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Journal of Beijing Normal University(Social Sciences) ›› 2023, Vol. 0 ›› Issue (2): 63-71.

• Chinese Ancient History • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Objective,Essence and Duality of the Interpretation of Ancient Chinese Classics

JIANG Haijun   

  1. School of History,BNU,Beijing 100875,China
  • Online:2023-03-25 Published:2023-04-06

Abstract: The study of Confucian classics is the basic form of Chinese ancient Confucianism,and around this study a unique hermeneutics of China has been formed.The main objective of the interpretation of ancient Chinese classics revolves around the “Dao” in which “governing Dao” based on the actual state governance is the basic appeal of the interpretation.In ancient times,two types of interpretations of Confucian classics in the Han and Song dynasties were formed based on the different construction of “governing Dao”.The rulers wanted to establish cultural identity based on discourse power so as to provide thoughts and methods with practical guiding significance for their political governance.At the same time,the Confucian sutra itself is also the bearer of the ancient heaven and personnel and has the qualities of transcendence and universality.Therefore,the interpretation of ancient classics reflects the dualism or duality of language and meaning,subject and object,knowledge and morality,subjective and objective,heaven and personnel,inner sanctity and outer king,history and reality,and so on.In the face of this,the ancient interpreters paid special attention to resolving these contradictory and unified relations through the tension of the interpretation of the classics,thus realizing the realistic value of the classics to the greatest extent.

Key words: the study of Confucian classics, the objective of interpretation, governing Dao, the duality of hermeneutics, Chinese Confucianism

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