Xuelin Essays | Classic Interpretation Research Should Possess a "Breakout Consciousness" Understanding | Thought | Classics
The Chinese nation has a long and continuous tradition of commenting on classics, and the development history of Chinese thought is, in a sense, a history of continuous interpretation of classics. Classics in both Eastern and Western cultures represent publicly recognized norms, inspirations, and teachings, making civilization continuous, unified, and inclusive. As a solid riverbed for the surging flow of national spirit and culture, classics contain timeless beauty, eternal emotions, and grand vitality. They have a strong exemplary function in the construction of Chinese spirit and civilization, and also play an important foundational role in discourse innovation and traditional reconstruction.
"The scriptures are the constant way"
The initial character of "Jing" was "appropriate", which was first seen in the inscriptions of the Zhou Dynasty. In the inscriptions of the Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels such as Yu Ding, Mao Gong Ding, Ke Ding, and Jin Jiang Ding, there is the word "appropriate". Due to the "appropriate" shape resembling the longitudinal thread of a weaving machine, the longitudinal thread remains stationary during weaving, which can be extended to "roads, regular paths".
In ancient China, the use of "classics" to refer to authoritative works did not originate from Confucianism, nor was it limited to Confucianism alone. But those who make the study of Confucianism continuous and become a grand academic view are none other than Confucianism. Starting from Confucius, the great Confucian scholars "narrate but not write, believe and cherish the past", taking it as their responsibility to impart, organize, and compile ancient cultural classics, laying the basic concept and paradigm for the interpretation of classics.
Although Lu Jiuyuan and Wang Yangming, who pioneered a new generation of culture, did not entirely argue through the methods of preaching and interpreting scriptures, their profound thoughts still rely on their understanding and interpretation of the classics. Lu Jiuyuan's "Lectures on the Analects" and "Lectures on the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Great Learning", Wang Yangming's "Records of Transmission and Learning", and "Questions on the Great Learning" are all explanations and analyses of classics.
Classics contain the teachings of sages. The sage, worried about the moral decline of future generations, wrote classics and educated future generations to support the establishment of a common way of human ethics. Classics have a strong value and interest. Value consciousness originates from both tradition and practical life.
Usually, there are two ways to study the value structure of Chinese culture: either by focusing on the ideal value system recorded in a few classic sages, or by focusing on the actual value orientation expressed in the daily life and behavior of the general public. Wang Yangming vigorously advocates the universality and commonality of "conscience", which greatly expands the audience of the classics. Both the virtuous scholars and the foolish women of the village are readers and audiences in a broad sense, and "conscience" is the foundation for everyone to become a saint and cultivate virtue.
Throughout history, scholars have spoken countless words, nothing more than melting the principles of being a person into their daily actions. Focusing on how the values and ideals of the classical system can be combined with secular life, and then transferred to ethical values that have practical norms for secular life, is a meaningful path of argumentation.
"Combining Virtue and Virtue"
Confucius emphasized "virtue" and "benevolence and righteousness", striving to elucidate the principles of righteousness and educate the world through classic interpretations. This is a practice that lies within the heart, with the aim of enhancing one's moral cultivation. Wang Yangming defined the value and moral dimension of classic interpretation with "conscience", emphasizing that scholars should "aspire to work hard", "cultivate virtue and nourish the heart", "cultivate and irrigate" and "prune branches" at all times to expand their conscience and cultivate a perfect personality that emphasizes both virtue and conduct. The essence of this personality is nothing more than precious life itself, but it also reflects the ethical spirit that has been educated, which is what the ancients called "atmosphere" or "demeanor".
If "virtue is the foundation of the heart," reading and nourishing the soul from life experiences can naturally "nourish the heart" and change one's temperament. All absorbed things are assimilated spiritually and thus preserved in the inner life. In the reading of thousands of miles of vision and thousands of years of contemplation, we can "observe the past and present in an instant, and touch the world in an instant", obtaining spiritual satisfaction, broad vision, and emotional cultivation. This is not only the Zhuzi style of "taking medicine" and "nourishing", but also guided by "the direction of one's aspirations" in one's heart, planting and cultivating a lush tree of conscience, drawing inspiration from the classics. This metaphor of life growth imbues the classics that carry the teachings of the sages with the vitality of the times.
This whole set of study of classics requires first "determination and hard work", followed by "virtue based heart", and ultimately achieving "both virtue and action". Only with the aspiration of becoming a saint in learning and becoming a saint can one make progress in learning. If the aspirations of the sage are effective, then conscience will continue to expand and knowledge will continue to improve. In this regard, studying classics is not only interpreting and analyzing a certain text, but also consciously cultivating one's moral cultivation and personality through understanding the classics. Classics are absorbed and assimilated into the soul, nourishing virtues and intellectual sprouts, and then re condensed into a new spiritual whole, giving birth to a new era spirit.
In the world where classics are passed down and exist, we are constantly immersed in tradition. In this sense, classics are the backbone of a national spirit and the living spiritual giant within cultural traditions and social communities. It continuously draws living water from the deep spring of the Tao, absorbs the spirit of the times, and grows new branches and leaves. It also bears the heavy responsibility of providing moral and ethical value support for the new era.
"Adhering to integrity and innovation"
In the context of the struggle between ancient and modern China and the West, the organic unity of traditional classic interpretation and modern discourse innovation calls for those who have made progress.
Classics contain the most fundamental philosophical ideas, ethical concepts, value standards, and behavioral norms of a cultural tradition. Commenting and interpreting classics is an important means for cultural traditions to be preserved and developed. Chinese scholars of classic interpretation should exert their own "breakthrough consciousness", adhere to the principles of integrity rather than conservatism, respect the past rather than retro, inherit tradition and open up the future through innovation, and continue the historical context with righteousness and sharpness.
We need to explore universal classical propositions between Chinese and Western traditions, as well as focus on exploring China's unique theoretical discourse; We should not only pay attention to the distinction between ancient and modern times, bring the rich experience of ancient classic interpretation into the modern context, but also shoulder a new cultural mission, and contribute universal and common ideas and discourse to humanity with a knowledge system with independent spirit. Only by understanding China from the long-standing historical continuity carried by classics can we better understand modern and future China.
Against the backdrop of unprecedented changes in a century, constructing China's independent knowledge system and striving to build modern civilization of the Chinese nation under the mutual influence of Eastern and Western cultures means not only a deep reflection and reconstruction of the Western modern knowledge system, but also a reflection on the times, China, and tradition, making due contributions to the development of new forms of human civilization based on cultural confidence.
Faced with the opportunities and challenges bestowed by the times, we must more effectively promote the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture, attach importance to the position and role of classics in cultural inheritance, innovation, and development, and create an organic and unified new cultural life form in China through the integration of multiple sources of thought.
