THE YIJING AND THE GENERATION OF INTERPRETATIONS: AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE JESUIT FIGURIST INTERPRETATION OF THE YIJING IN CONTRAST TO THE XIANGSHU AND YILI INTERPRETATIONS
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Abstract
This paper explores the innovative interpretation of the Yijing by Jesuit Figurists during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. This paper examines how Figurists, such as Joachim Bouvet, endeavored to connect the Yijing’s teachings with Christian theology, suggesting that the hexagrams of the Yijing contained subtle connections to Christian truths. The study contrasts Figurism with the traditional Chinese methodologies of Xiangshu and Yili,
highlighting the Figurists’ efforts to establish a theological dialogue between Eastern and Western intellectual traditions. The paper also discusses the varied scholarly responses to
Figurism, from criticisms of its selective interpretation of Chinese symbols, to positive appraisals of its crosscultural bridge-building. Ultimately, this underscores the
Yijing’s interpretive richness and its capacity to facilitate intercultural and interreligious engagement, advocating for a nuanced approach that respects the text’s indigenous
symbolic depth.
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