Strange Bedfellows Daoism Confucianism and Capitalism in Ah
Strange Bedfellows Daoism, Confucianism and Capitalism in Ah Cheng’s The King of Chess
About the Author: Ah Cheng 阿城 n n n n Born in 1949, Beijing Real name is Zhong Acheng 鍾阿城 (Ah Cheng is his pen name) Family was well off; Ah Cheng’s father was a scholar and art/film critic Ah Cheng attended first rate schools until they were all closed in by the government in 1966 Ah Cheng’s father was accused by the Communist Party of being a “rightist” – he was later sent to Tangshan for “reform through labor” The author was “sent down” to Yunnan in 1968 with the Educated Youth; he remained there until 1979 when he returned to Beijing Ah Cheng has since settled in sunny California
About The King of Chess n Ah Cheng’s first and most celebrated work, published in 1984; other works include: The King of Children (1985), and The King of Trees (1985) n Written years before it was published while Ah Cheng was stationed and laboring in the mountainous jungle region of Yunnan with the “Educated Youth” n Ah Cheng calls for the revival of various traditional Chinese philosophical values n His narrative addresses, praises and critiques the many philosophies that influence and contribute to the formation of the Chinese ethos. n Ah Cheng seeks to capture, through the synthesis of Daoist, Confucian, and Capitalist elements, a uniquely fulfilling, meaningful, joyous, and distinctly Chinese human life experience
Digging for Roots n Ah Cheng is recognized as one of the most influential and prominent writers of the “roots-seeking” (xungen) movement n Characteristics of Xungen (roots-seeking) Literature: – Associated with the 1980’s – Written by those members of Ah Cheng’s generation who personally experienced the cultural revolution – Provides a personal account of the Cultural Revolution, specifically the experience of being sent into the country side for labor – Often intimates feelings of disillusionment with the Communist Party; details hardships and struggles; emphasizes the interaction with nature – Often symbolically ambiguous – stress placed on the quest for knowledge, rather than the acquisition of it
Philosophical Elements
Daoism The King of Chess is filled with Daoist symbols, references, and parallels Similar Language: “Softness isn’t weakness – it is taking in, gathering in, holding in. To hold and assimilate is to bring your opponent within your strategy……you must do all by doing nothing. To do nothing is the Way, and it is also an invariant principle of Chess” (45 -46). Perceiving an Unusual Thing: “What’s old? Isn’t collecting waste paper as I do every day collecting old stuff? But when I take it home and sort it out, and sell it to support myslef, isn’t it new? ” (45).
Daoism and Escapism Daoism contributes to theme of escapism in the story: ‘“I don’t have any cares – none at all. ‘Cares’, hell! That’s just the trimmings for gentlemen-scholars. People like me don’t have any ‘cares’; at most we simply get down in the dumps” (39). n Scholar officials who retreated from the corruption and dissatisfaction of imperial court politics and sought Daoist refuge in the mountains; n A young man who obsesses over chess so that he may forget the pain of his childhood; n A painter who ambitiously “puts the grog away” so that he may be relived from life’s struggles
Confucian Elements Wang Yisheng demonstrates Confucian qualities such as filial piety, benevolence, respect Great respect and love for his mother: ‘“Ma, ” he said, with a sob in his voice, “today, I…ma--”’ (93). Departures from Confucianism: Wang Yisheng rejects the former chess champion’s invitation: “No, ” he said quietly, “I’m with friends. We came here together and we’ll stick together” (92).
Self-Interest, Ego, and Capitalism Articulated by the author: “My literature has become my own affair. . . I am long accustomed to living for myself, instead of other people. . . I’ve already come to see my writing as my business” (The First Half of My Life, 117) “I use my writing to satisfy myself. In fact, writing is the act of satisfying oneself. ” (ibid 113)
Self-Interest, Ego, and Capitalism Wang Yisheng’s love of Competition and his Demonstration of Ego: “the fool would invariably…push aside the loser and challenge the winner” (34). “I don’t want to hold you up, ” Wang Yisheng said. “I’ll play against the two of you at once”’ (83). “If your uncle is willing, I’ll take on the three of you together” (84).
Self-Interest, Ego, and Capitalism Wang Yisheng’s ego and self-interested actions are portrayed and understood as heroic and inspiring: “One man taking on all comers!” (88). “When we got to the street, we had a crowd of over one hundred people with us……By the time we were halfway down the street, there were upwards of a thousand people milling around us. Even the shop assistants and their customers came out to get a good look” (84).
Self-Interest, Ego, and Capitalism Criticisms of Communism: Talent should be recognized and cultivated by the individual, not by the state: “…we went to watch Tall Balls playing basketball. Tall balls was thoroughly miserable. He was completely ignorant of the rules, he couldn’t catch the ball, and when he threw it he missed the lot: the net, the ring, and even the board” (72). Desiring Progress and Improvement is Greed? “You wanted something good to be even better. That’s greed” (39). Picking Pockets: “The fool was very muddled and just said that the [pickpocket] often gave him money, probably because he felt sorry for him, but he didn’t know where the money came from, he just liked playing chess” (35).
Self-Interest, Ego, and Capitalism New Precepts Earning a living is an essential part of a true human life: “ ‘Live for chess, not for living. ’ To live for the sake of chess is to nourish your essential being, but to live for the sake of earning a living is to damage your essential being. . this precept had ruined his life” (47). Progress is made through competition: “…Wang Yisheng considered that there weren’t many master players out in the provinces so he wasn’t making much progress” (35).
Self-Interest, Ego, and Capitalism Intellectual Pursuit and the Development of Wit have Merit “For the first time I recognized that chess was also a physical activity, a marathon, a double marathon! When I was at school, I had done some long-distance running. After the first five hundred meters I’d be quite exhausted, but beyond a certain point, my brain seemed to stop functioning… But with chess you’re involved in a battle of wits from start to finish, a battle to round up your opponent and form him to the wall without ever allowing yourself a moment’s respite” (84).
Amalgamation and Assimilation Ah Cheng envisions a harmonious amalgamation of all of these elements – a new and modern “Chinese Way” that embodies traditional elements “Softness isn’t weakness – it is taking in, gathering in, holding in. To hold and assimilate is to bring your opponent within your strategy……you must do all by doing nothing. To do nothing is the Way, and it is also an invariant principle of Chess” (45 -46). Addresses the contention (opposition) between competing philosophies, tradition vs. modernity; stresses the importance of assimilation
The Composite Philosophy? Wang Yisheng’s champion chess strategy deviates from his original Daoist education n “…You have a true understanding of chess. I have seen how you have fused the Daoist and Zen schools. Your intuitive grasp of strategy is remarkable. You seize the initiative with a show of strength, and rally your reserves once the opponent has struck. You dispatch your dragon to rule the waves, your force traverses Yin and Yang. The scholar generals of the past and present could do no more than this. I am fortunate that in my declining years you have stepped forward to take my place. It is of no small moment to me that the game of chess has not wholly degenerated in China. ”
A True Human Life? The Conclusion of the Story: “I smiled thinking that I could never have known this pleasure had I not become one of the common people myself. My home was gone, my family had been destroyed, and with cropped hair I carried a mattock day in and day out: but in this itself was contained a true human life, and once I had come to realize this, I knew what good fortune was, what happiness was. Food and clothing are basic, and since the human race has existed they have been its daily preoccupation. But to be limited by them is, in the end, not a truly human existence. ”
Happiness There is more to the true human life than meeting one’s most basic needs. For Ah Cheng, happiness is found through the adoption of a philosophy that allows one to truly appreciate life – from eating a bowl of rice, to talking and joking with friend, to preparing a tasty snake dinner, to painting nudes of friends while the swim, to mastering the art of chess.
- Slides: 18