Retsuko - Retsuko

Japanese: 列子 - れっし

Date of birth and death unknown. An ancient Chinese thinker. A representative of Taoism, and books attributed to him. His name was Yukou. He was from Zheng. He is said to have been a disciple of Laozi, Guan Yinzi, or Lao Shangzi, and is also said to have been a senior to Zhuangzi, but his achievements are unknown. Stories about Lie Yukou appear in the books Liezi and Zhuangzi, but none of them are confirmed as fact, and some theories doubt his existence.

[Osamu Kanaya December 14, 2015]

Liezi and his Thought

The book is made up of eight volumes, with annotations by Zhang Zhan of the Jin Dynasty. The date of writing is unclear, and it has been doubted since the Ming Dynasty for the presence of names from the end of the Warring States period, the same theory of origin as the Wei Shu theory that was popular in the Han Dynasty, and the theory of doubts about a "western sage" reminiscent of Buddha. Today, the prevailing theory is that it is a forgery from the Wei and Jin Dynasties (around the 3rd century). However, there are some parts of the content that overlap with the Zhuangzi, making the Liezi look older, and the truth is that it was based on old materials, with modifications and new additions. Therefore, it is difficult to clarify Liezi's pure philosophy, but based on the fact that he is said to have "valued emptiness" in the Lüshi Chunqiu, it seems that he favored living in the world with an open mind, free from thoughts of profit and loss. This is a thought that is connected to the non-action, ignorance, and lack of desire that are mentioned in "Laozi." "Liezi" discusses the creation and change of heaven and earth, and places its origin in the "Taiei" (the Great Era), which is a mixture of form, energy, and quality. It also explains the reciprocal relationship between life and death, and even goes so far as to talk about the health regimen of immortals. It also talks about fate and dreams, and advocates the theory of intense pleasure. There are many unique articles in the work, but it also contains many overlapping passages with other works, including "Zhuangzi."

In the Zhuangzi, Liezi is described as "riding the wind" and has a sage-like appearance, but he is not yet recorded as a sage in the Liezi Zhuan or Shenxian Zhuan. However, in the Tang dynasty, he was deified along with Zhuangzi and Yin Wenzi in line with Taoist beliefs, and was worshiped under the name of Chongxu Zhenren. His book was also called Chongxu Zhenjing, and in the Song dynasty it was also called Chongxu Zhide Zhenjing, and was highly revered.

[Osamu Kanaya December 14, 2015]

``Chinese Classical Literature Series 4 Lingzi'' translated and annotated by Koji Fukunaga (1973, Heibonsha)

[Reference] | Taoism

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

生没年不詳。中国古代の思想家。道家(どうか)の代表者、またその著作とされる書物。名は禦寇(ぎょこう)。鄭(てい)の人。老子(ろうし)の弟子、あるいは関尹子(かんいんし)の弟子、あるいは老商子(ろうしょうし)の弟子などといわれ、また荘子(そうし)の先輩ともされるが、その事績は不明である。『列子』や『荘子(そうじ)』の書中に列禦寇の説話がみえるが、いずれも事実とは定めがたく、ために人物の実在を疑う説もある。

［金谷　治　2015年12月14日］

『列子』と思想

書物は8編で、晋(しん)の張湛(ちょうたん)の注がついている。著作の時代ははっきりせず、書中に戦国末の人名があったり、漢代に流行した緯書(いしょ)説と同じ生成論があったり、仏陀(ぶっだ)を思わせるような「西方の聖人」を疑う説があったりするために、明(みん)のころから疑われ、今日では魏(ぎ)・晋(しん)間（3世紀ごろ）の偽作とする説が有力である。ただ、内容には、『荘子』と重なるところで『列子』のほうが古くみえるところもあり、古い資料によりながら修飾を加え、また新しく書き加えたというのが真相であろう。したがって、純粋な列子の思想は明らかにしがたいが、『呂氏春秋(りょししゅんじゅう)』で「虚を貴んだ」といわれているのを根拠にすると、利害得失の念にとらわれない虚心の処世を善しとしたものであるらしい。『老子』のいう無為、無知、無欲などに通ずる思想であろう。『列子』では、天地の生成変化を論じて形と気と質の三者が混じた「太易(たいえき)」をその始源に置き、死生の往反を説いて神仙的養生説にも及び、運命を説き夢を説き、激しい快楽説を唱えるなど、さまざまに特色のある記事が少なくないが、また『荘子』をはじめとする他書との重複文も多い。

　列子の像は、『荘子』のなかでも「風に御(ぎょ)して行く」などといわれて仙人めいた風貌(ふうぼう)もあるが、『列仙伝』や『神仙伝』ではまだ仙人として著録されない。しかし、唐代になると、道教の信仰に伴って荘子や尹文子(いんぶんし)とともに神格化され、冲虚真人(ちゅうきょしんじん)と号して祀(まつ)られた。書物も『冲虚真経』とよばれ、宋(そう)代では『冲虚至徳真経』ともなって尊重された。

［金谷　治　2015年12月14日］

『福永光司訳注『中国古典文学大系4　列子』（1973・平凡社）』

[参照項目] | 道家

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