Abstract

Info

Author(s):: YANG Xuan-de; School of Humanities, Xidian Universtiy, Xi’an 710071, Shaanxi, China

Keywords:: social ideal; cultural dissimilation; recluse path; LAO Zi; ZHUANG Zi

Abstract:: Based on LAO Zi’s thought of Fu Gen root and Xuan Jian, this paper interprets the social ideals of LAO Zi’s small state with few people and ZHUANG Zi’s world of supreme morality and explores the ideological root for the evolution. Mirrored by the truly pure primitive society, LAO Zi and ZHUANG Zi criticized and reflected such problems in society as war, oppression, cultural dissimilation, and tool inclination of culture. Their retrospection and criticism have a profound influence on Chinese culture. Intellectuals in Wei-Jin period inherited LAO Zi’s and ZHUANG Zi’s social ideal and opposed autocratic politics and culture.They followed the theory of natural beauty beyond Confuicianism. Their thoughts also changed, from world salvation into heart salvation, from saving people into self saving, from the other shore into temporality. What’s more, they pursuited the freedom of life and reveled in the landscapes. What they had done opened a new recluse path for Chinese intellectuals and had a profound influence on the formation of the hermit culture in ancient China. On the other hand, taking LAO Zi’s pure, simple, and ture ideal society as a mirror, they rethought social culture to promote the social trend of the awakening of human nature, which has a profound reference for the development of modern society and culture.