The Origin and Development of Huang-Lao Dao-Shu
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Abstract /
This paper discusses the central ideas of Huang-lao thought and inquires into its origin and development. At the time "Lie-tzu, false accusations and its main ideas" was being reprinted, the author rearrenged several important materials, resulting in this article. According to the Shi-chi, pre-Ch` in Huang-ti and Lao-tzu were not named together, the term `taoism`, originating in the early years of the Han dynasty, referred exclusively to Lao-tzu`s ch`ing-ching wu-wei and combined the essentials of the yin-yang school, confucianists, mohists, school of names and legalists. Afterwards, Liu Hsiang wrote that the Lei-tzu had its origins in Huang-ti and Lao-tzu; the work was subsequently also classified as `taoism`. The ancient saying that Huang-lao was based on the teachings of Huang-ti and Lao-tzu first appears in the Lie-tzu, which mentions the now lost Book of Huang-ti. The ancient saying that it was written by Huang-ti is clearly a hypothesis, but fragments are quoted in the Lie-tzu and Chuang-tzu and the figures and historical facts mentioned can make up for what is left out in history. Huang-lao thought is extremely rich and deals with cosmology, the way of heaven, the way of man, psychology, nurture of life etc. The documents excavated in 1973 are extremely helpful in the author`s understanding of Huang-lao dao-shu, provide new evidence for its relation with hsing-ming, but also leave open many questions.