Lunheng
Encyclopedia
The Lunheng is a wide-ranging Chinese classic text containing critical essays by Wang Chong
(27- ca. 100 CE) on natural science
, Chinese mythology
, philosophy
, and literature
.
), or "Discourses Weighed in the Balance" (Joseph Needham
).
Yang Wenchang 楊文昌 edited the first printed Lunheng edition, which was the basis for subsequent editions. Its 1045 CE preface notes that Yang compared 2 complete and 7 partial textual copies and corrected 11,259 characters.
"No commentaries to the Lun heng appear to have been written before the nineteenth century," write Pokora and Loewe (1993:311), which is unusual among Chinese classics. The first Lunheng commentators were Yu Yue 俞樾 (1821–1907), Sun Yirang
孫詒讓 (1848–1908), and Yang Shoujing 楊守敬 (1835–1915).
(r. 25-57 CE) and Emperor Ming
(r. 58-75 CE), which implies the period of Emperor Zhang
(r. 75-88 CE). Chapter 30 (講瑞 "Arguments on Ominous Creatures", tr. Forke 1907:372) notes it was completed during the Jianchu 建初 era
(76-84 CE).
Fung (1953:151) notes the Lunheng "was probably completed" during the years 82 and 83 CE. "The authenticity of the work has not been brought into question", write Pokora and Loewe (1993:309), and the text "may possibly have been completed between 70 and 80", based upon collections of Wang's earlier writings or essays.
Wang's Lunheng frequently espouses Daoist notions of naturalism. For example, Chapter 54 Ziran 自然 "Spontaneity" says.
Wang Chong
Wang Chong , courtesy name Zhongren , was a Chinese philosopher active during the Han Dynasty. He developed a rational, secular, naturalistic and mechanistic account of the world and of human beings and gave a materialistic explanation of the origin of the universe. His main work was the Lùnhéng...
(27- ca. 100 CE) on natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
, Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
, philosophy
Chinese philosophy
Chinese philosophy is philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought. The majority of traditional Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States era, during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and...
, and literature
Chinese literature
Chinese literature extends thousands of years, from the earliest recorded dynastic court archives to the mature fictional novels that arose during the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate Chinese...
.
Title
The title Lunheng combines lun 論 or 论 "discuss; talk about; discourse; decide on; determine; mention; regard; consider" and heng 衡 "crosswise; balance beam; weigh; measure; judge; appreciate". English translations of the title include "Disquisitions" (Alfred Forke), "Critical Essays" (Fung Yu-lan), "The Balanced Inquiries" (Wing-tsit ChanWing-tsit Chan
Professor Wing-tsit Chan was one of the world's leading scholars of Chinese philosophy and religion, active in the United States....
), or "Discourses Weighed in the Balance" (Joseph Needham
Joseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
).
Text
The received Lunheng comprises 85 pian 篇 "articles; sections; chapters" in 30 juan 巻 "scrolls; volumes; books", with more than 200,000 characters. Actually, 84 pian is more accurate because the text only contains the title of Chapter 44 Zhaozhi 招致.Yang Wenchang 楊文昌 edited the first printed Lunheng edition, which was the basis for subsequent editions. Its 1045 CE preface notes that Yang compared 2 complete and 7 partial textual copies and corrected 11,259 characters.
"No commentaries to the Lun heng appear to have been written before the nineteenth century," write Pokora and Loewe (1993:311), which is unusual among Chinese classics. The first Lunheng commentators were Yu Yue 俞樾 (1821–1907), Sun Yirang
Sun Yirang
Sun Yirang was a Chinese philologist. A native of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, he retired from official employment early in his life to devote himself to scholarship. His most important works are Mozi Jiangu , a corrected, definitive edition of Mozi, and Zhouli Zhengyi , an important commentary on...
孫詒讓 (1848–1908), and Yang Shoujing 楊守敬 (1835–1915).
History
Based on internal evidence, Forke (1907:9) concludes the Later Han Dynasty Lunheng text "must date" from the years 76-84 CE. Chapter 38 (齊世 "The Equality of the Ages", tr. Forke 1907:480) says, "Our present sage and enlightened sovereign is continuing the blessings and the prosperity of the reigns of" Emperor GuangwuEmperor Guangwu of Han
Emperor Guangwu , born Liu Xiu, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, restorer of the dynasty in AD 25 and thus founder of the Later Han or Eastern Han...
(r. 25-57 CE) and Emperor Ming
Emperor Ming of Han
Emperor Ming of Han, , was second emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty.He was the second son of Emperor Guangwu. It was during Emperor Ming's reign that Buddhism began to spread into China. One night, he is said to have dreamed of a golden man or golden men...
(r. 58-75 CE), which implies the period of Emperor Zhang
Emperor Zhang of Han
Emperor Zhang of Han, ch. 漢章帝, py. hàn zhāng dì, wg. Han Chang-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty from 75 to 88. He was the third emperor of the Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty....
(r. 75-88 CE). Chapter 30 (講瑞 "Arguments on Ominous Creatures", tr. Forke 1907:372) notes it was completed during the Jianchu 建初 era
Chinese era name
A Chinese era name is the regnal year, reign period, or regnal title used when traditionally numbering years in an emperor's reign and naming certain Chinese rulers . Some emperors have several era names, one after another, where each beginning of a new era resets the numbering of the year back...
(76-84 CE).
Fung (1953:151) notes the Lunheng "was probably completed" during the years 82 and 83 CE. "The authenticity of the work has not been brought into question", write Pokora and Loewe (1993:309), and the text "may possibly have been completed between 70 and 80", based upon collections of Wang's earlier writings or essays.
Content
The contents of the Lunheng are summarized by Pokora and Loewe.In discussing natural phenomena and their implications or causes, matters of popular belief and misconception and political issues, the book is often written in polemical form. A controversial statement is made, to be followed by the author's critical rebuttal, which is often supported by quotations from earlier writings. In many ways the Lun heng may be regarded as an encyclopaedic collection of the claims and beliefs of Chinese religion, thought and folklore. (1993:313)
Wang's Lunheng frequently espouses Daoist notions of naturalism. For example, Chapter 54 Ziran 自然 "Spontaneity" says.
By the fusion of the fluids [qiQiIn traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...
] of Heaven and Earth all things of the world are produced spontaneously, just as by the mixture of the fluids of husband and wife children are born spontaneously. Among the things thus produced, creatures with blood in their veins are sensitive of hunger and cold. Seeing that grain can be eaten, they use it as food, and discovering that silk and hemp can be worn, they take it as raiment. Some people are of opinion that Heaven produces grain for the purpose of feeding mankind, and silk and hemp to cloth them. That would be tantamount to making Heaven the farmer of man or his mulberry girl [who feeds the silkworms], I it would not be in accordance with spontaneity, therefore this opinion is very questionable and unacceptable.
Reasoning on Taoist principles we find that Heaven [tianTianTian is one of the oldest Chinese terms for the cosmos and a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion. During the Shang Dynasty the Chinese called god Shangdi or Di , and during the Zhou Dynasty Tian "heaven; god" became synonymous with Shangdi...
] emits its fluid everywhere. Among the many things of this world grain dispels hunger, and silk and hemp protect from cold. For that reason man eats grain, and wears silk and hemp. That Heaven does not produce grain, silk, and hemp purposely, in order to feed and cloth[e] mankind, follows from the fact that by calamitous changes it does not intend to reprove man. Things are produced spontaneously, and man wears and eats them; the fluid changes spontaneously, and man is frightened by it, for the usual theory is disheartening. Where would be spontaneity, if the heavenly signs were intentional, and where inaction [wu weiWu weiWu wei is an important concept of Taoism , that involves knowing when to act and when not to act. Another perspective to this is that "Wu Wei" means...
]? (tr. Forke 1907:92, cf. Fung 1953:152 and Chan 1963:296)
External links
- Lunheng 論衡 "Discussive Weighing", ChinaKnowledge entry
- 論衡, Lunheng text in Traditional Chinese characters
- 论衡, Lunheng text in Simplified Chinese characters
- Lun Hêng(论衡),works by Wang Ch'ung, PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYS OF WANG CH'UNG,TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE AND ANNOTATED ALFRED FORKE.