The Chinese View of the Cosmos San-pao Li, Ph.D. Department of Asian and Asian American Studies California State University, Long Beach California, U.S.A

The Chinese View The Chinese View of the Cosmosof the Cosmos

San-pao Li, Ph.DSan-pao Li, Ph.D..Department of Asian and Asian American StudiesDepartment of Asian and Asian American Studies

California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach

California, U.S.A.California, U.S.A.

February 12, 2004February 12, 2004

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PrefacePreface

A macrohistorical and hoA macrohistorical and holistic approachlistic approach

New inspirations from an New inspirations from an age-old theorumage-old theorum

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The Anthropocosmic Unity:The Anthropocosmic Unity:Heaven, Earth, and ManHeaven, Earth, and Man

Heaven-----ReligionHeaven-----ReligionEarth -------CosmologyEarth -------CosmologyMan---------EthicsMan---------Ethics


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An OutlineAn Outline Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces

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An OutlineAn Outline

Cosmos/CosmologyCosmos/Cosmology Folk mythologyFolk mythology The The Book of ChangesBook of Changes The yin-yang theoryThe yin-yang theory The five dynamic forcesThe five dynamic forces

CosmologyCosmology

The branch of learning that treats The branch of learning that treats the universe as an ordered system.the universe as an ordered system. Kosmos (order/harmony) Kosmos (order/harmony) + logos (word/discouse)+ logos (word/discouse)

=cosmology=cosmology

CosmologyCosmology

CosmosCosmos The universe is considered The universe is considered

as a harmonious and as a harmonious and orderly system.orderly system.

CosmologyCosmology

ValuesValues (what the world ought to be)(what the world ought to be) Value system/patternValue system/pattern (a set of values (a set of values

organized into a distinctive pattern)organized into a distinctive pattern) World view/WeltanschauungWorld view/Weltanschauung

(people’s conception of what the world (people’s conception of what the world is)is)

CosmologyCosmology

The value structure of a The value structure of a people which provides people which provides

the basis for their the basis for their existence.existence.

CosmologyCosmology

The resulting cosmology will The resulting cosmology will accordingly reflect the accordingly reflect the

sociological, philosophical or sociological, philosophical or scientific predilections of the scientific predilections of the

individual and his group.individual and his group.

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Folk MythologyFolk Mythology

Pan Gu (see picture)Pan Gu (see picture)The Story of the StoneThe Story of the Stone36,501 - 36,500 = 136,501 - 36,500 = 1

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The Book of ChangesThe Book of Changes

Things are constantly in flux or Things are constantly in flux or in the process of change.in the process of change.

There is no isolated There is no isolated occurrenceoccurrence in this cosmos but only in this cosmos but only concurrenceconcurrence. .


A repository of abstract conceptsA repository of abstract concepts A spiritual medium, a moral manual, and a A spiritual medium, a moral manual, and a

handbook of the religious Daoisthandbook of the religious Daoist A cosmological treatise of awesome obscurityA cosmological treatise of awesome obscurity A Confucian classicA Confucian classic Yijing -- the book of CHANGESYijing -- the book of CHANGES Yin-YangYin-Yang The Eight DiagramsThe Eight Diagrams


Things are groups of relationsThings are groups of relations The multifarious phenomena are The multifarious phenomena are

reduced to unity and harmonyreduced to unity and harmony Translation of all natural phenomena Translation of all natural phenomena

into a mathematical languageinto a mathematical language

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Dialectical Pattern of the Dialectical Pattern of the Cosmic ForcesCosmic Forces

Yin (-) and Yang (+)Yin (-) and Yang (+)

Eternally interacting with each otherEternally interacting with each other Form the very basis of Chinese Form the very basis of Chinese

cosmologycosmology YIN = all the negative qualitiesYIN = all the negative qualities YANG = all the positive qualitiesYANG = all the positive qualities

Yin (-) and Yang (+)Yin (-) and Yang (+)

In this “cosmic duet” neither In this “cosmic duet” neither the one nor the other ever the one nor the other ever permanently triumphs.permanently triumphs.

They are mutually dependant They are mutually dependant and supplementary.and supplementary.

The Eight DiagramsThe Eight Diagrams

See graphicSee graphic coincidentia opppositorum coincidentia opppositorum

(reconciliation of the opposites)(reconciliation of the opposites)

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Harmonized opposites--Book of ChangesHarmonized opposites--Book of Changes Mutually creative yet destructiveMutually creative yet destructive

wood, fire, earth, metal, waterwood, fire, earth, metal, water wood, earth, water, fire, metalwood, earth, water, fire, metal

The Yin and the YangThe Yin and the Yang Confirmation by modern physicsConfirmation by modern physics


Wood

Earth Fire

Metal

Water

Earth---CosmologyEarth---Cosmology

Cosmology---Cosmology---WeltanschauungWeltanschauung Pan Gu--the only cosmogonic mythPan Gu--the only cosmogonic myth

Yin-Yang and the Five Cosmic ForcesYin-Yang and the Five Cosmic Forces Things of the same genus Things of the same genus

activate each otheractivate each other microcosm-macrocosmmicrocosm-macrocosm


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Existential continuum (ontolExistential continuum (ontology)ogy)

Organismic whole (microcosOrganismic whole (microcosm-macrocosm)m-macrocosm)

Dialectical pattern of cosmic fDialectical pattern of cosmic forces (epistemology)orces (epistemology)

Existential ContinuumExistential Continuum

Harmony of the oppositesHarmony of the opposites The absence of cosmogonical mythsThe absence of cosmogonical myths

Absence of interest in the “First Cause” Absence of interest in the “First Cause” Unity of the spiritual and the material, thUnity of the spiritual and the material, th

e subjective and the objective, e subjective and the objective, the secular and the sacredthe secular and the sacred

An existential continuumAn existential continuum

Organismic WholeOrganismic Whole

Joseph Needham, Joseph Needham, Science Science and Civilisation in Chinaand Civilisation in China

“Heaven and I are one” The law of conservation

The fear of Nature


Harmonized opposites--Book of ChangesHarmonized opposites--Book of Changes Mutually creative yet destructiveMutually creative yet destructive

wood, fire, earth, metal, waterwood, fire, earth, metal, water wood, earth, water, fire, metalwood, earth, water, fire, metal

The Yin and the YangThe Yin and the Yang Confirmation by modern physicsConfirmation by modern physics

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There are always three dimensions There are always three dimensions involved in any given pattern of involved in any given pattern of matter -- the cosmic trianglematter -- the cosmic triangle

There is no isolated occurrence, only There is no isolated occurrence, only concurrence.concurrence.

Everything is a matter of Everything is a matter of coincidence.coincidence.

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Thank you!Thank you!

Your comments and questionsYour comments and questions are welcome!are welcome!

Documents

The Chinese View of the Cosmos San-pao Li, Ph.D. Department of Asian and Asian American Studies California State University, Long Beach California, U.S.A