Author ｜
Akinori Hashimoto
Abstract ｜
In ancient China it was thought that Xing 性, “Human Nature” is inherently good and that Qing 情, “Unshaped Emotion” is bad. It was believed that Qing needs to be properly reigned in by Xing. “Theories of Emotion”（感情論） always took the form as a discourse on Human Nature and Unshaped Feelings（性情論） during this period. However, due to the 1990s discovery of a large number of bamboo slips from the Warring States period, this traditional interpretation has been called into question. In the excavated document known as Xing Zi Ming Chu（性自命出） there is a line that states “The Way arises from feelings”（道始於情）. This line taken at face value turns the conventional Confucian understanding of Qing on its head. It appears that in ancient Confucianism there was a strain of thought that upheld faith in the emotions. Should the traditional Confucian understanding of Qing indeed be reinterpreted? In order to solve this problem it is necessary to look at the various meanings of the character Qing during this period. It has been held as self-evident that the character Qing refers to the emotions.However Qing also holds the meaning of “substance” and “essential". Previous research has not explored the relationship of these two meanings（emotions and substance） in the character Qing. Correctly understanding this relation will enable the original meaning of Qing to be understood. Furthermore, what words the thinkers of this period used in relation to human emotion should also become clearer. As a result, it can be seen that “The Way arises from feelings”（道始於情） way of thinking can also found in The Analects and Mencius.
keywords ｜
Qing, theory of emotion, origins of morality, Xing Zi Ming Chu, Confucius’ Poetics (孔子詩論)