2.
The Dao of Dialectics
As has been widely noticed,
the Dao of dialectics is one
of the great contributions made
by Lao Zi that marks a big leap
forward in the maturity of Chinese
philosophical thought. It is
concisely condensed as follows:
"Reversion is the movement
of the Dao. Weakness is the
function of the Dao." (Ch.
40)
Obviously the Dao of dialectics
lies in the movement and function
of the Dao itself. "Reversion"
(Fan) is a dynamic term. It
refers to a kind of interrelation
between opposites in one sense,
and kind of return to the root
known as the unity or union
of opposites in another sense.
The former reveals the state
of being opposite, while the
latter reveals the state of
transformation of change. The
situation may be symbolized
by the traditional symbol of
Tai Ji ("Great Acme"
in literal translation) in which
the two forces known as Yin
and Yang are always on the move
interdependent and interacting
at the same time. Lao Zi was
extremely observant with regard
to the changes that take plan
between and within things themselves.
This indicates that thing are
inclined to reverse to their
opposites in a constantly changing
process. It is noticeable in
both nature and human society
that everything is doomed to
roll downhill once it reaches
the acme As the saying goes:
Things that are too lofty fall
down easily things that are
too white stain easily; songs
that are too pretentious have
few listeners; reputations that
are too high fall short of reality.
All these possibilities seem
to be in conformity with the
Chinese conception of "inevitable
reversal of the extreme"
(wu ji bi fan).
The statement that "Weakness
is the function of the Dao"
is a further justification of
the foregoing assertion that
"Reversion is the movement
of the Dao." Lao Zi was
preoccupied wit] "keeping
to the tender and weak"
because he believed that "the
tender and weak is bound to
conquer the hard and strong."
Thu he made frequent use of
"water" as a simile
when illustrating the potential
and overwhelming power of "the
tender and weak. Notwithstanding
the instructiveness of Lao Zi's
dialectical method, one must
be highly conscious of its problematic
facet that is largely due to
his tendency to absolutize the
function of "weak ness"
by cutting it off from actual
and varying circumstances o
conditions (Ch. 40).
The Dao of dialectics is also
reflected in Lao Zi's notion
that "Have-substance (you)
brings advantage while have-vacuity
(wu) creates utility" (Ch.
11). By "have-vacuity"
is meant, for example, the central
hole in a wheel, the empty space
in a bowl, or the interior vacancy
in a room. By "have-substance"
is meant something concrete,
such as the spokes united around
the hub, the clay used to shape
the bowl and the doors and windows
that are cut out to form a room.
Lao Zi reckons that these two
aspects are seemingly opposite.
However, being counterparts,
they help complete each other
and therefore remain inseparable
and interdependent. What is
instructive in this perspective
is the fact that it reminds
us of the importance of the
in concrete dimension of things,
which we tend to neglect.
As applied
in Tai Chi Chuan, the "water"
element remains the major principle
to be applied all along Tai
Chi Chuan apprenticeship up
to real combat confrontation,
seldom attacking first but transforming
the concept of aggressor/aggressed
to "initiator(attack)/reversor(deviate&counterattack).
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