淮南子

by 劉安, 高誘 (annotator narrator)

《淮南子》又名《淮南鸿烈》、《刘安子》，是我国西汉时期创作的一部论文集，由西汉皇族淮南王刘安主持撰写，故而得名。该书在继承先秦道家思想的基础上，综合了诸子百家学说中的精华部分，对后世研究秦汉时期文化起到了不可替代的作用。

682 pages, Hardcover

First published November 23, 2012

Reviews

[Barack Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

447-Huainanzi-Liu An-Philosophy-122BC
Barack
2022/12/17

"Huainanzi", also known as "Huainan Honglie", was created in the Western Han Dynasty. On the basis of inheriting pre-Qin Taoism, the book synthesized the essence of the theories of various schools of thought and played an irreplaceable role in the study of the culture of the Qin and Han Dynasties for later generations. Ban Gu's "Hanshu·Yiwenzhi" classified it as "Zajia", and "Siku Quanshu Zongmu " classified it as "Zajia", which belonged to Zibu. On the basis of inheriting the pre-Qin Taoism, "Huainanzi" combines Yin-Yang, Mo, Fa, and some Confucianism, but the main purpose belongs to Taoism. "Hong" means vast, and "Lie" means bright. The author believes that this book contains broad and bright general principles like Taoism. The original book of "Huainanzi" consists of 21 volumes of the inner chapter, eight volumes of the middle chapter, and 33 volumes of the outer chapter. Only the inner chapter survives. Most of the current published editions are published after deleting the inner chapter.

Liu An was born in Shouchun County, Huainan State (now Shou County, Huainan City, Anhui Province) in 179 BC and died in 122 BC. At the beginning of Liu An, he was granted the title of Marquis of Fuling, and in the 16th year of Emperor Wen (164 BC), he was granted the title of King of Huainan. Good books and drums invited thousands of guests and alchemists, wrote 21 volumes of "Inner Book" (that is, "Huainanzi"), and there are many "Outer Books". There are also 8 volumes of "November", which talks about the magic of the gods and immortals, and there are more than 200,000 words. He wrote "Li Sao Biography" and dedicated it to Emperor Wu. Later, he committed suicide due to treason. In philosophy, Liu An took the Taoist view of nature and heaven as the center and synthesized the thoughts of pre-Qin Taoism, law, and yin and yang. It is believed that all things in the world are produced by "Tao". In politics, it advocates "governance by doing nothing", but it gives a new interpretation of "doing nothing" and advocates changing the past.

Table of Contents
Volume 1 Yuandao Xun
Volume 2 Chu Zhenxun
Volume 3 astronomy training
Volume 4 Juan Xing Xun
volume 5 clock training
Volume 6 Reading Meditation Training
Volume 7 Spiritual Training
Volume 8 Benjing Xun
Volume 9 Master Technique Training

Compared with Confucianism, Taoism's thinking is more abstract, and it is actually difficult for ordinary people to practice it. The prospect described by Taoism is very attractive and magnificent, but when it falls into real life, it feels that it is not very operable. In comparison, Confucianism is more down-to-earth. But Confucianism is too upright and strong. If Confucianism can be used as the mainstay, Taoism as a supplement, and even Buddhist religious thoughts can be further integrated, it may be easier to achieve perfection.

The "Tao" is so subtle and difficult to describe, so we can only describe it sideways and use metaphors to simulate it. This is the way for those who have attained the Dao to help those who have not attained the Dao understand the "Tao". But these descriptions are not "Tao" itself. If you can behave in accordance with the "Tao", can you really deliberately achieve the beautiful state described? For the study of "Tao", is there also a clear learning path? Or in other words, although there is only one "Tao", there are many paths leading to the "Tao"? If this statement is correct, doesn't it necessarily mean that statement is wrong?

The "Tao" described by the author is indescribable. "Tao" has no specific image, and everything in the world depends on it to produce, but they don't feel "it", so they thank "it" especially. Everything has suffered bad luck, and there is no way to blame "Tao". "Tao" can accommodate both peaks and valleys. All things bred by "Tao" will not harm "Tao" or make "Tao" more glorious no matter what they do. The idea of governance by doing nothing probably comes from this. Man-made deliberate pursuit is meaningless, just act in accordance with the way of heaven. "Tao" is like the air we breathe. It operates according to the laws of nature and is vital to all things, but all things will not feel it all the time and remember him.

Fishing with a fishing rod is not as good as fishing with a net; fishing with a net is not as good as using the entire river, lake, and sea as a fishing net. Such a philosophical view may be understood as emphasizing the importance of patterns. When we focus too much on the minutiae, we tend to lose the whole. If you outline the outline, although it is a little rough, it covers a wider area. Looking at this statement from another aspect, it may be understood that the more abstract something is, the greater the scope of coverage. In fishing and archery, the targets are very clear, while fishing nets and bird nets are just placed there without a clear purpose. And rivers, lakes, and seas go one step further, they are just empty concepts, without even a form. Because of abstraction, we can be tolerant. Is this why "Tao" must be abstract?

Maybe it's because I don't have enough realm, and now I still can't deeply understand what kind of realm "govern by doing nothing" is. Things can be done without planning, success can be achieved without doing anything, and the way can be obtained without deliberate pursuit. What kind of state is this? If so, what is the point of our acquired efforts? From this point of view, isn't it true that the harder one works, the farther away from the Tao? Are people who are more casual and free-spirited closer to the Tao? If so, what is the benefit of Tao? Reaching the realm of "Tao" does not guarantee us a higher social status and more material enjoyment. Does the most important thing that "Tao" can promise the feeling of inner comprehension and freedom? I hope we can return to the state of a child, follow our original heart, and not be constrained by the day after tomorrow. Is this why we seek the Tao? Later generations gradually turned the pursuit of Tao into the pursuit of becoming gods with extraordinary abilities, and these gods still have love and hatred. Is this contrary to the original intention of seeking Tao?

Seek Tao, not for material things. The outside world is changing rapidly, and success and failure are unpredictable. What you seek is inner stability. I am not happy because I own a sweet car or BMW, nor am I depressed because I live in a back alley. Even if you have the power of the world, you don't think it is very happy. Even with coarse cloth and short clothes, you can have a peaceful mind. In the cultivation of virtue, take water as an example. "Water" is probably the closest thing to "Tao" in nature. Soft yet sharp, weak yet strong, never really disappearing, just transforming between different forms. If you understand the virtue of water, you probably also understand the form of "Tao"?