A Literary Anatomy of the Binary Concept of Emptiness-Substance

Abstract This article is an initial exploration of the uses of the binary concept of emptiness-substance, starting with its early semantic evolution and ranging from its roots in the early philosophical tradition to how this concept has informed both literary techniques and literary style. Placing this concept in specific linguistic and cultural contexts and connecting it with primary textual examples allow a fuller appreciation of its deeper meanings and discovery of new paths and threads for future studies.