왕필 본말론의 성격

이재권(Rhee, Jae-Kwon) 새한철학회 2014 哲學論叢 Vol.78 No.4

이 논문은 王弼의 철학 가운데 本末論의 성격을 다룬 글이다. 왕필의 본말론은 이중성을 갖고 있다. 첫째는 근본을 숭상하고 말단을 억제하는 측면이며, 둘째는 근본과 말단을 조화시키는 측면이다. 앞의 입장은 이상주의적인 학자들의 관점을 계승할 것이고, 뒤의 입장은 도가의 관점을 계승하여 유학과 도학을 절충한 것으로 왕필 철학의 포용성을 보여준다. 왕필은 본과 말에 관한 다양한 용어를 만들어서 사용했다. 그는 본과 말의 관계를 어미[母]와 자식[子]의 관계에 비유해서 말했다. 그릐 본말론에서 본과 말의 관계를 부각시키면 방법론이 된다. 또한 본(근본)과 말(말단)이 가리키는 대상은 다양하게 해석될 수 있다. 본은 道學 · 無 · 無爲 · 자연이고, 말은 유학과 제자백가 · 有 · 有爲 · 名敎 등이다. 본말론은 원래 유학의 고유한 철학적 주제이다. 왕필은 유학의 관점으로 도학, 특히 老子를 해석했다. 그 결과 유학을 비롯한 제자백가는 말단이고, 도학이 근본이라고 주장한다. 그러므로 기본적으로 도학을 숭상하고 유학과 제자백가, 특히 법학을 억제해야 한다고 말한다. 이것은 아니러니이고 반전이다. 나아가 그는 도학과 유학 및 제자백가학을 절충 · 조화 · 회통시켜야 한다고 주장한다. 그래야 백성들이 살기 좋은 나라를 만들 수 있다는 것이다. 왜냐하면 근본을 중시하는 도학의 무위자연적 방법으로는 현실성이 부족하므로 유학과 법학의 도움을 받아야 한다는 것이다. 그래서 자연을 근본으로 하되 명교를 부정하지 않고 포용한 것이다. 이것이 왕필 본말론의 특징이다. This study discusses the character of theory of essence(根本) and end(末端), one of the philosophies of Wang Bi(王弼). Wang Bi’s theory of essence and end contains a duality; one aspect reveres essence and restricts end, while the other aspect harmonizes essence and end. The former stance is inherited from the viewpoint of idealistic scholars, and the latter stance in inherited from the viewpoint of Taoism, compromising Confucianism and Taoisim and thus showing the catholicity of Wang Bi’s philosophy. Wang Bi created and used various vocabulary on essence and end. He compared the relationship between essence and end to that between a mother and a child. His theory of essence and end becomes a methodology when the relationship between essence and end is pronounced. Also, the objects at which essence and end points at can be interpreted in various ways. Essence is Taoisim, nothingness(無), and nature(無爲自然), while end is Confucianism, the Hundred Schools of Thought, you(有), youwei(有爲), and mingjiao(名敎). The theory of essence and end was originally a philosophical topic inherent in Confucianism. Wang Bi interpreted Taoism, and Laozi in particular, from a Confucian perspective. As a result, he argued that Confucianism including the Hundred Schools of Thought is end, and that Taosism is essence. Therefore, he says, Taoism should be revered, and Confucianism, the Hundred of Schools of Thought, the School of Law, should be restricted, which was an ironic twist of thought. He went further to argue that Taosim, Confucianism, and the Hundred Schools of Thought should compromise, harmonize, and communicate with each other, since this will allow a country to develop into a more habitable place for the people. This is because the natural(無爲自然) method of Taoism that stresses on essence lacks practicality, so it requires the assistance of Confucianism and Law. This is why, while taking nature as the essence, Wang Bi did not reject but accepted Confucianism.

노자철학에서 현실인간에 대한 비판

이재권 ( Rhee Jae-kwon ) 한국동서철학회 2018 동서철학연구 Vol.0 No.87

Lao Tzu Philosophy begins with the criticism of reality. The destination is Ideal society and Ideal Human Being [Saint]. The reality he criticizes is diverse; including society, politics, ruling, language, and human behavior. The center of it all is the Human Being. Therefore, the beginning and the core of Lao Tzu's criticism of reality is the Human Being. Lao Tzu criticizes human beings in three categories: government official [士], ruler, and ordinary people. In this paper, we deal only with the criticism of these three kinds of people and do not mention ideal human beings. The officials come from the subordinate government officials of the Zhou Dynasty in the Warring States period. These intellectuals, who became unemployed due to the fall of the Zhou Dynasty, were reincarnated as the government officials of the sovereign Princely States and lived on the transfer of knowledge to the private sector. In this process, the exploration of practical knowledge was focused on, rather than the quest for pure truth. Practical knowledge, a means of success, was an object of envy to the people at the time. Lao Tzu criticized the subjects, intellectuals, because many distortions and problems arise from the process of buying and selling such knowledge. Among the human beings, the people that Lao Tzu criticized most intensively were rulers. The center of everything in the period of monarchy was the king (ruler). The rulers of the Spring and Autumn period were trying to conquer other countries through war. They charged the people with heavy taxes as well as military service. Taxes had also been used for their personal luxuries, in addition to military funding. And he accused them of using coercion and violence for easy governance. Lao Tzu poured acidic criticism on these ruthless rulers. Lao Tzu also criticized ordinary people and the general public. One of the reasons why the Human Being causes problems is because it has a body. The body is greedy with physical desire. Another form of greed is mental desire. The Human Being has a strong sense of honor as well as greed for power and wealth. He devotes his most precious life to honor. And one of the things Human Being seeks is value. From Lao Tzu's point of view, value is relative, and it is contested to take it. On the other hand, living things are soft and dead ones are hard. Ordinary people are stiff and closed. Lao Tzu criticized these points of ordinary people and human beings in general.

노자의 현실비판 사상

이재권 ( Rhee Jae Kwon ) 한국동서철학회 2017 동서철학연구 Vol.0 No.83

What the writer paid attention to in this paper among the several different characteristics of (Taoism) Laozi Thought is his criticism thought. This paper focused on the criticism of reality instead of criticism of theory. Many wars broke out because it was in the confused stage at that time, and the rulers were desperate to kill many enemies and conquer wide land. Laozi criticizes such view of war and talks about how to reducing sacrifices and avoiding wars as much as possible. Laozi also criticizes the rulers and their governing ways at that time. Laozi`s core thought is the emperor studies, but it does not advocate and represent the personal benefits of a king but rather criticizes the king`s wrong doings from the perspectives of people and tells him to govern and execute politics for people. Humans could become a cultural being because they use language. However, a gaudily decorated word is not truthful. Since such word disrupts the world, Laozi criticizes on this. Also, language is a great tool of cultural development but also has functional limits, Laozi criticizes the attitude of being obsessed with language. He also criticizes on the excessive greed and forced behaviors of humans, renwei(人爲) artifact behaviors. A greed or desire is in human nature, but it causes many problems if there is too many. Excessive greed leads to forced behaviors and develops into conflicts and fights. Laozi also criticizes human`s act of bragging. A desire to brag oneself is also human nature, but it also becomes a problem if there is too much of it. People brag themselves to each other and end up fighting. Therefore, Laozi tells them not to boast themselves and rather step back even after making a contribution or success. What is one way to solve the above problems? Laozi suggests freedom from avarice. A person who practices freedom from avarice is a saint. A saint does not carry out artificial act and commits inaction. A saint must rule the world to make a peaceful and just world, and a person can become a saint by cultivating his mind.

춘추시대의 본말관 -관자의 경제적 본말사상을 중심으로-

이재권 ( Jae Kwon Rhee ) 한국동서철학회 2013 동서철학연구 Vol.68 No.-

The theory of Essence-End is one of the traditional philosophical theme in Chinese philosophy. This theory was originated at the period of Chunqiu. The record on its origin traces back to the book of 「Chunqiuzuoshizhuan」, and 「Guan-Zi」. This article considers the theory of Essence-End of Guan-Zi carefully who is a representative thinker of the period of Chunqiu. Guan-Zi`s theory of Essence-End is analysed by two main sub-theory, that is economic theory of Essence-End and political theory of Essence-End. I tried to focus a discussion on the former in this study. Guan-Zi treated the matter of land, agriculture, agricultural policy, economic policy, and commerce and industry, etc. in his economic theory. He treated the ``essence`` a lot more than the ``end`` in his book. Agriculture is considered as a primary essence, while land is treated as a secondary essence. He deals with agriculture in itself, agricultural policy, and the policy about grain prices. The ``end`` in his theory is commerce and industry, which he made little mention of. The mainstream in the school of Guan-Zi is physiocracy. He insisted that agriculture should be supposed to recommend while commerce and industry be supposed to suppress. Agriculture is considered as a key industries in ancient Chunqiu, which features a period of low productivity. That is because securing stable foods was critical in people`s life and national order at that period. He pointed that bring land under cultivation is the first work to do, which is for rich farming, increasing population and strong military. These are for winning the war against foreigners, enlarging territory, and as a result, unifying a whole country. He mentioned that agriculture is the first for all of these.

철학교육에 대한 제도적 접근

이재권 ( Jae Kwon Rhee ) 한국동서철학회 2011 동서철학연구 Vol.61 No.-

철학교육과 관련된 문제는 크게 두 가지 영역으로 나누어 볼 수 있다. 한 가지는 철학교육의 내용과 관련된 내부적인 문제이고, 다른 하나는 중고교의 교육과정 · 수능 시험 · 대학의 교양과정 · 국가의 학문정책 등 제도적 차원의 외부적인 문제이다. 지금까지 철학교육에 대한 논의가 많이 이루어졌지만, 논의 자체로 끝나고 제도상의 변화가 거의 없거나, 세월이 지나갈수록 오히려 상황이 더 나빠지고 있다고 생각된다. 이 논문에서는 철학교육과 관련된 제도를 개선하기 위해서 철학계가 어떤 일을 해야 하는가에 대한 문제를 다루었다. 고등학교에서 철학을 활성화시키기 위해서는 먼저 현재와 같은 고등학교의 체제를 변화시켜야 한다. 오로지 대입만을 목표로 하는 지금의 체제를 장래의 직업과 관련시켜 고교의 체제를 다양화하고 그에 상응하는 교육과정을 개발해야 한다. 또한 교육과정 체제도 바꾸어야 한다. 현재는 탐구영역 사회교과군에 속해있는 역사와 도덕의 소속을 바꾸어 인문학 교과영역을 신설하여 그 속에 문학교과 · 한국어교과 · 역사교과 · 철학교과군을 배치하고, 철학교과군에는 철학 · 윤리 · 논리학 등의 교과목을 배속시켜야 한다. 초중 고교의 교육이 정상화되기 위해서는 무엇보다 지식교과 위주의 현행 교육과정을 체험활 동과 탐구활동 위주의 교육과정으로 변화시켜야 하고, 그 속에서 철학의 역할이 자연스럽게 부각될 것이다. 그리고 초중고교에서 철학교육이 활성화되기 위해서는 사벙대학에 철학교육과를 설치하는 것도 고려할 만한 요소이다. 또한 철학척 내용이 많이 포함된 국어과와 사회과의 교사 양성 과정에 철학이 포함될 수 있도록 하는 것도 철학계가 노력해야 할 일 중의 하나이다. 철학을 포함한 인문학은 오늘날 전세계적으로 인기가 없다. 한국에서는 더욱 그렇다. 우리는 그 원인을 신자유주의라는 세계적 조류, 한국 정부의 인문학 정책 부재와 같은 외부적 요인과 세상의 변화에 적응하지 못하는 인문학자와 철학자 자신들의 내부적 요인으로 나누어 볼 수 있다. 눈에 보이는 것만을 믿는 천박한 자본주의와 실용주의가 전세계를 휩쓸고 있다. 정부는 당장 성과를 낼 수 있는 분야에 재정 (연구비)를 집중 투입 하고 있다. 또한 교수들에게 논문 쓰기 경쟁을 시켜 긴 호흡이 필요한 인문학자들이 차분하게 공부하는 것을 방해하고 있다. 그리고 오늘날 인문학이 시들해진 이유 중의 하나는 좁은 전공주의 탓이 크다. 전문가를 자처하는 현대의 인문학자들은 대중들에게 외면 당하고 있다. 인문학이 부활하기 위해서는 전공의 벽을 허물고 포괄적인 학문을 해야 한다. 그 방안의 하나로 논자는 인문대학과 사회과학대학을 합쳐 지역학 중심의 대학으로 재편할 것을 제안한다. 대학의 철학이 활로를 찾기 위해서는 졸업생들의 취업이 잘 돼야 한다, 그래서 순수 철학 뿐만 아니라 응용철학에도 관심을 가져야 한다. 철학과 졸업생들이 문화 영역과 각 종 저널의 분야에서 전문가로 활동할 수 있도록 기성세대가 많은 노력을 기울여야 한다. 그리고 철학의 대중화 작업과 그 과정에서 많은 일자리를 만들어내야 한다. 그리고 가장 근원적인 문제는 외국의 철학사조를 수입하기에 급급할 것이 아니라 대중의 철학화, 현실의 철학화 작업에 집중해야 한다. 지금 한국의 철학계는 철학을 활성화시키기 위해서 내용적인 차원의 노력도 해야 하지만, 제도개선을 포함한 교육환경의 개선을 위해서도 많은 관심과 노력을 기울여야 한다.

왕필의 『논어』해석

이재권 ( Jae Kwon Rhee ) 한국동서철학회 2012 동서철학연구 Vol.63 No.-

Wang-Bi`s 「Lunyushiyi」, the book of annotation on 「Lunyu to be analysed and organized systematically in a new perspective. The history of Chinese philosophy might be considered as the history of annotation. When an annotator tries to comment on some books, he is affected by his contemporary socio-polical condition and situation. When Wang-bi tries to interpret 「Lunyu」, the period was between Han dynasty and Wei-jin, so there was much change and confusion in thought and philosophy. Scholars who have got a big blow in the two Danggushijians began to study Qingtan instead of Qingyi. They gave up the stuides of Chinese classics for the Xuanxue. Metaphysics was being magnified in the socio-political interest of the Confucianism and Taoism. Wang-Bi interpreted the concept of Tao in the Confucian which was ordinary and humane in origin into metaphysical Tao of the Taoism. The concept of Tao is also interpreted into Mu and the Nature itself. Wang-Bi applied this method to the interpretation of the 「Lunyu」, too. Many concepts and terms which Confucius describes as ethical was translated into Taoistic and Logical philosophies. The moral disciplinary concepts also interpreted into serious linguistic philosophy by Wang-Bi. To sum up, Wang-Bi made Confucianism into metaphysics by Taoistic interpretation of the 「Lunyu」. Wang-Bi saw Confucius as the saint, the most ideal man, not in a Confucian meaning but in a Taoistic meaning because he thought Confucius acquired Mu, the mind of nothing. Scholars at that time including He-Yan tended to think that the saint only has the human nature without any emotional feeling. However Wang-Bi was different. He thought that human nature that is beyond the good or bad is supposed to control human emotion that is greedy and leads to the wicked. In his politics, he also tries to compromise Confucianism and Taoism. The teaching of Confucius (the teaching of moral principles), is considered important to eliminate a chaotic state of the socio-political affairs at that time. It is necessary for him to start from the Taoistic Nature for real teaching. His trial was thought to be helpful to rebuilt the order of ``essence-end`` to control the ``end`` and to get rid of the social confusion and segmentation. Wang-Bi`s Taoistic interpretation of the Confucianism sometimes matches up with the original context of 「Lunyu」, but sometimes it doesn`t. His trial might distort the Confucianism in a sense, but it gave a metaphysical meaning to the Confucianism and enlarged the meaning of the Confucianism as a result.

왕필의 형명론 -철학방법론적 관점에서-

이재권 ( Jae Kwon Rhee ) 한국동서철학회 2015 동서철학연구 Vol.77 No.-

Thers is no one who suggests methodology more than Wangbi(王弼) in chinese history of philosophy. A Theory of XING-MING is one of his philosophical Methodologies. However it is not initially proposed by him. It is from the Early Chinese Taoism(先秦道家) and some of Huang lao-Taoists(黃老學者) in Han dynasty who enjoy to use this methodology. Wang Bi succeeded to the thought of senior scholars and made it as one of his own important methodology to develope his idea. A Theory XING-MING is the theory which is studying the relationship between XING(形) and MING(名). Wang Bi suggested that The Form is being first and the name is given to it. But he did not approve of the opposition. The form is the individual presence which is springing up, raised and completed from the ultimate being, Tao(道). In order to distinguish the various forms, human being made a name to a form respectively. Name(名) has the regulation which reveals the characteristic and defines to be distinguished from the specific form and other form. Therefore, if the name does not exist, we can``t discuss the reality and reason about all things with shapes. However, the name is not perfect and has a limit. Wang Bi warned not be obsessed to the name but to deeply inquire about the duality of name. Wang Bi mentioned not only methodology buy also Ming(名) as Political and moral dimension and Xing(刑) as legal term. For the former, he criticized Chang Ming Zhuyi(尙名主義) from Confucianism, while for the latter, harsh laws and severe punishments from Fajia School(法家). He criticized that Emphasis of Confucianism on honor and justification caused excessive competition and it undermined the stability of the communities. He also criticized Fajia(法家) that they made rigorous and detailed standards, which led the people to fear through crackdown and discrimination and which increases only lies and deception in doing like that. So Wang Bi suggested that the nation should be governed on the basis of human innocence and sincerity for the better country.

왕필의 본무론

이재권 ( Jae Kwon Rhee ) 한국동서철학회 2014 동서철학연구 Vol.72 No.-

Wangpil(王弼) had been classified as the representative person, advocating ``the theory of respecting nothing(貴無論)``, in the history on Wi and Jin Study of Mysteries(魏晉玄學史). But, recently, some researchers advocated Wang was the assertor said ``the theory that nothing is the fundamental origin(本無論).`` What is Wang`s theory? In other words, is his philosophy ``the theory of respecting nothing`` or ``the theory that nothing is the fundamental origin``? And, are the former and the latter same meaning? This paper aims to solve these problems, and so to readjust his philosophy. The former words was created by Baeoi(裴위), and the latter words by Hahuhyun(夏侯玄). The latter words, really was made earlier, had been disappeared, but former words had been only used. Bae indicated the representative scholars of ``the theory of respecting nothing`` as Haan(何晏), Wanjeok(阮籍) and Wangyun(王衍). After Bae, but, scholars pointed the representative person of that theory as Wangpil. This paper prescribe Wangpil as philosopher of ``the theory that nothing is the fundamental origin.`` That is key point of this essay. ``The theory of respecting nothing`` is Taoism`s fields of ``theory about existence and nonexistence.(有無論)`` And, ``the theory of the root and the branches- leaves(本末論)`` is Confucianism`s topic. ``The theory that nothing is the fundamental origin(本無論).`` is linked together by the latter and the former. That is to say, this theory is compromised philosophy to Taoism and Confucianism. Wang compromise the ``Nature(自然)`` and ``Confucian religion(名敎).``Taoism followers, the ``the theory of respecting nothing`` advocators, took ``the nothing`` very seriously. But, Confucianism followers took ``the root`` very important. Wang possessed the capacious mind. He regarded ``the nothing`` and ``the root`` as important. But, He didn`t consider ``existence`` and ‘the branches-leaves’ as trivial. This characterize Wangpil`s philsophy.

노자철학에서 明觀과 깨달음

이재권 ( Rhee Jae-kwon ) 한국동서철학회 2022 동서철학연구 Vol.- No.104

In the East, the highest state of life is called ‘enlightenment’. Enlightenment is not just the level of “knowing something”, but also the meaning of “acting it”, and as a result, it means a state in which knowledge and life become one. The reason we need enlightenment is that we can live the life of Nature Itself(無爲自然). Human beings can live a life of liberation and freedom through enlightenment. What Lao-tzu wants to realize is the Tao. Lao-tzu is trying to master the Tao. Lao-tzu is a realist. The Tao is the basic premise and starting point of the Lao-tzu philosophy. The Tao is the ultimate metaphysical being. How does enlightenment come to human being? This is accomplished through a shift in consciousness. We must face the problems of established practice, custom, etc., deny and criticize them, suggest new alternatives, and put them into practice. In order to become enlightened, you have to go through the process of breaking the existing ones. In a word, we need to change the 'frame of thinking' and 'structure of perception'. Lao-tzu teaches us the Ways. This thesis summarizes Lao-tzu's philosophy in terms of the method of enlightenment. In this paper, we first examined the factors hindering Tao's understanding (enlightenment) as described by Lao-tzu. In addition, we investigated the relationship between human language and consciousness, need and desire, etc. in relation to the acquisition of the Tao. The following is a detailed look at how to acquire Tao. The method chosen by Lao-tzu is mainly the method of negative thinking. Lastly, in this thesis, intuitive methods and contents of acquiring (realizing) Tao, that is, Mingzhi(明知), are summarized. To know Tao is to fully understand the principles of the world, and that is enlightenment.

王弼의 本體論

이재권(Rhee, Jae-Kwon) 한국도교문화학회 2016 道敎文化硏究 Vol.45 No.-

이 논문은 왕필의 본체론이 체용론이라고 주장하는 중국학자들의 학설을 비판하고, 왕필의 본체론은 本無論이라는 것을 주장하는데 목적이 있다. 중국의 학자들은 체용론을 최초로 수립한 사람이 왕필이라고 주장한다. 그러나 이런 주장은 설득력이 없다. 뒷날에 성립된 체용론의 관점을 가지고 왕필의 철학을 해석할 수는 있다. 이것과 왕필이 체용론을 수립했다는 것은 완전히 별개의 문제이다. 왕필은 以無爲本과 以無爲用을 말했다. 무가 근본이다. 근본은 본체와 같은 말이다. 왕필은 이 짧은 어구에 도가의 有無論과 유가의 本末論을 결합시켰다. 이것은 貴無論이 아니라 本無論이다. 이것이 왕필 본체론의 핵심이다. 그런데 학자들은 本이 본체이므로 체용론의 체와 의미가 같다는 점에 착안하여 以無爲體라는 새로운 용어를 만들어냈다. 본과 체의 의미가 같다고 하여 왕필이 직접 말하지도 않은 以無爲體를 왕필이 말한 것처럼 주장하는 것은 잘못이다. 철학은 개념의 학문이므로 의미가 같다고 해서 以無爲本을 以無爲體로 대체할 수 있는 것은 아니다. 이것은 논리적 비약이고, 명백한 오류이다. 왕필이 體와 用이라는 용어를 많이 사용했지만, 그것과 체용론에서의 체와 용의 의미는 다르다. 체용론에서의 체는 본체·실체라는 의미이고, 용은 작용·현상이라는 의미이다. 그런데 왕필이 사용한 체의 의미는 형체·육체이고, 용의 의미는 이용‧효용이다. 단어는 같지만 의미가 다르다. 왕필은 체용론에 관심이 없었다. 체용론은 왕필의 철학적 문제가 아니다. 왕필은 유무론과 본말론, 본무론에 관심이 있었다. 그는 이런 학설을 통하여 유가와 도가의 갈등을 봉합하고, 양자의 이론을 융합하려고 노력했다. The purposes of this thesis are to criticize the theory of the sinologists who argue that Wang Bi’s ontology is the theory of the things and their functions and to argue that Wang Bi’s ontology is a deontology. The scholars of China argue that the first person who established the theory of the things and their functions was Wang Bi. However, such an argument does not have any persuasiveness. Wang Bi’s philosophy can be interpreted with the viewpoint of the theory of the things and their functions that was established later on. This fact and the fact that Wang Bi established the theory of the things and their functions are the completely separate problems. Wang Bi talked about the imuwibon and the imuwiyong. ‘Mu’ is the root. The root is the same as the main body. To this short word, Wang Bi combined the theory of whether or not of Taoism and the theory of the beginning and the end of Confucianism. This is not the theory of the null, but it is a deontology. This is the core of the ontology of Wang Bi. But, paying attention to the point that, as ‘bon’ is the main body, it has the same meaning with the ‘che’ (body) in the theory of the things and their functions, the scholars created the new term ‘imuwiche’. It is a mistake to argue that Wang Bi talked about ‘imuwiche’, which Wang Bi never talked about, because the meanings of ‘bon’ (this) and ‘che’ (body) are the same. As philosophy is an academic study of the concepts, ‘imuwibon’ cannot be replaced with ‘imuwiche’ just because their meanings are the same day. This is a logical jump and a clear error. Although Wang Bi used the terms ‘che’ (body) and ‘yong’ (use), their meanings and the meanings of ‘che’ (body) and ‘yong’ (use) in the theory of the things and their functions are different. ‘Che’ (body) in the theory of the things and their functions means ‘the main body’ and ‘the actual body’. And ‘yong (use) means the actions and the phenomena. But, the meanings of ‘che’ used by Wang Bi are ‘the form’ and ‘the body’. And the meanings of ‘yong’ are ‘the use’ and ‘the utility’. Although the words are the same, the meanings are different. Wang Bi had not been interested in the theory of the things and their functions. The theory of he things and their functions is not a philosophical problem to Wang Bi. Wang Bi had been interested in the theory of whether or not, the theory of the beginning and the end, and the deontology. He endeavored to suture the conflicts between Confucianism and Taoism and fuse the theories of the both sides by using such a theory.