Other Laozi Parallels in the Hanfeizi - Sino-Platonic Papers

Tae Hyun KIM, “Other Laozi Parallels in the Hanfeizi”
Sino-Platonic Papers, 199 (March 2010)
compilers of the Hanfeizi, given that the titles exactly reflect the format of the commentary,
echoing the contents of each. This question of chapter title is significant, because it indicates that
the chapters could not have been based on the text with the authentic “Laozi,” now known as it
really is. This intriguing point is seen again in the question of the titles of the MWD parallel texts,
which obviously are improved and much more sophisticated than JYL PL in their physical
contents and philosophy.
2-2. The question of the date of creation
When were the chapters and their quotation sources created? Assuming that quotations in
the JYL reflect the MWD or the extant received text of the Laozi, some argue that the two
chapters were basically created during or after the time of Wen Di 文帝 of the Western Han, 33
who has been recognized as a royal supporter of Huang-Lao thought in the Western Han history.
Concerning the fact that “heng” 恒, the name of Wen Di, was tabooed in the JL chapter, and,
instead, a similar character, “chang” 常, replaced it, Kim Hongkyong argues that this implies the
Laozi of the JL were created at the time of Wen Di on the throne, or right after. 34 However, to be
more persuasive, this argument has to be sure of its own premise that “chang” was not used
before Wen Di of Western Han, and that instead “heng” had been used. But this seems unlikely.
First, the A bundle of Guodian Laozi parallels, which was apparently established earlier than the
Wen Di, has a character that can be transcribed or replaced as the modern Chinese character,
“chang.” 35 Furthermore, texts such as Mozi, Xunzi, Guanzi, and the four texts in the MWD
33
For example, Bruce Brooks argues that the chapters were created at the time of Wen Di. For his understanding of
the whole of the Hanfeizi as well as the two chapters, see http://www.umass.edu/wsp/chronology/overview.html#hfz.
I am grateful to Professor Brooks, via an email correspondence, for bringing my attention to his own date estimation
on the two chapters and the Hanfeizi.
34 See Kim Hongkyung 김홍경, Noja-Sam’ui gisul, nulgunyiui norae 노자-삶의 기술, 늙은이의 노래 (Seoul:
Dulnyuk, 2003), 29–30.
35 See Li Ling 李零, Guodian chujian jiaoduji 郭店楚簡校讀記 (Beijing: Beijing Daxue, 2002), 4. But as Li also
points out, the chang and heng are understood as interchangeable in the Guodian texts as well as the MWD PL.
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