The Transformation of Philosophical Concepts and Cultural Significance in Literary Works of the Late Ming Dynasty

Abstract

This study examines the transformation of philosophical concepts and their cultural significance in the literary works produced during the late Ming dynasty in China. The research findings are based on a qualitative textual analysis of poetry, drama, and vernacular fiction from the selected time period. The core findings of this study reveal a significant transformation in the treatment of philosophical traditions during the late Ming dynasty. The analysis shows a syncretic blending and hybridisation of different philosophical perspectives, rather than a reliance on distinct Confucian, Daoist, or Buddhist frameworks. This intellectual cross-pollination is observed, as literary creators of the period integrated elements from all three of these major philosophical traditions. Furthermore, the study also found a notable subversion of Confucian norms and virtues during the late Ming era. Prior to this period, Confucianism was the predominant philosophical influence on intellectual and cultural production. However, the analysis indicates that during the late Ming, the established Confucian rhetoric and moral ideals were challenged, with authors drawing more extensively from Daoist and Buddhist perspectives. Additionally, the research unveils a dynamic negotiation between orthodox classical Chinese thought and more heterodox philosophical viewpoints during the late Ming dynasty. This process involved the restatement and reconfiguration of various virtues and norms, signalling a broader transformation in the cultural values and societal dynamics of the time.