the chinese view of the cosmos san-pao li, ph.d. department of asian and asian american studies...
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The Chinese View The Chinese View of the Cosmosof the Cosmos
San-pao Li, Ph.DSan-pao Li, Ph.D..Department of Asian and Asian American StudiesDepartment of Asian and Asian American Studies
California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach
California, U.S.A.California, U.S.A.
February 12, 2004February 12, 2004
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PrefacePreface
A macrohistorical and hoA macrohistorical and holistic approachlistic approach
New inspirations from an New inspirations from an age-old theorumage-old theorum
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The Anthropocosmic Unity:The Anthropocosmic Unity:Heaven, Earth, and ManHeaven, Earth, and Man
Heaven-----ReligionHeaven-----ReligionEarth -------CosmologyEarth -------CosmologyMan---------EthicsMan---------Ethics
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An OutlineAn Outline Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces
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An OutlineAn Outline
Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces
CosmologyCosmology
The branch of learning that treats The branch of learning that treats the universe as an ordered system.the universe as an ordered system. Kosmos (order/harmony) Kosmos (order/harmony) + logos (word/discouse)+ logos (word/discouse)
=cosmology=cosmology
CosmologyCosmology
CosmosCosmos The universe is considered The universe is considered
as a harmonious and as a harmonious and orderly system.orderly system.
CosmologyCosmology
ValuesValues (what the world ought to be)(what the world ought to be) Value system/patternValue system/pattern (a set of values (a set of values
organized into a distinctive pattern)organized into a distinctive pattern) World view/WeltanschauungWorld view/Weltanschauung
(people’s conception of what the world (people’s conception of what the world is)is)
CosmologyCosmology
The value structure of a The value structure of a people which provides people which provides
the basis for their the basis for their existence.existence.
CosmologyCosmology
The resulting cosmology will The resulting cosmology will accordingly reflect the accordingly reflect the
sociological, philosophical or sociological, philosophical or scientific predilections of the scientific predilections of the
individual and his group.individual and his group.
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An OutlineAn Outline
Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces
Folk MythologyFolk Mythology
Pan Gu (see picture)Pan Gu (see picture)The Story of the StoneThe Story of the Stone36,501 - 36,500 = 136,501 - 36,500 = 1
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An OutlineAn Outline
Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces
The Book of ChangesThe Book of Changes
Things are constantly in flux or Things are constantly in flux or in the process of change.in the process of change.
There is no isolated There is no isolated occurrenceoccurrence in this cosmos but only in this cosmos but only concurrenceconcurrence. .
The Book of ChangesThe Book of Changes
A repository of abstract conceptsA repository of abstract concepts A spiritual medium, a moral manual, and a A spiritual medium, a moral manual, and a
handbook of the religious Daoisthandbook of the religious Daoist A cosmological treatise of awesome obscurityA cosmological treatise of awesome obscurity A Confucian classicA Confucian classic Yijing -- the book of CHANGESYijing -- the book of CHANGES Yin-YangYin-Yang The Eight DiagramsThe Eight Diagrams
The Book of ChangesThe Book of Changes
Things are groups of relationsThings are groups of relations The multifarious phenomena are The multifarious phenomena are
reduced to unity and harmonyreduced to unity and harmony Translation of all natural phenomena Translation of all natural phenomena
into a mathematical languageinto a mathematical language
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An OutlineAn Outline
Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces
Yin (-) and Yang (+)Yin (-) and Yang (+)
Eternally interacting with each otherEternally interacting with each other Form the very basis of Chinese Form the very basis of Chinese
cosmologycosmology YIN = all the negative qualitiesYIN = all the negative qualities YANG = all the positive qualitiesYANG = all the positive qualities
Yin (-) and Yang (+)Yin (-) and Yang (+)
In this “cosmic duet” neither In this “cosmic duet” neither the one nor the other ever the one nor the other ever permanently triumphs.permanently triumphs.
They are mutually dependant They are mutually dependant and supplementary.and supplementary.
The Eight DiagramsThe Eight Diagrams
See graphicSee graphic coincidentia opppositorum coincidentia opppositorum
(reconciliation of the opposites)(reconciliation of the opposites)
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An OutlineAn Outline
Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces
Dialectical Pattern of the Dialectical Pattern of the Cosmic ForcesCosmic Forces
Harmonized opposites--Book of ChangesHarmonized opposites--Book of Changes Mutually creative yet destructiveMutually creative yet destructive
wood, fire, earth, metal, waterwood, fire, earth, metal, water wood, earth, water, fire, metalwood, earth, water, fire, metal
The Yin and the YangThe Yin and the Yang Confirmation by modern physicsConfirmation by modern physics
Dialectical Pattern of the Dialectical Pattern of the Cosmic ForcesCosmic Forces
Wood
Earth Fire
Metal
Water
Earth---CosmologyEarth---Cosmology
Cosmology---Cosmology---WeltanschauungWeltanschauung Pan Gu--the only cosmogonic mythPan Gu--the only cosmogonic myth
Yin-Yang and the Five Cosmic ForcesYin-Yang and the Five Cosmic Forces Things of the same genus Things of the same genus
activate each otheractivate each other microcosm-macrocosmmicrocosm-macrocosm
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Earth---CosmologyEarth---Cosmology
Existential continuum (ontolExistential continuum (ontology)ogy)
Organismic whole (microcosOrganismic whole (microcosm-macrocosm)m-macrocosm)
Dialectical pattern of cosmic fDialectical pattern of cosmic forces (epistemology)orces (epistemology)
Existential ContinuumExistential Continuum
Harmony of the oppositesHarmony of the opposites The absence of cosmogonical mythsThe absence of cosmogonical myths
Absence of interest in the “First Cause” Absence of interest in the “First Cause” Unity of the spiritual and the material, thUnity of the spiritual and the material, th
e subjective and the objective, e subjective and the objective, the secular and the sacredthe secular and the sacred
An existential continuumAn existential continuum
Organismic WholeOrganismic Whole
Joseph Needham, Joseph Needham, Science Science and Civilisation in Chinaand Civilisation in China
“Heaven and I are one” The law of conservation
The fear of Nature
Dialectical Pattern of the Dialectical Pattern of the Cosmic ForcesCosmic Forces
Harmonized opposites--Book of ChangesHarmonized opposites--Book of Changes Mutually creative yet destructiveMutually creative yet destructive
wood, fire, earth, metal, waterwood, fire, earth, metal, water wood, earth, water, fire, metalwood, earth, water, fire, metal
The Yin and the YangThe Yin and the Yang Confirmation by modern physicsConfirmation by modern physics
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Earth---CosmologyEarth---Cosmology
There are always three dimensions There are always three dimensions involved in any given pattern of involved in any given pattern of matter -- the cosmic trianglematter -- the cosmic triangle
There is no isolated occurrence, only There is no isolated occurrence, only concurrence.concurrence.
Everything is a matter of Everything is a matter of coincidence.coincidence.