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Zheng Banqiao's Nande hutu and 'the art of being muddled' in contemporary China
Get PDFIn 1751, Zheng Banqiao wrote his famous calligraphy Nande hutu (难得糊涂; “It’s difficult to be muddled”). Inquiries into the calligraphy reveal different dimensions of the saying. Its most popular interpretation can be found in self-improvement books on “the art of being muddled” (hutuxue). What academic, official, and popular discourses on the saying have in common is their dialectical reasoning and frequent references to other popular related sayings, to quotes from the ancient classics, and to ancient heroes and historical figures. This issue will explore a few interpretations of the saying. Some prove to be critical with regard to the application of its underlying wisdom, while others focus on its philosophical (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist), psychological, and/or sociocultural dimension. This issue will also shed light on its pragmatic interpretation as a popular strategy to navigate more positively through life
Ignorance is bliss : the Chinese art of not knowing
No full textThis book examines the popular, yet puzzling, Chinese saying Nande hutu 难得糊涂 to uncover how the ancient Chinese wisdom of not knowing is constructed, interpreted, practiced and valued in contemporary society.
Originating in the calligraphy of Qing-dynasty scholar Zheng Banqiao, Nande hutu translates literally as: “hard to attain muddle-headedness”. Mieke Matthyssen traces the historical development of this saying and related philosophies to reveal a culturally conditioned, multi-layered inclination to different forms of not knowing. In contemporary society, she argues, this inclination forms part of a living art: in some respects, a passive, evasive strategy for self-preservation; in other respects, a strategy for coping with intrapersonal, interpersonal and social complexities.
Drawing on an extensive range of primary sources and original research, the analysis skillfully combines philosophical and socio-historical analysis with theory from Chinese philosophy, philosophical psychology and the relatively new field of indigenous psychology, to provide an in-depth understanding of how Nande hutu has shaped, and continues to shape, the Chinese psyche and behaviour.
This book will appeal to all readers looking for fresh insights into Chinese culture, and in particular to students and scholars of Chinese and Asian studies, cultural and social anthropology, and philosophical and indigenous psychology
'Scholars should be considered the last of the Four Classes': the case of scholar-official Zheng Banqiao
Get PDF'The art of being muddled' and mental health practices in contemporary China: a philosophical-anthropological analysis of mental health education
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Nande hutu 难得糊涂 or 'the art of being muddled': from ancient philosophical wisdom to pragmatic 'philosophy of life' in contemporary China
Get PDFVagueness and ambiguity in communication
No full textIt is generally assumed that Chinese people are predisposed to using vague and ambiguous communication and prefer a “roundabout,” suggestive way of expressing their thoughts. This is not only the case in interpersonal communication and social interaction (renji guanxi) but also applies to the domain of official speech. The roots of this communication style can be found in ancient moral philosophy and in the structure of society (its origin is also based on ancient philosophical thought), and..
The 'Fasting of the Heart' (xinzhai 心斋) : Zhuangzi, Daoism and its transformative healing power in contemporary psychotherapy
No full textThis article investigates a form of psychotherapy rooted in the Daoist notion of xinzhai, “fasting of the heart” in the Zhuangzi. Xinzhai is described as a meditative practice that “empties” the heart ( xin 心) so that it becomes responsive to the world, but is not affected by it. Also known as the “mirror-heart,” this state is characteristic of the Daoist sage. The xinzhai therapy is practiced together with Jung’s Active Imagination and Bosnak’s Embodied Imagination. In this hybrid therapy, the therapist’s “empty heart” aids in developing a non-judgmental openness in the client, allowing free flow of vital energy ( qi 气) that may lead to the dissolution of object-subject boundaries and inner transformation ( wuhua 物化). The article critically assesses both the merits and pitfalls of such Daoism-based hybridized therapies. It argues that therapies based on ancient spiritual self-cultivation, and more generally, the psychologization of Daoism and the hybridized use of the heart ( xin) and the psyche in the context of a far-reaching pragmatic governmental approach to ancient wisdom may dilute the spiritual depths of Zhuangzi’s teachings
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