is an important text about qi-energy from the Guodian corpus. It moreover argues that this work deserves a place in the development of the intellectual discourse surrounding qi-energy during the Warring States period.