Title

A Study of Li Bai’s Poetry of Dao: From a Phenomenological Viewpoint

Author

Chan Wing-cheuk

Genre

Article

Pages

345-390

DOI

10.6503/THJCS.202206_52(2).0004

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

poetry of dao, Li Bai 李白, Hölderlin, Heidegger, phenomenology

Abstract

According to Heidegger (1889-1976), the most primordial unity of a people is founded upon poetry. He claims Hölderlin (1770-1843) to be the greatest poet for the Germans. For the Chinese, it is Li Bai 李白 (701-762) who enjoys this status. This paper aims to show that Li’s poems signify a “harmonious response” to dao 道. They can hence be characterized as the poetry of dao. More specifically, such poetry can concretely exemplify Heidegger’s thesis that “Language is the house of Being” in Chinese. Structurally, this paper starts with a clarification of Heidegger’s Hölderlin interpretation and then, by means of comparison, will work out the essential characteristics of Li’s poetry of dao. Finally, as Heidegger sees Hölderlin’s poetry as being constitutive of “German-ness,” we argue that Li’s poetry of dao is representative of “Chinese-ness.”