Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki - Lao-Tse and Professor Giles, an Article from the Monist Vol. 11 1901

Page 1

Early Journal Content on JSTOR, Free to Anyone in the World This article is one of nearly 500,000 scholarly works digitized and made freely available to everyone in the world by JSTOR. Known as the Early Journal Content, this set of works include research articles, news, letters, and other writings published in more than 200 of the oldest leading academic journals. The works date from the mid-­‐seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. We encourage people to read and share the Early Journal Content openly and to tell others that this resource exists. People may post this content online or redistribute in any way for non-­‐commercial purposes. Read more about Early Journal Content at http://about.jstor.org/participate-­‐jstor/individuals/early-­‐ journal-­‐content. JSTOR is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary source objects. JSTOR helps people discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content through a powerful research and teaching platform, and preserves this content for future generations. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-­‐for-­‐profit organization that also includes Ithaka S+R and Portico. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.


AND DISCUSSIONS.

CRITICISMS

AND PROFESSOR

LAO-TZE to an

[In reply of Professor Mr.

Teitaro

tain a good deal

The

Tao

Teh

on philosophy. wrote

were.

is a collection

broken

Chinese

As

character

of thinking.

he was

favorably seems

however,

Ch'ien's

C?rus

Sze-Ma

Ch'ien

as unwarranted. fessor Giles's I. of Lao

Chuang

how Mr.

and

can

Giles

(the Shi

were

goes

not Taoism.

for there are

which

prove

set eyes upon

he

imagine

for his

ki)

of The Monist,

are some quotations

Here criticism

In summing Tan,

never

"had

they

as a rule

in full accord

or at least

the contrary

King,

in the Records

passages

plicit

put

incoherent

not an admirer

was

number

Teh

in the present

was

for his

is that Lao

that he simply

however

of Buddhism,

irregularity

Confucianism

Records

Historical

are, and

writers

Ch'ien

probability

with

his

of Lao-Tze. to show His

that

father,

a liking for Lao-Tze.

had

Tao

to prove

towards

to understand

ticity of Lao-Tze's Dr.

tends

disposed to have

It is difficult Sze-Ma

to say that Sze-Ma

in the Shi ki

Everything

this

this fact account

The

the introduction

for Lao-Tze,

allow me

Further,

and does

treatise

that Lao-Tze

for assuming

his mind,

through

before

philosophers,

and mode

as modern

in writing they flashed

very unsystematic.

down,

in forming

readers

not a systematic

and

ground

? I think not.

style of writing

in con

them here.?Ed.]

of aphorisms

his health was

as

thoughts

to our

to publish

reasonable

so careful

not

his

down

it pertinent

King,

comments

these comments

Since

positions.

Teh

Tao

the following

be of assistance

this, however,

unintelligible

was

Tze

Giles's

the position

against

of Lao-Tze's

has written

scholar,

that will

deemed

King Is

his work when

somewhat

respect

of material

of my arguments

to the authenticity

and Professor

we have

their opinion,

to the validity

a Japanese

Suzuki,

of my own

criticism

as

inquiry with

Giles

GILES.

to the one quoted

in addition pp.

574, a number

the contrary

the work" which

finds a support

; and

of Lao-Tze, cannot

in

theory of the unauthen of quite

the assertion must

be reconciled

by ex that

be rejected with Pro

:

up Lao-Tze's Chou,

Han

doctrine Fei,

in a brief

and Sh?n

epilogue

Pu-hai,

Sze-Ma

to the collective Ch'ien

says:

lives


AND

CRITICISMS "The

that

Tao

honored

by Lao-Tze

to impulses

responds

[spontaneously] his writings

is most

DISCUSSIONS. is void

; its modifications

are full of mystery

and phraseology

and

M^m-Mm: mmmm mit? mm Sze-Ma

Could

2. Sze-Ma

Ch'ien

a.

In

the

remark

62), Sze-Ma

quotes

the following

virtue,

therefore

to the Lives

Ch'ien,

virtue never

Inferior

(The more

discriminating

But

become

How

King.

Judges

no show of

virtue makes

therefore

laws and ordinances,

the more

are exactly what we now find in Chapter

who

Giles,

<im^m^.&m^m)

thinks that the characters

not quoted

that it "makes

ter. Further,

nonsense"

(p. 256) and weakens of the first passage

interpretation

to obtain,

teh,

^

his

stands

frequently

for

the whole is strange.

38 of the

by Han

Tze are not genuine,omits thesecond passage "THi ^? -Jfe H ??lSIf? clares

(Bio

and Confucius

loses sight of virtue,

!

remarked

well

Mr.

the quo

robbers.)"

these first two passages

Teh

Tao

:

a few of

Lao-Tze

'' Superior

:

from Lao-Tze

passages

thieves and

adds

on

hi at random.

of the Merciless of both

speaking

?mxm&&Lmm rmz^m^umm " '' He

. . ."

set eyes

having

are

Here of the Shi

the leaves

it has virtue.

it has no virtue.1 there appear

Therefore

comprehension.

ever

without

Lao-Tze.

quotes

turning over

introductory

Section

graphical

occasionally

found while

tations I have

beyond

and

non-existent,

endless.

i&mmmm mumm

this statement

make

and are

?

work

Lao-Tze's

Ch'ien

613

drift of

the chap

In archaic

Chinese

not, as Professor

teh, virtue,

Fei

and de

Giles

The should read accord teh, virtue, for ^ teh, to obtain. claims, ^ passage " no virtue makes The show of virtue, therefore it is virtue."2 ingly, highest The

characters

of the passage

quoted the sense

the present Tao

Teh

inating become

laws and ordinances,

A Ma

again

not mention

inferior men ?. The Y

alludes Lao-Tze's

name,

hear

of the Tao,

second

sentence

Biographical

"The

Section

67).

unnameable

the text of the Tao 1Dr.

Carus's

same

ridicule

by Sung above

Chi-chu,

is not quite

quotation

of the

ten thousand and earth."

"of

passage,

"When

Chung

and Chia

referred

literal ; it reads

heaven

King)

Sze

this time he

it."

is quoted

Sze-ma

robbers."3 above,

though

the well-known

quotes

Teh

translation

idea

thieves and

remark mentioned

is the beginning

things,"

to (the

:

and not (as

with a little modification.

first passage is also life forms the Biographical

3 The

but

the astrologer

2This whose

there appear

together with Confucius,

they greatly

The

in parentheses do not appear in ' : *The more discrim

introductory

of the first chapter

their interview with

after

reads

to Lao-Tze

above

is quite Laotzean

the more

in the same

little farther down

Ch'ien

does

But

King.

is expressed

by an astrologer quoted Section 67 of the Shi ki. in Chapter

19.

called

Sze-ma

Chi-chu


THE an

y. As

same The

dogs are heard

?. At Sze-Ma

version

quotation

reads

quotes The

The

persecuted

by his rivals on account

These

allusions

work

on

the Tao

as

of Taoism, that were

be

Ma

Ch

'ien's time under

present

know as Tao

Chuang

Chou

so

Lieh-Tze, author,

for it was

As

forth.

yii,"

to the inaccuracy

the Tao

Only

not written

by him, but

writings, Teh

times

their quotations

King

generally

from

in Sze

other phi

The

we

at

work

of

that of Lieh-Tze, not

named

after

its

However,

disciples. say, "It

is written

scholars,

took pains

as they appear

from Lao-Tze

say that it by no means

; for Chinese

can

This

in

says."

the art of printing was ; they rarely

by his

compiled not

many

Mencius; was

epi

that Sze

the work which

as Lao-Tze.

of Confucius

they do

of the quotations I would

that

simply

that of Mencius,

the work

systems

Ch'ien's

not known

Like

King.

probable

view

monotonous. was

writing

the

of the

I abstain

but

references,

Teh

then known

quote

philosophical whose

Tze;

of

and a student

in Sze-Ma

and become

title of Tao

from the Lun yii, " but merely, Confucius

writers

the Lun

King

Chuang-

an official historian

it highly probable as we have it now.

of Lao-Tze

it is highly was

Teh

is called

and

when

the present

a book

wrote

taken a very favorable

makes

that Lao-Tze's

with

acquainted

of the different philosophical

and by other

he says

of Lao-Tze

is obvious.

learning

to have

the discussion

protract

in those days,

works

son, was

alone

the work

by quotations

it would

is right when

Giles

losophers'

of

studied

who was

this fact in conjunction

is incorporated

exposition which

of

the conclusion

of wide

seems

He

Records,

had carefully

so because

Mr.

a scholar

besides

This

further corroborated

doing

of two parts,

in his brief exposition

is shown

then prevalent.

Ch'ien

their

physicians)

knowledge

to the effect that Lao-Tze

Ch'ien

under Huang-Tze.

to theHistorical

logue Ma

; but he was

doctrines

to

Up

[as all

famous

intimately

the significance

like his famous

father,

Ch'ien's

that he was

but

consider

consisting

Ch'ien's

Dynasty

Taoist

with one another

by the story of a physician

that Sze-Ma

tradition,

we

given by Sze-Ma

the Teh,

e. Sze-Ma Hang

of oral

; and when

and

and with

of his superiority.

prove

apparently

the statement

with

of cocks

their food, pleased

of the first passage of Chapter 31 in the '' : are things un and beauty Excellence

is proved

truth of this saying

not a mere matter

Lao-Tze's

King."

its perfec

in their business.

rejoice

the

King,

Teh

reaches

45 (lives of some

Section

a modified

blessed."

was

the Tao

at home]."

the end of the Biographical

King.

and

(Biographical Teh

the voices

with

intercourse

any

into

another,

are delighted

their customs,

Men

in the Tao

administration

of one

sight

they do not have

death,

Ch'ien

Teh

with

contented

are satisfied

wants

"When

the people

everywhere,

their clothes,

80

as "pitchforked

condemns

are within

states

tion, neighboring

old age and

quotes

Giles

of Industrial

a part of Chapter

in full runs as follows:

quotation

Tao

Ch'ien

Professor

which

to his Lives

remark

introductory

69), Sze-Ma

Section

MONIST.

especially

yet unknown, to cite

were

the original

those

in various

the authenticity

disproves

ancient

notoriously as literally

writers

careless

in

with

and as faith


AND

CRITICISMS fully as modern quotation Chinese

syntactical bold

Add

of

for misquota

scope

that there are fewer misquotations

to say, however,

of a

to this the vagueness

there is left the widest

and

construction,

615

so far as to twist the real meaning

it suit their own purposes.

to make

I make

tions.

do ; they even went

writers

so as

DISCUSSIONS.

from Lao

than from any other author.

Tze

Mr.

Finally, sense proves

statement

Giles's

of Han

Fei Tze's

in the Tao

had his own way

Fei Tze

Han

nothing.

that "many

sentences

the corresponding

where

Teh

make

quotations make

King

nonsense,"

of interpreting Lao-Tze's

sayings, to accept as true. Han Fei Tze's bound which, however, we are by no means " " " are not a text-commentary Illustrations" and to Lao-Tze, but a Explanations Not he

tendency,

See,

and native

that in this as

Han

rightly hit the mark. and

Lebensweisheit,

that Han

not doubt reflexion

sees

of Laotzean

but not a metaphysical is an obscured Lao-Tze

Tze's

Fei

I agree

question a book which

essentially

is still extant

under

into so many chapters, book was not divided " " " " scroll ; the lower upper scroll beginning and

present Sze-Ma

Ch'ien's Tao

had

universe process

King. statement

Teh

after

the present Teh

he was

division

find ourselves King

In concluding a noted

of

$$fcfi)t?,ffi. 14), is, while

(Cap.

there,

thought, will Dr.

philosophy

in many

has

of morals,

of

we can

thinker. Therefore and

agree

Carus

points distorted

have my

Dr.

Teh

the passage

that The

King.

into an "upper"

simply

unparalleled

I believe

Carus;

on

a

and

the nature

just as we have

them in our not

hypercriticism

of

to regard

is a collection

before,

was

Lao-Tze to present

of aphorisms, of the sixth

his philosophical

or Hegel

thinkers.

a child

in accordance As a mystic

views with

he merely

not

an

century B. of

life and

ex C. the

the strict logical wrote

down

the

intuitive knowledge. If we inspired by his wonderful to their meaning, we may not into chapters as a guide at sea, but

nothing

the lack of coherency

to do with

letter, I am reminded

poet of the Tang

but with

the Teh,

that of an

with

the title of Tao

reliable.

of Kant

of thinking of European

infrequently the Tao

I said

thoughts.

the manner

be

as quite

no ambition

thoughts with which accept

as

King,

therefore

with

It would

of systematic

position and

scroll"

the "lower Teh

Tao

The

of

of the original. wrote

the Tao

power

only a teacher

in Lao-Tze

civic

form foreshadowed

statecraft,

to the main

As Lao-Tze

chi siang"

of pure

and

in the hands on

comment

familiar with Western

points

Fei Tze

interpretation

zvuh

philosophy

they become

other obscure

in many

from ethical

his

suited

a practical

the speculative

reflect

superficial wu

chi chuang,

which

and exhibiting

from Lao-Tze

peculiarly

how

instance,

when

scholars,

those passages

like Lao-Tze

only a commonplace

the Kantian

discovers

Carus

which

receive for

mind

the aphorisms

all

those passages

%tWu chuang

^tyj^&Mt Dr.

being

metaphysics,

Fei Tze.

up from Lao-Tze

picked

a speculative

explained and

standpoints, Lao-Tze's Han

He

of comments.

collection his purpose.

Dynasty,

and

the obscurity

of

its authenticity. of the humorous

with regard

to the Tao

Teh

poem of Pei King

:

Le Tien,


6i6

THE '' The

sage

not know

does

who

knows

then is it that

; why " ?

and odd words

' One

declares,

'

MONIST. does

the sage

not

himself

one

and

speak, uttered

those

who

five

Teitaro

OF CHINESE

A HISTORY

to the long list of obligations

materially

increased

Herculean

labors.

boon

a most

with

literature

more

than

in the Chinese

from the earliest

times down

fulfils

in Gems

of a of Chi

the promise

of the

theWestern

time satisfy

reader ex

the severely

of the whole

language,

added and has

his already

regard

it furnishes

at the same

will

which

has

the completion

few years back

of 450 pages,

of specialists

Giles

the public,

sinologues

be considered

some

however,

volume

review,

interesting

demands

acting nese

large octavo

A

former one.

new work,

This

nese Literature.

laid

he has

all

us may

before

gave us a foretaste

Giles

Mr.

of which

volume

Mr.

Literature

under which with which

the admiration The

Suzuki.

LITERATURE.

of Chinese

of his History

In the production one more

speaks

thousand

to its latest productions

field of Chi

under

the rule

of the Manchu. Those

whose

nor

glyphs

letters?which

toilsome

spent

as badly

under

Mr.

safe

on a uniform

plan,

six shillings are

and

neous upon

us.

should singular

the favored

envy

mortals

the wilderness

through

serve

without

unfavorable

have

who

cut

and

the trouble

If we

had but

then must

be

which

the occurrences

the Chinese

a savage,

the reflexions

Each

are

published

at an unvary

is the tenth and the series.

the world, and

treacherous,

produced

is of more

in China

twelve months and

by a perusal

consequence,

appear

erro

to force

to judge by, we race.

How

this volume,

which

barbarous of

so prom

to certain

counter-balance

of the past

issued

at a favorable

the past year been

events

volume

last volume

It appears

but what

recent

con

E. Gosse.

has during

Empire

series

of Dr.

volumes

review

a corrective

impressions

fairly comprehensive

editorship

to complete before

as

of a

The

under

the Chinese

unenviably

will

pronounce

literature.

in preparation

inently though most

one

the able

; the work

time ; not only because its pages

forms

under

of some national

but six others

because

hiero

from books

knowledge

can know Chinese

thus (so to speak)

of drudgery

and who

learning,

acquired

will

a way

have

long hours

ideographs?neither

of celestial

their hardly

in existence,

any

new book

Giles's

Professor

ing price,

fascinating

of

it.

of learning

is a history

out

guidance

for them, and

smoothed

ceived

as

printed

Giles's

memories

but

the gateways

guard in digging

years

about

weary

the perplexing

in mastering

endured

includes

experience

1History of Chinese Literature by H. A. Giles, LL. D., Professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge (Aber.). London :William Heineman. Price, 6s. New York : D. Appleton & Co. Price, $1.50.

;


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.