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Reading Ji Kang's Essays; Xuanxue in Early-Medieval China

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Reading Ji Kang's Essays; Xuanxue in Early-Medieval China Reading Ji Kang’s Essays This is the first English-language book on the philosophy of Ji Kang. Moreover, it offers the first systematic treatment of his philosophy, thus filling a significant gap in English-language scholarship on early medieval Chinese literature and philosophy. David Chai brings to light Ji Kang’s Xuanxue heritage and explores the themes in his writings that were derived from classical Daoism, most notably the need for humanity to return to a more harmonious co- existence with Nature to further our own self-understanding. His analysis is unique in that it balances translation and annotation with expositing the creative philosophizing of Xuanxue. Chai analyzes the entirety of Ji Kang’s essays, exploring his philosophical reflections on music, aesthetics, ethics, self-cultivation, and fate. Reading Ji Kang’s Essays will be of interest to scholars and students of Chinese philosophy and literature. It offers the first comprehensive philosophical examination of a heretofore neglected figure in Xuanxue. David Chai is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Chinese Univer- sity of Hong Kong. He is the author of Zhuangzi and the Becoming of Nothingness (2019) and editor of Daoist Encounters with Phenomenol- ogy: Thinking Interculturally about Human Existence (2020) and Dao Companion to Xuanxue [Neo-Daoism] (2020). Professor Chai is also the author of numerous papers on Chinese and comparative philosophy. To my beloved Lulu Reading Ji Kang’s Essays Xuanxue in Early-Medieval China David Chai First published 2022 by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2022 Taylor & Francis The right of David Chai to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Chai, David, 1971– author. Title: Reading Ji Kang’s essays : Xuanxue in early-medieval China / David Chai. Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2021. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2021018495 (print) | LCCN 2021018496 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Ji, Kang, 223-262. | Philosophy, Chinese. Classification: LCC B128.C3854 C43 2021 (print) | LCC B128.C3854 (ebook) | DDC 181/.114—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021018495 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021018496 ISBN: 978-0-367-35363-6 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-07301-9 (pbk) ISBN: 978-0-429-33142-8 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9780429331428 Typeset in Sabon by codeMantra Contents Introduction. Ji Kang’s Life and Works 1 Ji Kang’s Life 1 Ji Kang’s Death 6 History of the Collected Works of Ji Kang 9 Contents of the Collected Works of Ji Kang 11 On the Format of This Book 12 1 Music and Emotion 15 Music has in it neither Grief nor Joy 聲無哀樂論 15 2 Ethics 63 On Dispelling Self-Interest 釋私論 63 3 Learning 84 On Wisdom and Courage 明膽論 84 On the Natural Joy of Learning 自然好學論 100 Rebuttal to On the Natural Joy of Learning 難自然好學論 106 4 Health and Self-Cultivation 121 On Nourishing Life 養生論 121 Rebuttal to On Nourishing Life 黃門郎向子期難養生 133 Reply to the Rebuttal of On Nourishing Life 答難養生論 141 5 Fortunes of Life 181 Residences Are Not Auspicious or Inauspicious, One Must Assist Life 宅無吉凶攝生論 181 Rebuttal to Residences Are Not Auspicious or Inauspicious, One Must Assist Life 難宅無吉凶攝生論 190 vi Contents Explanation to the Rebuttal to Residences Are Not Auspicious or Inauspicious, One Must Assist Life 釋難宅無吉凶攝生論 203 Reply to the Explanation to the Rebuttal to Residences Are Not Auspicious or Inauspicious, One Must Assist Life 答釋難宅無吉凶攝生論 212 Works Cited 233 Index 241 Introduction. Ji Kang’s Life and Works Ji Kang’s Life Ji Kang 嵇康 (223–262 CE), whose original surname was Xi 奚 and whose style name was Shuye 叔夜, hailed from Zhi 銍 county in the principality of Qiao 譙 (present-day Anhui 安徽 province). Prior to moving to Qiao, the Ji family lived in Kuaiji 會稽 (also pronounced Guiji) county. Regarding his life history, the oldest historical account is the following passage from the Sanguo zhi 三国志: At that time there was also Ji Kang from Qiao. The style of his writing was vigorous yet elegant, and he was fond of discussing the works of Laozi and Zhuangzi. He loved the extraordinary but he had a fearless character. During the Jingyuan period (260–263 CE), he became entangled in a certain affair and was executed.1 Brief as this statement is, it is very illuminating. More details on Ji Kang’s life are contained in Sun Sheng’s 孫盛 Weishi Chunqiu 魏氏春秋, Weishi Chunqiu Yitong 魏氏春秋異同, and Jin Yangqiu 晋陽秋, but these works only survive as fragments in other historical texts.2 Gan Bao 干寶 in his Jinji 晉記,3 Yu Yu 虞預 in his Jinshu 晉書,4 and Zhang Yin 張隱5 in his Wenshi zhuan 文士傳, also provide key biographical information on Ji Kang, as does Dai Kui 戴逵 in his Zhulin Qixian lun 竹林七賢論.6 What is more, Ji Kang’s letter to Shan Tao 山濤 touches upon his life, as does Xiang Xiu’s rhapsody Sijiu fu 思舊賦. While many of the aforementioned texts are either lost or sur- vive as fragments in other works, enough of their information is found in the commentary on the Sanguo zhi7 and in the Shishuo Xinyu 世說新 語8 to formulate a clear picture of Ji Kang’s life and thought. When it comes to the official biography of Ji Kang included in the dynastic history of the Jin (Jinshu 晉書),9 we are warned by Robert Hans van Gulik that it is a most superficial account, which shows it had been carelessly patched up from various secondary sources … one would conclude DOI: 10.4324/9780429331428 2 Introduction. Ji Kang’s Life and Works that the materials upon which this account is based date from late in the Jin period, when writers were afraid to offend the Jin rulers, the descendants of the Sima clansmen of the Wei period.10 Putting van Gulik’s warning aside, we can turn to the Sanguo zhi and Pei Songzhi’s 裴松之 commentary which cites Yu Yu’s Jinshu: The Kang family was surnamed Xi and came from Kuaiji county. Prior to Kuaiji, they lived in Zhi county in the principality of Qiao, changing their name to Ji by keeping the top portion of their sur- name’s character and replacing the lower portion with the character for mountain to cover over their original surname. Another saying is that in Zhi there was Mount Ji, and as the family settled on its side, they took it for their surname.11 A statement similar to the one above appears in the Shishuo Xinyu, specifically in the appended notes where Wang Yin’s 王隐 Jinshu 晉書12 is quoted as saying: Ji Kang’s surname was originally Xi. His ancestors moved from Shangyu Prefecture to escape a grievance and settled in Zhi P refecture of Qiao Principality. Since his family had come from Kuaiji, he took one part of the name of the principality, and pronounced it like his original name, Xi.13 Yet another biographical description of Ji Kang is found in the dynastic Jinshu: Ji Kang, style Shuye, was a man from the town of Zhi of Qiao. Originally his family bore the name of Xi and hailed from Shangyu of Kuaiji; fleeing from enemies, they moved to Qiao. In Zhi their house lay on the slope of Jishan, and they called themselves after this mountain.14 The dynastic Jinshu continues: Ji Kang was still a child when his father died. He was gifted with rare talents, which marked him as a man far above the average. He measured six feet two inches, a handsome and stately figure. He re- garded his body as mere clay or wood, and disdained all adornment of his person. People said of him that he combined the majesty of the dragon with the elegance of the phoenix. By nature a man of plain character, he was peaceful and serene, and had few desires. He had a forbearing disposition, and was extremely tolerant. In his studies he did not follow any special school, but read widely, with great understanding. Having grown up he became fond of Laozi and Introduction. Ji Kang’s Life and Works 3 Zhuangzi. He married a member of the Wei Imperial family, and was appointed a zhongsan dafu.15 This passage not only tells us of the hardship Ji Kang faced as a child but his attitude towards life as an adult. One important detail not mentioned in this description is his fierce devotion to his mother and older brother, Ji Xi 嵇喜.16 To read about them we need to turn to a letter Ji Kang wrote to Shan Tao declaring the end of their friendship: “Add to that the fact that I lost my father when young, was spoiled by my mother and elder brother and never took up the study of the Classics.”17 Ji Kang’s brother joined the army as a young man and made a political career out of it; Ji Kang, however, held no interest in doing the same and simply wanted to spend time at the local bamboo grove (zhulin 竹林) socializing with his friends and satisfying his intellectual aspirations.
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