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Wang Bi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wang Bi
王弼
Born226
Died249 (aged 23)
Other namesFusi (輔嗣)
Occupation(s)Philosopher, politician
FatherWang Ye
Wang Bi
Chinese王弼
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWáng Bì
Wade–GilesWang2 Pi4
IPA[wǎŋ pî]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationWòhng Baht
JyutpingWong4 Bat6
IPA[wɔŋ˩ pɐt̚˨]

Wang Bi (Chinese: 王弼; 226–249), courtesy name Fusi (Chinese: 輔嗣), was a Chinese philosopher and politician. During his brief career he produced commentaries on the Tao Te Ching and I Ching which were highly influential in Chinese philosophy.[1][2]

Life

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Wang Bi served as a minor bureaucrat in the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. He died from an epidemic at the age of 23.[3][4]

Wang Bi's most important works are commentaries on Laozi's Tao Te Ching and the I Ching. The text of the Tao Te Ching that appeared with his commentary was widely considered the best copy of this work until the discovery of the Han-era Mawangdui texts in 1973. He was a scholar of Xuanxue.

Writings

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At least three works by Wang Bi are known: a commentary on Confucius' Analects, which survives only in quotations; commentaries on the I Ching and the Tao Te Ching, which not only have survived but have greatly influenced subsequent Chinese thought on those two classics.

His commentary on the I Ching has been translated into English by Richard John Lynn, The Classic of Changes (New York: Columbia University, 1994) ISBN 0-231-08295-9

Several translations into English have been made of his commentary of the Tao Te Ching:

  • Ariane Rump, translator Commentary on the Lao Tzu by Wang Pi, Monographs of the Society for Asian and Comparative Philosophy, No. 6 (Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 1979) ISBN 0-8248-0677-8
  • Richard John Lynn, translator The 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) ISBN 0-2311-0581-9
  • 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) ISBN 0-791-45182-8

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Wang Bi". Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  2. ^ "Wang Bi". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  3. ^ Theobald, Ulrich. "Wang Bi 王弼 (www.chinaknowledge.de)". www.chinaknowledge.de. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  4. ^ Wagner, Rudolf G. (2000-01-06). The Craft of a Chinese Commentator: Wang Bi on the Laozi. SUNY Press. p. 20. ISBN 978-0-7914-4395-8.

Works cited

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