124
D. LESLIE
standard commentary, the Lun-yü Chi-chieh ###. Quite often Wang Ch'ung's view is inferior, but occasionally he is clearly right and the orthodox view inferior. But in any case the independence in interpretation suggests that the text too has been transmitted independently.
This point is equally true for everything touched on by Wang Ch'ung in his huge book. The main topics discussed are:
A 1. Fate, human nature, and man's endowment at birth (chapters 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13);
2. Coincidence and luck (chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 53; but overlapping with the above section);
3. Naturalism and spontaneity (in which he opposes purpose in the universe) (chapters 14, 15, 24, 54);
B 4. Criticism of scientific ideas of the time (chapters 31, 32);
5. Criticism of the theory of the correspondence and inter-action between man and Heaven (chapter 17-23, 41-49, 55);
6. Criticism of historical legends and of books (chapters 16, 25-30);
C 7. Divination and omens (chapters 9, 11, 50, 51, 52, 71);
8. Eulogy of the Han dynasty, mainly by means of the omens which appeared in the Han and prove its eminence (chapters 56-60);
D 9. Death and ghosts (chapters 62-67, 75-77);
10. Criticism of superstitious avoidances (the spirits of the year, etc., cannot harm man) (chapters 68-70, 72-74);
E 11. The nature of saints and sages, together with a discussion of knowledge and prediction (chapters 78-80);
12. Discussion of talents and scholarship (chapters 33-40);
F 13. Bibliographical and self-explanatory (chapters 61, 81-85).
For all these Wang Ch'ung gives opinions and counter-opinions, quotations and anecdotes. For the anthropologist, the Lun Heng is a mine of information; and as a source book of Chinese legends alone it is essential reading.
124
D. LESLIE
standard commentary, the Lun-yü Chi-chieh ###. Quite often Wang Ch'ung's view is inferior, but occasionally he is clearly right and the orthodox view inferior. But in any case the independence in interpretation suggests that the text too has been transmitted independently.
This point is equally true for everything touched on by Wang Ch'ung in his huge book. The main topics discussed are:
A 1. Fate, human nature, and man's endowment at birth
(chapters 4, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13);
2. Coincidence and luck (chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 53; but
overlapping with the above section);
3. Naturalism and spontaneity (in which he opposes purpose
in the universe) (chapters 14, 15, 24, 54);
B 4. Criticism of scientific ideas of the time (chapters 31, 32);
5. Criticism of the theory of the correspondence and inter-action between man and Heaven (chapter 17-23, 41-49, 55):
6. Criticism of historical legends and of books (chapters 16,
25-30);
C 7. Divination and omens (chapters 9, 11, 50, 51, 52, 71);
8. Eulogy of the Han dynasty, mainly by means of the omens which appeared in the Han and prove its eminence (chapters 56-60);
D 9. Death and ghosts (chapters 62-67, 75-77);
10.
Criticism of superstitious avoidances (the spirits of the year, etc., cannot harm man) (chapters 68-70, 72-74);
E11. The nature of saints and sages, together with a discussion
of knowledge and prediction (chapters 78-80);
12. Discussion of talents and scholarship (chapters 33-40); F13. Bibliographical and self-explanatory (chapters 61, 81-85).
For all these Wang Ch'ung gives opinions and counter-opinions, quotations and anecdotes. For the anthropologist, the Lun Heng is a mine of information; and as a source book of Chinese legends alone it is essential reading.
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