A Philosophical Defense of Culture by Shuchen Xiang;

Author:Shuchen Xiang; [Xiang;, Shuchen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781438483214
Publisher: SUNY Press
Published: 2020-09-15T05:00:00+00:00

Ancient Wen Graphs

The relationship between epistemology, morality, and the self can be seen from the ancient graphs for wen. The early Chinese graph for the character wen (文) consists of a person with patterns across their body.20 Following our previous discussion, we can say that it is the insignia on our own world and selves that allows us to identify ourselves as self-conscious human beings. The patterns we make on the world assumes a comprehension of that world as something reducible to a certain order of meaning. Furthermore, we can contribute to the meaning of that world through meanings of our own creation: our patterns. It is these patterns that demonstrate our self-conscious elevation from the unreflective order of nature. Further, this very self-conscious elevation requires a form of meaning that others also recognize. I cannot know that I am self-conscious unless there is another who recognizes me as self-conscious; and the only way of reaching this accord is through these patterns.21 The apparent visual meaning of the pictograph wen is commensurate with its original meaning: (distinctive) “marking” of any kind (Boltz 1994, 139). Witness the way it is used in the Zuo Zhuan: “When Zhongzi was born, she had a mark (wen 文) in her hand.”22 There are many further examples of markings (wen) on a person being associated with their personality traits or eventual greatness.23

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.