| dc.description.abstract | Abstract
As an impetus to the cultural development and being related to long-standing superstitions, YinYang and the Five Elements factored subtly in the evolution of Huaxia culture and are thought
to be one of the philosophy and theory fundamentals of Huaxia culture. Xu Fuguan, Tang Junyi,
Mou Zongsan, Feng Youlan, Zhang Dainian, Zhu Bokun, and other modern scholars of the
related topics all contributed colossally to the headway in the research in Yin-Yang and the Five
Elements. In terms of literature, most of the above-mentioned scholars referred to, among other
documents, the ＂Shangshu＂, ＂Guanzi＂, and ＂Yi Zhuan＂.
＂Shangshu＂, the ancient book, is the cultural antecedent of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements;
＂Shangshu＂ is a classic valued by Confucianism due to the concept of ruling by virtue it
indoctrinated; however, most of the scholars of Yinyangism are Xihe officials who laid the
foundation for Confucianism. From the inspiration of ＂assistance in the coordination of YinYang＂, to being inspired by the concept of the Five Elements in ＂Shangshu‧Ganshi＂, the concept
of strength and gentleness in ＂Shangshu‧Zhoushu‧Biming＂, the concept of divination and
conjuration and Confucianism in ＂Hongfan‧Five Elements＂, Confucianism and Yinyangism
respectively drew on certain contents of ＂Shangshu＂. In the early stage, Yin-Yang was not ＂Dao＂
but a ＂tool＂ and political virtue. Nevertheless, it did pave the way for the future prevalence of
Yin-Yang and the Five Elements for Confucianism and Yinyangism.
Yin-Yang and the Five Elements and the unity of man and universe - the philosophy of Huang
Lao Taoism expounded in ＂Guanzi＂, reflected in their attitude toward mundane affairs, mainly
the politics, ethics, and governance bases and, after merger with the thoughts of Yinyangism,
Confucianism, and Taoism, formed an essential part of the ideological system of ＂Master Lü′s
Spring and Autumn Annals＂. Without probing into the intrinsic value of the essence of ren nor
conflicting with the substance of Confucianism, it then gave birth to the concept of ＂Interactions
between Heaven and Mankind＂. ＂Shangshu＂ provided the inspiration for Yin-Yang and the Five
iii
Elements, whereas ＂Guanzi＂ circulated in an epoch when the philosophy of Huang Lao YinYang and the Five Elements prevailed. Yinyangism emphasized the importance of following
destiny and the will of the deities and then incorporated the mundane needs with the notions
elucidated in ＂Guanzi＂. Zou Yan, for example, distinguished himself in the tumult of the
Hundred Schools of Thought in the Warring States period; after that, Confucianism continued
to flourish while the heterogeneous divination and conjuration conventions of Taoism divided
and fused. The seeming decline of Yinyangism actually led to spontaneous diffusion.
Without touching upon the topic of the Five Elements, the Yin-Yang dualism and the 64
hexagrams of ＂I Ching＂ were constructed in ＂Yi Zhuan＂. In this divination book, the religious
meaning of divination and conjuration and the reverence for deities were rendered from the
perspectives of strength and gentleness, wax and wane, and stillness and motion and thus
transformed into philosophy. ＂To strive to better oneself constantly and never slacken, the
superior man, with his large virtue, supports (men and) things＂ in ＂Xiang Zhuan＂, ＂the method
of Qian is to change and transform, so that everything obtains its correct nature as appointed
(by the mind of Heaven)＂ and ＂Kun, in its largeness, supports and contains all things. Its
excellent capacity matches the unlimited power (of Qian)＂ in ＂Tuan Zhuan＂, ＂what is great and
originating, penetrating, advantageous, correct and firm, and in harmony, in his attributes, with
heaven and earth＂ in ＂Wen Yan Zhuan＂, ＂the yin and the yang make up the Dao, it must be the
human nature to inherit the virtue＂ in ＂Xi Ci Zhuan＂, and ＂to probe into the kernel of the truth
and the nature of human in order to attain the harmony of yin and yang＂ in ＂Shuo Gua Zhuan＂
collectively constituted the morals and metaphysics of Confucianism. Therefore, Yin-Yang in
the pre-Qin period gave birth to morality, which is different from the divination and conjuration
based on the Five Elements of Yinyangism | en_US |