Daoism in Early China: Huang-Lao Thought in Light of Excavated Texts

Cao, Feng

This text considers the prevalence of Lao-Zhuang Daoism and Huang-Lao Daoism in late pre-imperial and early imperial Chinese traditional thought. The author uses unique excavated documents and literature to explore the Huang-Lao tradition of Daoist philosophy, which exerted a great influence on China ancient philosophy and political theories, from the Pre-Qin period to the Wei-Jin periods. It explains the original and significance of Huang-Lao Daoism, its history and fundamental characteristics, notably discussing the two sides of Huang-Lao, namely the role and function of Lao Zi and the Yellow Emperor, and discusses why the two can constitute a complementary relationship.  It also provides a key study of the Mawangdui silk texts, bamboo slips of the Heng Xian, Fan Wu Liu Xing, considering both the theory of human Xing and of Qi.

Details

Published by: Palgrave Macmillan

Publication Date: 2017-09-04

Format: Hardcover

ISBN-13: 9781137557223

DOI: 10.1057/978-1-137-55094-1

Dimensions: 210cm x148cm

Pages: 227