『태극도설(太極圖說)』의 우주 생성론 연원 고찰: 「太極圖」와 「無極圖」의 도상 비교를 중심으로

Abstract

Taiji (太極) is a crucial concept in Eastern philosophy. Taiji is a key concept in Chinese ontology, particularly in Neo-Confucianism. Because of Zhuxi’s interpretation, the ontology of Neo-Confucianism should be regarded as beginning with Taijitushuo. However, there has been considerable debate about whether Zhu Xi’s interpretation is consistent with the original meaning of Taijitushuo. This paper will show that the theory of the creation of the universe in Zhou Dunyi’s Taijitushuo was written under the influence of Neidan(內丹)’s Sprit-Cultivation(養神). Taijitushuo by Zhou Dunyi extends the Neidan’s process of god creation in the body into cosmological thought. I will explain the process of Sprit-Cultivation through illustrations from the The Secret of the Golden Flower based on the Zhongli Quan(鍾離權) and Lu Dongbin(呂洞賓)’s Zhongli Dan Dao(鍾呂丹法). Furthermore, Taijitu(太極圖) reverses Wujitu(無極圖) to develop an ontological and cosmological thought, but no original Wujitu is passed down. I examined the current diagram’s error and propose a new explanation to argue how the Neo-Confucian project of Taijitushuo from Wujitu was created. In Taijitushuo and Tongshu(通書) Zhou Dunyi presents the sprit-cultivation method expressed in terms of Zhu Jing(主靜), Yi(一), desirelessness(無欲), and emptiness(虛), which is consistent with the Laozi’s cultivation method. In addition, Taijitu in Zhu Zhen(朱震)’s edition and Yang Jia(楊甲)’s shows a hierarchy of yin and yang. In addition, Zhou Dunyi’s iconography and its explanation of Wuji are reminiscent of those of Taoism. This paper has argued that Zhuxi transformed these Taoist overtones into Confucian styles and projected his philosophy into Zhou Dunyi’s Taijitushuo.