장재의 氣 생태주의와 심층 생태주의의 극복

Abstract

In this paper, the author tries to re-shape the philosophy of Chi(氣) of Zhang Zai, a Chinese North-Song Confucian, into the ‘Ecology of Chi’ and then consider its organicistic and ecological characteristics. In addition, after considering some similar points between Zhang Zai’s ecology of Chi and Naess’s Deep ecology, the author tries to find the meanings of this ecology of Ether. In the 2nd part, the organic world view based on Chi as the substance is discussed firstly. In Zhang Zai, the nature as well as the universe is one organic living thing which is living and developing itself through the so-called universal vitality. That driving force is inherent in the structure of Chi which is presented as ‘Great Harmony’(太和), and it is based on the great relation between Yin and Yang to spontaneously reach the harmony and equality, and through the so-called ‘interaction’ all things in the world are created and develop. In the 3rd part, the author considers the sage’s condition which is united to the nature, namely Zhang Zai’s view on human. Human, constituted from Chi which is the same as all things in the nature, maintains its continuity with things in the nature through the medium of Chi. The sage(聖人) means the human being who accomplishes the mistery and grasps the harmony(窮神知化), and lives a life united with the nature. Accomplishing the mistery and grasping the harmony refer to the attainment(體得) of the harmony and the endless transformation of the universe by his mind and body which is expanded by the treatment(對待) and association(交感) to each other based on good character and mind. In the 4th part, the author considers the way to live passing the Little Ego(小我) and reaching the Great Ego(大我), it means the theory of cultivation in Zhang Zai. The great ego means the great human being(大人), also means the Sage who can well maintain and uphold the innate good capacity(良能), in contrary the little ego refers to the human being who losses his good capacity, only adhering to the private advantages. Zhang Zai asserts that every man needs to eliminate the selfishness, the obsession (with advantages) and the obstinacy, and reform himself into ‘great ego’. In the state of ‘great ego’, human would initiatively and actively take part in the progress of development of things in the universe. In the 5th part, the author tries to consider the similarities between Zhang Zai’s ecology of Ether and Naess’s deep ecology. These two thoughts both claim that it is not individual but the whole universe, the nature holds its own values, human beings are divided into ‘self’ and ‘Self’, ‘little ego’ and ‘great ego’ within which ‘Self’ and ‘great ego’ are ideal for human. However, Naess thinks that the ‘self’ is innate, so despite the development of the ‘Self’, the selfish self does not lapse, and the knowledge can be extended by advancing the ‘Self’; in contrary, in Zhang Zai’s thought, the ‘great ego’ is the original figure of human, so when the state of ‘great ego’ is accomplished, the characters of ‘little ego’ cannot remain, hence he claims the cultivation of reaching the ‘great ego’. Zhang Zai does not mention the superiority of human, furthermore he seeks the way of living in harmony between human and nature. But he always has the confidence and affirmation of human. Human is not either the conqueror of the nature or an existence the same as every thing in the nature. Human through its own nature overcomes the selfishness and the obsession, through the innate capacity accomplishes the living essence of the universe, and through the appearance of the extreme loyalty(至誠) takes part in the progress of cultivating things in the universe, so it can live in harmony with the universe. Zhang Zai’s ecology of Ether is thence not at all inclined to the ecological fascism.