Metaphern in der chinesischen Philosophie

Abstract

The topic of this paper is the reading and interpreting of Chinese philosophical texts in the light of recent studies on the metaphor. When Chinese philosophies are undervalued because of their figurative language, it seems to be grounded in a lack of understanding of metaphor in philosophical thought. Taking the works of Zhuangzi (4./3. B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.) as an initial point, this paper aims to show that an analysis of metaphors allows new insights into the profundity of these texts. This means that the sensitivity for the functioning of metaphors can help to develop effective approaches to the understanding and appreciation of Chinese Philosophy.