An Onto-Hermeneutic Analysis of “Jinsheng Yuzhen” in the Warring States Period

The concept of “jinsheng yuzhen” appears in both the Wuxing and Mencius, but the “benti” of Confucianism in the Warring States period contained in this concept has not been thoroughly understood. This paper incorporates and analyzes “onto-Hermeneutics”, applying it to concepts and conceptual histories to clarify the debates around “jinsheng yuzhen” and explore its broader hermeneutic space. The concept of “jinsheng yuzhen” aims to conclude, unify, and transcend “jinsheng” through “yuzhen”, which means that both Wuxing and Mencius integrate pre-Qin Confucian virtues to interpret the “Way of Heaven”. In addition, “jinsheng yuzhen” begins with the “jinsheng” but the “yuzhen” does not have a specific endpoint. This metaphor indicates that the Way of Heaven is embodied by human beings as the self-awareness, cultivation, and practice of the inherent “benevolence” of the innate goodness of nature. Because of human creativity and the infinite nature of experiential reality, this process ultimately leads to the boundless unfolding, enrichment, and generation of the Way of Heaven.