Sixteenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

As a central concept of Taoism, “Wuwei” (inaction) exists as a transcendent political idea and a governance model, which is different from Confucianism’s traditional Chinese culture. Although “Wuwei” represents certain transcendence of the secular world, supporters of this idea never depart from the real world. In the aspect of action, “Wuwei” does not mean no action, but no imprudent action, that is to say, act by following natural laws. Following the perspective of existentialism, it means avoiding acting imprudently based on human willing and allowing the thing itself develop naturally. It achieves the disclosure of the truth and in the process of presentation, it displays beauty, which realizes “beauty of presentation”. When “Wuwei” is applied to politics, that is to say, when it is carried out in the perspective of “Wuweierzhi” (governing by inaction), this developing system of political philosophy presents certain kind of beauty. Looking back upon the original political philosophy and cultural life, achieving ideal human life can be regarded as the fundamental pursuit of politics. As an ideal final model, it realizes the integration of beauty and goodness. In this sense, Chinese political tradition bears elements of beauty. Its external pursuit is “governing by inaction” and its internal element is “beauty of presentation”. This model used to exist for a moment in Weijin, a special age in Chinese history. This study explores how the focus on freedom and beauty in that age still has implications for us today.