Daoist Philosophy and Literati Writings in Late Imperial China: A Case Study of The Story of the Stone

Contents

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Chapter One Quanzhen Daoism and The Story of the Stone . . . . . . .17 1.1 Skull, Beauty, and Mirror as Tutorial Devices: A Quanzhen Pedagogy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 1.2 Heart as an Index of Spiritual Condition: A Quanzhen Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 1.3 Zhen Shiyin: A Quanzhen Patriarch Fictionalized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 1.4 Miracles and Disasters Consequent to Magic Shows: A Quanzhen Rationale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Chapter Two Daoist Philosophy in Late Imperial China: Adaptation, Appropriation, Transformation . . . . . . .67 2.1 The Evolution of the Discourse on the Natural (ziran) and the Cult of Qing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 2.2 Seeking Self-Gratification (shi) as a Guiding Principle in Identity Construction. . . . . . . . . . . .92 2.3 Freedom from Unscrupulous Action and Selfish Desire (wuwei) as an Espoused Political Ideal . . .106 2.4 The Cult of Tao Yuanming: Active Modes in the Personal Use of an Ancient Sage . . . . . .121 Contents viii Contents Chapter Three Chaos and the Gourd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 3.1 Hundun: Chaos as Benevolent Disorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138 3.2 Hulu: Gourd as a Microcosmic Symbol of Dao . . . . . . . . . . . .159 Chapter Four Bird and Fish. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173 4.1 Bird-Fish Imagery in Ancient Chinese Writings. . . . . . . . . . . 174 4.2 Bird-Fish Imagery in Literati Writings of Imperial China. . .177 4.3 Bird-Fish Imagery in The Story of the Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 4.3.1 Bird-Fish Imagery in the Narrative Structure of the Stone . 191 4.3.2 Bird-Fish Imagery in Jia Baoyu’s Characterization. . . . . . .197 4.3.3 Bird-Fish Imagery in Lin Daiyu’s Characterization . . . . . .203 4.3.4 Bird-Fish Imagery as a Trope for the Tragic Theme . . . . . . 211 Chapter Five The Pure and the Natural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 5.1 The Confucian and Neo-Confucian Ideals of Purity: A Critical Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 5.2 The Daoist Ideal of Purity: An Affirmative Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232 5.3 The Buddhist Ideal of Purity: A Satirical Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260 Chapter Six A Brief Reflection in Lieu of Conclusion: Daoist Philosophy, Literati Writings, and Cao Xueqin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277 Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307 ...