Gengaku - Physics

A style of learning that reveres the three classics of Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Yi, which were popular during the Six Dynasties of China, especially during the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420). These three classics were also called the "Three Xuan" (from the Study Chapter of Yan's Family Instructions, written by Yan Zhitui of the Northern Qi). The "Xuan" in Xuanxue comes from the opening chapter of Laozi, which says that the Way is "Xuan even more Xuan, the gate to all wonders." Xuanxue first began during the Zhengshi period of the Wei dynasty (240-248), when He Yan and Wang Bi were fond of the ideas of Laozi and Yi and wrote and promoted their commentaries. Later, Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, Xiang Xiu and others came to value Zhuangzi. The distinctive feature of Xuanxue is that it not only values ​​the Taoist ideas of Laozi and Zhuangzi, but also values ​​the Confucian classic Yi, and seeks a universal path common to both by harmonizing and fusing the two ideas of Confucianism and Taoism. This attitude is one manifestation of the trend of intellectuals in the Wei and Jin dynasties to acknowledge various ideas and values, in rebellion against the fact that Confucianism was the only state religion that was particularly respected during the Han dynasty. In terms of annotation, while the Han dynasty's exegesis was fixated on the literal meaning and origins of words, Xuanxue school annotations valued an attitude of trying to clarify the essence of ideas rather than the superficial meaning of words.

[Masami Kobayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の六朝(りくちょう)、とくに魏(ぎ)・晋(しん)の時代（220～420）に流行した『老子(ろうし)』『荘子(そうじ)』『易(えき)』の3書を尊崇する学風。この三書は「三玄」（北斉(ほくせい)の顔之推(がんしすい)著『顔氏家訓』勉学篇(へん)）ともよばれた。玄学の「玄」は、『老子』首章に、道は「玄の又玄、衆妙の門なり」とあるのに由来する。玄学は初め、三国時代魏の正始(せいし)（240～248）のころ、何晏(かあん)や王弼(おうひつ)が『老子』や『易』の思想を好み、その注釈をつくって宣揚したことに始まる。のちには阮籍(げんせき)、稽康(けいこう)、向秀らが出て、『荘子』を重んずるようになった。玄学の特色は、単に『老子』や『荘子』の道家思想を重んずるだけでなく、儒家の経典である『易』も尊び、儒家と道家の二つの思想を調和融合させて、両者に共通する普遍的な道を求めるところにある。この態度は、漢代に儒教だけが国教として特別に尊重されたのに反発して、魏・晋の知識人がさまざまな思想や価値を認めようとした風潮の一つの表れである。注釈の仕方においても、漢代の訓詁(くんこ)学が語句の字義や典故に拘泥するのに対して、玄学家の注釈では語句の表面上の意味よりも、思想の本質を解明しようとする態度が重んぜられた。

［小林正美］

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