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Research Article

The World View of Wang Chong (27-ca. 100) in Lun-Heng

YI Moonkyu

Program in History and Philosophy of Science, Seoul National University

Published: January 1993 · Vol. 15 · pp. 147-187
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Abstract

By analyzing Wang Chong's Lun-Heng, this paper tries to understand his world view. It deals with the basic concepts, the structure of celestial bodies, natural phenomena and the relation between tian(天) and man in Lun-Heng. Among the fundamental concepts in traditional China, including Han peorid, are yinyang(陰陽), wuxing(五行), tian, ziran(自然) etc. Wang Chong accepted these concepts critically. In fact, he admitted the principle of yinyang-wuxing but did not apply this principle to explaining natural world. Wang Chong distinguished the material sky from transcendental heaven which has a will like man. He recognized tian is not a heaven but a sky. And he claimed that both tian and di(地) are square and parallel. Wang Chong interpreted natural phenonmena as "natural" not according to heaven's will. He also referred to the relation between tian and man. He separated tian from man. This viewpoint is very important, because tian represented the whole natural world to most people in traditonal China, including Wang Chong.
Keywords: natural worldtian(天)ziran(自然)qi(氣)yinyang(陰陽)wuxing(五行)celestial bodiesnatural phenomena