The Ludibrium of Living Well
R. Zandbergen
Monumenta Serica July 3, 2022 DOI: 10.1080/02549948.2022.2131802 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the Xiang'er commentary to the Laozi has philosophical and religious merit, presenting a preparatory morality that restrains commoners as a temporary step toward the sage's return to the Dao. The author contends this yields a grim worldview in which humans must mute the clamor of the species to restore the cosmic Dao's original calm. |
Abstract
In the present article a new case will be made for the philosophical and religious merit of the Xiang’er commentary to the Laozi. Throughout the text there is a normative emphasis on reaching sagehood and the levels of obedience and cultivation that this entails. The Xiang’er prescribes a preparatory morality that readies Daoist practitioners for the eventual return to the Dao from which everything sprang. While this creates a temporary equilibrium in which commoners are held in check by a matrix of morality, this is but a stepping stone towards the ultimate dismantling of the edifice of human consciousness and the cosmic return to the Dao, as of yet the prerogative of sages. This creates a grim religious worldview in which humans are tasked with muting the clamour of the species in order to restore the original calm and stillness of the cosmic Dao.