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Things Endure While We Fade Away: Tao Yuanming on Being Himself

Things Endure While We Fade Away: Tao Yuanming on Being Himself <p>Abstract:</p><p>It is argued here that Tao Yuanming recognized a tension between being himself (<i>ziran</i> 自然) and the natural transformations of the world (<i>hua</i> 化). While he advocated a kind of <i>ziran zhuyi</i> 自然 主義 ("naturalism"), he did not believe that he, or human beings in general, were predisposed to accept the inevitable changes of the world. Hence, his "naturalism" is not necessarily about fitting into his natural surroundings; despite the fact that he relies on these surroundings in his poetry, and that contemporary scholars sometimes see his work as "pastoral." Through an examination of "Returning to Live on the Farmstead" and several other poems, this article demonstrates: (1) that Tao saw human beings as distinct from other things in the world that otherwise accept or fit into the natural transformations of the world, and (2) that while Tao understood <i>ziran</i> as "being himself," he often saw <i>hua</i> as threats to him being himself.</p> http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Philosophy East and West University of Hawai'I Press

Things Endure While We Fade Away: Tao Yuanming on Being Himself

Philosophy East and West , Volume 69 (2) – Aug 13, 2019

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Publisher
University of Hawai'I Press
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 University of Hawai'i Press.
ISSN
1529-1898

Abstract

<p>Abstract:</p><p>It is argued here that Tao Yuanming recognized a tension between being himself (<i>ziran</i> 自然) and the natural transformations of the world (<i>hua</i> 化). While he advocated a kind of <i>ziran zhuyi</i> 自然 主義 ("naturalism"), he did not believe that he, or human beings in general, were predisposed to accept the inevitable changes of the world. Hence, his "naturalism" is not necessarily about fitting into his natural surroundings; despite the fact that he relies on these surroundings in his poetry, and that contemporary scholars sometimes see his work as "pastoral." Through an examination of "Returning to Live on the Farmstead" and several other poems, this article demonstrates: (1) that Tao saw human beings as distinct from other things in the world that otherwise accept or fit into the natural transformations of the world, and (2) that while Tao understood <i>ziran</i> as "being himself," he often saw <i>hua</i> as threats to him being himself.</p>

Journal

Philosophy East and WestUniversity of Hawai'I Press

Published: Aug 13, 2019

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