What is Cunzai?:A Reconsideration of the Canonization of the Preface to the Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion
By exploring the usage of"cunzai"(existence)and its diverse meanings through an analysis of the canonization of the famous calligraphy work,the Preface to the Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion,this article attempts to extract a philosophical theme of general significance from a particular phenomenon in art history.The author will distinguish three types of existence(physical,mental,and informational)within the conventional use of"existence",taking it as a conceptual framework to describe changes of existence occurring in the canonization process of that text.Such a process can be divided into five stages:birth,oblivion,rediscovery,canonization and legacy.With the help of this division,diversified dimensions of existence will be examined,including not only more general ones,such as"object and event","existence and the sense of existence"(presence),"event","movement and tradition",as well as"existence and identity",but also secondary dimensions,such as"work and text","calligraphy and personality","the original piece and its derivatives",etc.By presenting the richness and complexity within the term"cunzai"in the"Preface",this article will demonstrate the significance of examining specific states of"existing"(verb)to understanding the abstract meaning of"existence"(noun),and thereby open another possibility for thinking about metaphysics.
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