Chinese Journal of Literary Criticism

No.4, 2024

 

Wang Bi’s Imagery in the Threshold of “Original Non-Being”

(Abstract)

 

Wang Zhongdong

 

In Wang Bi’s metaphysical system, “yan (words)” and “xiang (images)” refer to the “being” of phenomena, while “yi (meaning)” refers to the “nothingness” of noumenon. Though “nothingness” cannot be directly articulated, it can be experienced and grasped through “being.” This approach of perceiving the void through the tangible aligns with Wang Bi’s method of seeking imagery to understand meaning. Wang Bi emphasized that “words” and “images” are all based on “meaning,” and that only by transcending words and images can we truly understand and preserve our meaning. This perspective not only corrects the theoretical shortcomings of the Han Dynasty Yijing, namely “preserving imagery while neglecting meaning,” but also reveals the layered significance of speech, imagery, and meaning.