Abstract
At present, semiotic studies at home and abroad generally attach importance to the interpretation of symbols themselves, while the efforts in researching on the cognitive subject of symbols needs to be intensified and more attention should be paid to the process of symbolic activities. Cultural semiotics of jingshen attempts to construct a brand-new cognitive paradigm, not only to interpret the meaning of symbols, but also to develop the study of the relationship between the subject and the object in symbolic activities. In fact, the process of symbolic activities has been constantly emphasized in traditional Chinese culture. Although for an individual “the known” is infinite and “the knowable” is finite, the limitation of “the knowable” can be overcome through “self-cultivation.” The Chinese sages raised the concept of the “unity of three-tiered self-cultivation,” namely “unity of the mind and the body,” “unity of the mind and the objective world,” and “unity of apriorism and empiricism.” From the perspective of the cognitive paradigm, this concept gives due attention to the process of symbolic activities by emphasizing the effect of the cultivation of the cognitive subject on symbolic cognition and interpretation. The unity of the “three-tiered self-cultivation” of the cognitive subject can promote the development of a cultural semiotics of jingshen to construct an ideal cognitive paradigm in pursuing jingshen freedom and liberating symbolic meaning.
References
Archaeological Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences [AICASS] (ed.). 2007. Inscription collections of the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, Vol.2. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.Search in Google Scholar
Chuang Tzu. 2016. 庄子 The Chuang Tzu]. Trans. by James Legge. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Confucius. 2016. 论语 The analects of Confucius Trans. by James Legge. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Feng, Kezheng & Qingshen Fu (eds.). 1996. Pre-Qin scholars dictionary. Shenyang: Liaoning People’s Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Gadamer, Hans-Georg. 2019. Hermeneutik: Truth and method. Trans. by Hong Handing. Beijing: The Commercial Press.Search in Google Scholar
Heidegger, Martin. 1962. Being and time. Trans. by John Macquarrie & Edward Robinson. Oxford: Blackwell.Search in Google Scholar
Huang, Shouqi & Shanwen Zhang. 2016. I Ching: Translated and annotated edition. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Hsun Tzu. 2016. 荀子 The works of Hsun Tzu Trans. by Fang Yong & Li Bo. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.Search in Google Scholar
Ji, Yun (Qing Dynasty). 2016. 四库全书 Complete library of the four treasures of knowledge Beijing: The Chinese Overseas Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Kant, Immanuel. 2004 [1997]. Prolegomena to any future metaphysics. Trans. by Gary Hatfield. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Search in Google Scholar
Kant, Immanuel. 2013. Prolegomena to any future metaphysics. Trans. by Qiuling Li. Beijing: China Renmin University Press.Search in Google Scholar
Kuan Tzu. 2016. 管子 The works of Kuan Tzu Trans. by Li Shan. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.Search in Google Scholar
Lao Tseu. 2016. 道德经 Tao Te Ching Trans. by James Legge. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Liang, Qichao. 2020. Collected works from the Ice-Drinker’s Studio, Vol.1. Beijing: Beijing Daily Press.Search in Google Scholar
Mencius. 2016. 孟子 The works of Mencius Trans. by James Legge. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Merleau-Ponty, Maurice. 2012 [1975, 1945]. Phenomenology of perception. Trans. by Donald A. Landes. London & New York: Routledge.Search in Google Scholar
Sun, Zhiwei (ed.). 1979. Study of ancient writing, Vol 1. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.Search in Google Scholar
Tarasti, Eero. 2000. Existential semiotics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.Search in Google Scholar
The book of historical documents. 2016. Trans. by James Legge. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Wang, Ji (Ming Dynasty). 1822. Complete works of Wang Longxi: Block-printed edition.Search in Google Scholar
Wang, Shouren (Ming Dynasty). 2015 [2012]. Complete works of Wang Yangming. Edited by Wu Guang. Shanghai: Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Yang, Xiong. 2016 [2012]. 法言 The words of strict admonition Trans. by Han Jing. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.Search in Google Scholar
Yuase, Yasuo. 1994. The universal nature of the body. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten.Search in Google Scholar
Zisi. 2016. The doctrine of the Mean · The Great Learning. Trans. by James Legge. Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou Ancient Books Publishing House.Search in Google Scholar
Zhang, Zai (Song Dynasty). 1870. The collected works of Zhang Hequ. Fuzhou: Zhengyi Bookstore.Search in Google Scholar
Zhang, Jie & Hongbing Yu. 2020. A cultural semiotics of jingshen: A manifesto. Chinese Semiotic Studies 16(4). 515–533.Search in Google Scholar
Zhao, Yiheng. 2011. The principles and deduction of semiotics. Nanjing: Nanjing University Press.Search in Google Scholar
Zhu, Xi (Song Dynasty). 1986. Classified conversations of Zhu Xi. Edited by Jingde Li. Beijing: Zhonghua Book Company.Search in Google Scholar
© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston