The Humane Education of “Passion to be Stressed and to be Well Expressed” of Confucianism in the Early Qin Dynasty

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2016 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.7 No.2

This essay is to discuss Confucius' emphasis on “passion” and his perspective on “entering the spirit of ritual via passion” from the viewpoint of Confucianism in the Early Qin Dynasty. The essay is divided into five parts. The first part is the prologue: based on Confucian classics, the essay is to explicate Confucius' stressing on “passion” in the humanistic dimension from the viewpoint of Confucianism in the Early Qin Dynasty. In the second part, the essay is to discuss tracing the beginning of the usage of the word “passion” and the perspective of expressing “passion”, affirming that the expression of “passion and desire” is rooted in human nature. Thirdly, the essay is to talk about the principle of expressing “passion”: the core meaning of the word “passion” includes loyalty (modesty) and faithfulness (sincerity). Furthermore, here the essay is to discuss Dai Zhen's usage of the word “passion” which is applied to a wider range of meaning. The fourth part concerns the meaning of “passion to be stressed and to be well expressed”: entering the spirit of ritual via passion is to make passion well expressed. One is taught how to make passion stressed and well expressed (the gift matters little while the giver's feelings matters all / to receive is to give respect). The final part is the conclusion. According to “Nature Emerges from Life” in the Guodian Chu Slips, “One must temper passion with reason before expressing or receiving it, and then it should be seasoned with ritual,” this viewpoint provides us with a thought on humanistic dimension and value of “passion deep and ritual clear” through whose humane education one is cultivated to become a form essence balanced gentleman (Yong Ye, the Analects).

Speech, Narrative, and Body — The Image of ‘Solitariness’ in the Zhuangzi —

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2014 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.5 No.-

Wording’ has a special meaning in the Zhuangzi. The application of allegory, of sayings from valued elders, and of expedient illustrations occupies a great amount of the text. Through speech, narrative, and the body, we can express ourselves, communicate with others, and have a connection with the world. This essay first discusses ‘speech’. Through relativistic wording (knowing/unknowing; wake/sleep), an over-simplified and formal binarism can be dissected. Comparative wording (drive 駕/ride 乘) and metaphoric wording (ride 乘/roam 遊) can manifest the position, speech, narrative, and existential inquiry of the speaker. On the one hand, the philosophical wording of the Zhuangzi presents the cycle of speech/narrative. On the other hand, the cognitive boundary is expanded like a ripple through the cycle of speech/narrative. On the one hand, with the doctrine of reduction, the unnecessary part is stripped off again and again till only an essential existence remains. On the other hand, reference for the dimension is thus extended via interdisciplinary thinking. Secondly, this essay proceeds to discuss ‘narrative’. This includes the concentration of one’s will: the source field (concrete—I/nose) is oriented to a target area (abstract—self/origin). It also includes the metaphor of looking into a mirror: when one tries to transcend oneself, one will find that one is at the same time involved with oneself so one is free to reflect on oneself (simply surrender without harboring any selfish intentions). Thirdly, this essay talks about ‘body’. From the viewpoint of bodily self-awareness (nourishing the body (Zhuangzi: Man in the World)— nourishing the bird with what one uses to nourish oneself but not with the nourishment proper for a bird (Zhuangzi: Ultimate Bliss), (Zhuangzi: The Full Understanding of Life)—and of the ability of putting things into practice (relational participation / the connection of ethical thinking), this essay reflects upon the wandering path of visualization (enlightenment 明/observation 觀/reflection 照/ cripple 獨). It is heaven that makes this man crippled; man’s appearance is endowed by heaven (Zhuangzi: Way to Living a Good Life). Finally, this essay seeks to prove that the cycle of speech, narrative, and body is demonstrated in the image of the word ‘solitariness/獨’ in the philosophy of the Zhuangzi, and has the dual aspect of a speech act which is overt yet covert, in action yet in existence at the same time.

Another Way of Thinking of the Modern Group-Self Relationship: The Dimension of Humanistic Healing of “Existential Experience” in the Zhuangzi

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2015 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.6 No.2

This essay firstly discusses the dilemmas of the modern group-self relationship: one, a self-centered alienation; two, a lost self-worldview. Secondly, this essay proceeds to explicate the meanings of the “existential experience” in the Zhuangzi: one, solitariness without leaving the group; two, prehension of reality. Finally, via philosophical counseling, this essay presents another way of thinking of the modern group-self relationship from the viewpoint of the dimension of humanistic healing of “existential experience” in the Zhuangzi: one, contentment with the group; two, encounter of the heart.

Humanity Starts from the Family: A Study on the Concepts of Filial Piety and Fraternity in the Family Precepts of Yan Zhi Tui

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2017 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.8 No.2

From the viewpoint of Chinese culture and thought, this thesis attempts to discuss the meaning of humanity starting from the family. Firstly, this thesis expounds on the meaning of “filial piety” and “fraternity” as the basic virtues of practicing humanity. The concepts of filial piety and fraternity are in fact the leading spirit by which one learns how to get along with others in human relationship; “humanity” is not the virtue one is to cultivate first. Secondly, this thesis proceeds to discuss how the concepts of filial piety and fraternity are imparted to the descendants through explanation and metaphor after a family is built from the viewpoint of the Family Precepts of Yan Zhi Tui.. Finally, this thesis discusses the modern meaning of the contents of filial piety and fraternity which is to be transformed to be practical and applicable to today’s world. Through mastering “kindness tempered with firmness” and “compassion tempered with justice” these two principles of filial piety and fraternity, one is eventually to be able to love others as oneself and to love freely without encumbrance.

Speech, Narrative, and Body

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2014 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.5 No.-

Discussing the Meaning of ‘Love’ in a Family from the Viewpoint of The Family Precepts of Yan Zhi Tui: Governing a Family and the Sacrament of Matrimony

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2018 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.9 No.2

The Family Precepts of Yan Zhi Tui serves as the essence of the family culture in Chinese culture. The family bears responsibilities for birth, nurture, and education; moreover, it is a place where another family is built via marriage, and a place where belief and value are manifested. Down to today, the decline of human society should be traced back to the decline of the family. Thus, humanistic healing must start from the family. From the viewpoint of Chinese culture and the sacrament of matrimony, this paper attempts to discuss the meaning of marriage, then proceeds to talk about the difficulties in governing a family, administering family affairs, and earning a living, and finally proposes a modern management mode which combines Chinese culture and a religious family life and whose ideal lies in this: harmony shall accomplish love.

Wisdom and Sincerity

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2013 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.4 No.-

How Philosophical Counseling Eliminates the Problem of “Stagnation”

Ying-Fen Su 강원대학교 인문과학연구소 2019 Journal of Humanities Therapy Vol.10 No.2

Based on two texts of pre-Qin and Han Confucian classics, the Analects and Mengzi, this paper discusses the viewpoint on how philosophical counseling deals with the problem of “stagnation” which each counselee is straitened. This paper is divided into four parts. First of all, in the preface, this paper indicates that the reason to discuss the problem of “stagnation” (being under straitened circumstances and with no further action), how the straitened circumstances conceals the counselees’ emotion, and how to guide the counselees to the wisdom way to be free from the straitened circumstances. The second part of this paper is the observation of “stagnation”. According to the analysis of philosophical counseling, actually the problem of “stagnation” has its own value. It occurs when the counselee is unable to figure out his or her emotion (i.e. concealing the inner feeling or not doing a thing); or the counselee cannot understand the matters and reasons, such as the fallacy of thinking problems, and not being able to do it. However, philosophical counseling can guide the counselee to logical thinking by the viewpoints of recognizing the matters and reasons. The third part of this paper will discuss on two possible approaches to eliminating the problem of “stagnation”: 1) on the inner side, organizing and illuminating the feelings in emotional world, such as callousness, anger, and inability to do anything; 2) on the external side, refuting the false inference and thought, such as to awake the consciousness, to take action after considering the human feelings, to indicate reasonable risks. The last part is conclusion. When facing straitened circumstances, each counselee has both subjective and objective viewpoints. On the one hand, under the subjective cognition of counselee, difficult situation means everything does not turn out the way he or she thought. Adverse situation, on the other hand, means the objective situation is not in accordance with counselee’s wish. By examining the problem of “stagnation” from which every counselee suffered, and the two viewpoints of every counselee when facing straitened circumstances, this paper finds that, definitely it can make modern people reflect that the straitened circumstance is not to make people become a person of noble character or virtue; instead, being suffered from straitened circumstance, it makes people know themselves more profoundly, and then illuminates their sense and reason. Therefore, in conclusion, the philosophical counseling can eliminate the problem of stagnation, and definitely it can provide modern people with the different way of thinking.