‘What is the Way (Dao道)?’ A question that perhaps each of us has asked ourselves, just like scholars from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). The response to this question was not only crucial to the learning of the classics and Daoist scriptures, but it also bore significant implications for the future orientation of the whole state. The concept of ‘Dao’—its interpretation and application—shaped not only intellectual discourse but also real-world political strategies, an entwining of theories and practice that signaled the profound political influence of philosophical thought in this era. Thus, it is not hyperbolic to assert that the ‘Dao’ represented the Way of the Song dynasty itself. It was not merely a philosophical concept, but a sociopolitical cornerstone guiding the empire’s evolution.
In this seminar, CHL PhD Candidate Linfang Wang will introduce and compare the perspectives of the Northern Song Daoist priest Chen Jingyuan 陳景元 (1025-1094) and his contemporary literati on the Way based on one of the most influential texts, The Way and its power (Dao De Jing道德經).
You may also access this session online via Zoom (code: 117030).
Event Speakers
