From “Observation of Things” to “Peace and Joy”─The Development of Experience within Shao Yong’s Philosophy of Life

Author: Su-Fen Lin(Department of Oriental Languages and Literature, Tzu Chi University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 57, No. 2
Date：September 2012
Pages：1-28
DOI：10.3966/207451922012095702001

Abstract：

Within the body of Shao Yong’s philosophy, the “observation of things” is an existential or epistemological concept, whereas “peace and joy” is an aspect of the philosophy of life. For instance, as the “observation of things” manifests itself in the actuality of life, it is expressed as “peace and joy.” Thus, understanding the connection between these two concepts is necessary to appreciate ShaoYong’s philosophy.

　　This paper examines how Shao Yong employs the “observation of things” as the initiation of his concept of “peace and joy.” The two basic aspects of actual daily experience considered here are 1. the spaces in which experience occurs and 2. the manners in which it is enacted. First, this essaydiscusses the problem of the space of experience, focusing on how “peace and joy” is concernedwith the relationship between a person’s body and his or her heart-mind—in the sense that the heartmind can apprehend, whereas the body can enact. Consequently, the experiential philosophy of “peace and joy” has an actual location, and the living space of the philosopher is its most significant site. Second, this paper explores the manner of enactment. As the existential and the epistemological shiftto the actual space of human life, especially as the way of the body and the way of experience are enacted, these actions take on artistic and aesthetic significance. Furthermore, the pattern of daily life is the location of these actions’ expression as the complete landscape for the experience of body and heart-mind.

 　　Shao Yong’s Huang Ji Jing Shi Shu is an expostulation on the concept of “observation of things,” and his Yi Chuan Ji Rang Ji is a collection of poetry based on the many types of awareness that arrive from daily life. These works can be read as a record of Shao putting his understanding of “peace and joy” into practice. This article uses material from both of these texts—especially from the latter—to demonstrate that Shao Yong not only wrote analytical philosophy, but that he also put his philosophy into practice.

Keywords：peace and joy, space, Shao Yong, practice, observation of things

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