A Study of Mystical Thinking in Ancient Chinese Expressions: Focusing on “Chen Wei”
International Journal of Religion August 12, 2024 DOI: 10.61707/p4petr02 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Ancient Chinese texts, specifically the "Chen Wei" texts from the Han dynasty |
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Consciousness Silence Poetry Literature Expression computer science Chen Linguistics Aesthetics Epistemology |
| Key points | Argues that ancient Chinese mystical thinking, expressed through sound and language in blessings, declarations, poetry, and proverbs, was inherited by the Han dynasty "Chen Wei" texts, which show a shift from oral to written expression. |
Abstract
Ancient Chinese have expressed culture that communicated with gods and spirits through sound and language. This culture has contained mystical thinking that expressed orally, through spoken words, presenting a form of sound. This paper comprehensively examined and summarized the materials of mystical thinking in ancient Chinese from the texts of “Chen Wei”, analyzing the forms of mystical consciousness and the linguistic cultural features that favor cautious speech and silence over verbosity. The study explores the origins of mystical thinking in Chinese culture, tracing it back to the ancient people's blessings and declarations to spirits through shamans and historians, as well as court and folk poetry and proverbs. It then discussed how this was inherited by the texts of “Chen Wei” in Han dynasty, and how the mode of linguistic expression gradually shifted from sound to writing, examining the evolution of the mystical thinking content in ancient Chinese culture.