중국철학에서의 형이상학적 사유방식의 전개 고찰-왕필(王弼)과 현장(玄裝), 기(基)의 논의를 중심으로-

An Analysis of Metaphysical Characteristics Found in Chinese Philosophical Tradition

This essay aims at disclosing the metaphysical characteristics of some Chinese philosophical traditions. Since around 1970's, the modern philosophers who major in Chinese thought have raised question s about the previous perspectives on Chinese philosophy, which have been mainly maintained by the 1st generation of modem Chinese philosophers. They pointed out that their perspectives are too much oriented by western philosophical thinking. Hence they tried to find a unique Chinese or Asian way of thinking which is totally different from a western one. Aesthetic Order, as a unique Chinese way of thinking which is suggested by Professor Hall and Ames in their work, Thinking Through Confucius, is one of the bold approaches to disclose it. Besides their work, we can find many efforts to find such a unique Chinese characteristics. Professor Dong-Hwan Park's idea of 'R*' is also worth of noticing to make its characteristic clearer. However, some scholars seemed to accept too hastily those concepts as one to explain all characteristics of Chinese philosophy exclusively. This essay tries to find the cause how the first generation of modem Chinese philosophers like Fung Yu-Lan could see the philosophical characteristics same to the western one from Chinese philosophical tradition. In short, this essay tries to show that metaphysica I way of thinking is also working in Chinese philosophical tradition. Wang-pi or Chinese Fa-hsiang school's works are typical example s to show such way of thinking. Their philosophical concepts like 本無, 三性, 如來 etc show a certain characteristics of metaphysical, substantial way of thinking or are reasoned by a simple reduction. This fact means that the first generation's perspective does not totally fail to explain the Chinese philosophical characteristics and the following generation's idea cannot explain all the characteristics of Chinese philosophy without an exception. This essay suggests that we need to develop a more balanced an d general perspective to explain real characteristics of Chinese philosophy. Furthermore, it is expected that to find such a perspective w ould help to compare East and West philosophy in a proper way.