What is metaphysics?

Metaphysics: Metaphysics, also known as metaphysics, is a philosophy that rose in Wei and Jin Dynasties. The original meaning refers to the research and interpretation of Laozi, Zhuangzi and Zhouyi. Produced in the Wei and Jin Dynasties. Now, the connotation of metaphysics has been expanded, including traditional astrology, divination, fortune telling, geomantic omen, choosing a date, naming, etc., all of which come from Taoism and the theory of Yin and Yang, and are part of China's traditional culture and closely related to people's daily life.

Metaphysics is a philosophical trend of thought that rose in the Three Kingdoms and the Jin Dynasty and mainly integrated Taoism and Confucianism, so it is usually called "Metaphysics in Wei and Jin Dynasties". Metaphysics was the mainstream thought that replaced Confucian classics in Wei and Jin Dynasties.

Metaphysics is a "profound knowledge" based on "the ancestors narrate Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi", integrating Confucianism and Taoism, and calling Zhouyi, Laozi and Zhuangzi "San Xuan". The "metaphysics" of metaphysics comes from Laozi's thought. In the first chapter of Laozi, I said, "The Xuan is also the Xuan, which is the gate of Wan Qi". Metaphysics is the universal law "Tao" of all things in the world, which embodies the infinity and mystery of all things' changes. Metaphysical scholars interpreted The Analects of Confucius and The Book of Changes with their reformed ideas of Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, reformed the Confucian classics in Han Dynasty, and established the philosophical ontology of "governing by doing nothing". Confucian thoughts such as etiquette, religion, heaven and humanity are also discussed in metaphysics, but their main purpose is Taoism, that is, to emphasize sublimity is nothing, nature and inaction.

Although the central issue discussed by metaphysics can still be attributed to the relationship between man and nature, in form, it has got rid of the tedious and broken annotations of Confucian classics in Han Dynasty. In content, it abandons the vulgar teleological argument of the Confucian classic "the feeling between man and nature".

Metaphysical scholars have demonstrated from many aspects that the "nature" of Taoism is consistent with the "famous religion" of Confucianism. They changed the ideological pattern of "interaction between Confucianism and Taoism" in Han Dynasty, and advocated the unity of Confucianism and Taoism, and Confucius was still the highest "saint". Metaphysics puts forward or pays attention to a series of speculative concept categories, such as existence, origin and end, body use, meaning, pluralism, movement, nature and famous religion, which primitive Confucianism and Confucian classics in Han Dynasty do not have or pay attention to. The appearance of metaphysics greatly promoted the development of China's philosophy.

Metaphysics originated from the internal study of China's ancient classics. At first, Liu Biao and Zhong Song's "Learning of Jingzhou" appeared, which was more concise and focused on righteousness and reason. Later, Wang Su's "Wang Xue" emerged, which was different from "Zheng Xue" and then reached the metaphysics of Yanhe and Wang Bi. The development and evolution of metaphysics has gone through three main stages:

The first stage: Metaphysics officially entered the historical stage, which was during the Zhengshi period of Cao Wei (240~248), and was called "the voice of Zhengshi" in history. At this time, Yan He and Wang Bi's No matter who you are appeared. Yanhe wrote The Analects of Confucius and On Morality, and Wang Bi wrote Laozi and Zhouyi. They "think that everything in the world is based on inaction" ("Jin Shu Wang Yanchuan"); I think that "saints are nothing, nothing, and cannot be repaired, so they don't say anything." Laozi did something, so he insisted on his shortcomings. "(The Biography of the Three Kingdoms Zhong Hui) quoted He Wei's Biography of Wang Bi, which means that Confucius is superior to Laozi. Confucius said that "Mingjiao" is actually "no body", while Laozi was talking about "being" and "nothing".

The second stage: after the beginning, with the seizure of political power by Sima clan, the internal struggles among gentry groups intensified day by day, and various disputes such as "attaching importance to nothing", "worshiping existence", "letting nature take its course" and "emphasizing the same name" also appeared in the metaphysical trend of thought. The heretical tendency of "mingjiao is unnatural" represented by Ji Kang and Ruan Ji. They don't cooperate with Sima Group politically, emphasize the opposition between "famous religion" and "nature", advocate that "the more famous religions, the more nature" and ignore etiquette. On the basis of Le Guang and Pei Wei's theory of respecting existence, Guo Xun completed the unified task of respecting nothing, respecting existence, nature and teaching with Zhuangzi. Guo Xiang put forward the theoretical consistency between religion and nature in Ming Dynasty. Seeking common ground while reserving differences, he solved this contradiction with the theory of "individualization", holding that saints are "not above everything else and unhappy" (Happy Travel Notes); "Sages often travel in the dark, but have no intention of drifting with the tide, so they are indifferent and calm" (Notes of the Master). After the Eastern Jin Dynasty, metaphysics began to merge with Prajna in Buddhism and gradually became a vassal of Buddhism.