The Imagination of"Nothingness":From Laozi and Zhuangzi to Metaphysics
Taoism is the core domain of classical Chinese philosophy,which has gone through three stages characterized by the categories of Tao and instruments,being and non-being,and reason and vital energy.From the pre-Qin Taoist school to the metaphysics of the Wei and Jin dynasties,whether it is Laozi's"existence gives birth to non-existence",Zhuangzi's"viewing things through the Tao(non-existence)",or Wang Bi's"taking non-existence as the foundation",the essence is to discuss the Tao through the concept of"non-existence".Although the focus of the three is different in terms of cosmology,worldview,or ontology,the"being and non-being"pattern replaces the"Tao and instruments"structure,and together they push the discussion of Tao to a new peak of metaphysics.The abstract"non-existence"is not an empirical fact but a masterpiece of imagination.The significance of"non-existence"in Chinese philosophy must be linked with the spiritual orientation and achievements of Chinese culture.
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