Dao, Taiji, and Shen in Han Kangbo's Commentaries to the Book of Changes. A Contribution to the Study of Dao-Based Metaphysics

This article focuses on Han Kangbo 韓康伯 (332-380/385 CE) exegetical works on the Zhouyi 周易, especially his commentary on the Xici Zhuan 繫辭傳. It aims at developing a philosophical reading of three key terms of the Changes exegetical tradition: dao 道, taiji 太極, and shen 神. Although Han’s works represent a major step within the history of Changes exegesis, he seems to have been an overlooked thinker, simply regarded as a follower of Wang Bi 王弼 (226-249). In this article, I intend to show that Han elaborates original reading of the above-mentioned terms. By stressing the inner complexity and the exegetical challenges these terms arise, the present article shall also contribute to a more detailed understanding of the impact Early Medieval Chinese thinkers had in the history of what I call dao-based metaphysics.