Wang Bi(Chinese:Vương bật;226–249),courtesy nameFusi(Chinese:Phụ tự), was a Chinese philosopher and politician. During his brief career he produced commentaries on theTao Te ChingandI Chingwhich were highly influential inChinese philosophy.[1][2]
Wang Bi Vương bật | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 226 |
| Died | 249 (aged 23) |
| Other names | Fusi (Phụ tự) |
| Occupation(s) | Philosopher, politician |
| Father | Wang Ye |
| Wang Bi | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | Vương bật | ||||||||||||||||||
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Life
editWang Bi served as a minor bureaucrat in the state ofCao Weiduring theThree Kingdomsperiod. He died from anepidemicat the age of 23.[3][4]
Wang Bi's most important works are commentaries onLaozi'sTao Te Chingand theI Ching.The text of theTao Te Chingthat appeared with his commentary was widely considered the best copy of this work until the discovery of the Han-eraMawangduitexts in 1973. He was a scholar ofXuanxue.
Writings
editAt least three works by Wang Bi are known: a commentary onConfucius'Analects,which survives only in quotations; commentaries on theI Chingand theTao Te Ching,which not only have survived but have greatly influenced subsequent Chinese thought on those two classics.
His commentary on theI Chinghas been translated into English by Richard John Lynn,The Classic of Changes(New York: Columbia University, 1994)ISBN0-231-08295-9
Several translations into English have been made of his commentary of theTao Te Ching:
- Ariane Rump, translatorCommentary on the Lao Tzu by Wang Pi,Monographs of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy,No. 6 (Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 1979)ISBN0-8248-0677-8
- Richard John Lynn, translatorThe Classic of the Way and Virtue; A New Translation of the Tao-te Ching of Laozi as Interpreted by Wang Bi(New York: Columbia University, 1999)ISBN0-2311-0581-9
- Rudolf Wagner, translator.A Chinese Reading of the Daodejing: Wang Bi's Commentary on the Laozi with Critical Text and Translation(Albany: State University of New York Press, 2003)ISBN0-791-45182-8
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Wang Bi".Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.Retrieved2023-07-20.
- ^"Wang Bi".Encyclopædia Britannica.Retrieved2023-07-21.
- ^Theobald, Ulrich."Wang Bi vương bật ( chinaknowledge.de)".chinaknowledge.de.Retrieved2023-07-21.
- ^Wagner, Rudolf G. (2000-01-06).The Craft of a Chinese Commentator: Wang Bi on the Laozi.SUNY Press. p. 20.ISBN978-0-7914-4395-8.
Works cited
edit- Chen, Shou(3rd century).Records of the Three Kingdoms(Sanguozhi).
- Pei, Songzhi(5th century).Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms(Sanguozhi zhu).
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