TTLA: A Study of the Interpretation of Zhu Xi's Divination by Vietnamese Confucianists in the Medieval Period

1. Full name of the doctoral candidate:Bui Ba Quan2. Gender: Male

3. Date of birth: December 7, 1984 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision No. 3253/2016/QD-XHNV dated September 30, 2016, of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing doctoral students.

6. Changes in the training process: none

7. Thesis title:"A study of the interpretation of Zhu Xi's I Ching philosophy by Vietnamese Confucianists during the medieval period.”

8. Specialization: Sino-Vietnamese Studies 9. Code: 62 22 01 04

10. Scientific supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Kim Son

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

- Firstly, the dissertation identified a list of Sino-Vietnamese documents on Zhu Zi's I Ching divination, comprising 52 works with over 100 Sino-Vietnamese texts from various libraries. From this, the dissertation specifically studied 38 works, corresponding to 87 texts, totaling approximately 15,000 pages of material. The dissertation addressed many key and complex issues in textual studies, such as authorship, dating, variant versions, duplicate versions, transmission processes, etc. Simultaneously, the dissertation explored 190 I Ching diagrams preserved in the aforementioned texts. The doctoral candidate also translated some explanatory sections on Zhu Zi's I Ching divination from 7 representative Sino-Vietnamese works, resulting in 88 pages of translation in Appendix 4. This translation contributes to enhancing the reliability of the information and scientific arguments of the dissertation.

- Secondly, the thesis has drawn some important conclusions about the viewpoints, methods, and content of the interpretation of the I Ching in Vietnamese Confucianism. The thesis has pointed out two tendencies in interpretation: 1) Complete loyalty to Zhu Xi's I Ching theory, proudly considering themselves meritorious to Cheng-Zhu; 2) Selective adoption in a spirit of critical analysis. Regarding the method of interpretation, Vietnamese Confucianism often uses supplementary instruction, combining diagrams with theory, and employsPandemicY syndrome, using Y syndromePandemicThe research of this thesis shows that the interpretation of I Ching in Vietnam during the 18th and 19th centuries was generally similar to that in China during the Ming dynasty, mainly focusing on the doctrinal interpretations and elaborations of the I Ching teachings of Shaozi and Zhuzi. However, the interpretations of Vietnamese Confucian scholars tended to serve the education and examination system, thus not advocating for the fundamental issues of I Ching. Nevertheless, some Confucian scholars such as Le Quy Don, Nguyen Van Sieu, and Le Van Ngu tended to adopt and update the I Ching teachings of the Qing dynasty, thereby offering some criticisms or corrections of Zhuzi's I Ching teachings. However, these interpretations were not strong enough to form a school of thought that criticized Zhuzi, as in China during the Qing dynasty or in Japan during the Tokugawa period.

- Thirdly, the research results of the thesis make a positive contribution to the development of new understandings in several other academic fields such as literature, medicine, religion, architecture, and fine arts. For example, as the thesis has initially shown, through reading and understanding the content of Divination Studies disseminated in Vietnam before the 20th century, we have a basis to affirm knowledge aboutI ChingAnd the study of divination is closely related to traditional medicine and vice versa.

12. Practical applications:

- The research findings of this thesis can be used in research and training in several social sciences and humanities disciplines.

13. Future research directions:

- The study of Zhu Xi in Vietnam in relation to the imperial examination system.

- The transmission and adaptation of Zhu Xi's I Ching philosophy in Vietnam.

- The study of Zhu Xi in Vietnam within the context of East Asia.

14. Published works related to the dissertation:

[1]裴伯鈞撰（2011），〈易膚叢說景印弁言〉，收入《東亞儒學資料叢書·易膚叢說》，國立臺灣大學出版中心，臺北.

[2]佚名撰（2013），《易膚叢說》，鄧德良、裴伯鈞校點，收入《儒藏精華編越南之部第一册》北京大學出版社，北京.

[3] Bui Ba Quan (2015) “Concept of 'image' and 'deduction' of Zhu Zi's 'image' in the Divination Diagram inHi Kinh Lai Trach", Nguyen Kim Son (Editor-in-chief)The Confucian Canon in Vietnam, National University of Hanoi Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 284-308.

[4] Bui Ba Quan (2017), “Vietnamese Medical Practitioner's Interpretation of the Proposition 'Ignorance'”Pandemic, I don't know, imperial physician.Pandemic"Then we cannot discuss Y," Nguyen Kim Son (Editor-in-Chief)East Asian Confucianism: Tradition and Modernity, National University of Hanoi Publishing House, Hanoi, pp. 428-459.

[5] Bui Ba Quan (2017), “Practicing the Method of Divination and experiencing the I Ching of Vietnamese Confucian scholars during the Nguyen Dynasty: Through the case study of Nguyen Van Ly”, JournalHan Nom2 (141), pp. 60-72.

[6] Bui Ba Quan (2018), “Ngo The Vinh's view on the word "Translation" inBamboo Hall, I Ching, Essays", MagazineSocial Sciences and HumanitiesVolume 4 (3b), pp. 413-431.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name:Bui Ba Quan2. Sex: Male

3. Date of birth: December 7, 1984 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number: 3253/2016/QD-XHNV, dated: September 30, 2016 at University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process:

7. Official thesis title: “A study on the interpretation of“朱子易圖學”by Vietnamese Confucianists in the Middle Ages”

8. Major: Sino-Nom 9. Code: 62 22 01 04

10. Supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Kim Son

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

- Firstly, the thesis has identified a list of Sino-Nom documents on “朱子易圖學”, including 52 works with over 100 Han-Nom texts in many different book repositories. Following that, the thesis has studied 38 works in detail, corresponding to 87 texts, with a total length of about 15,000 pages of documents. The thesis has solved many key and complex issues of textology such as author, dating, variations of texts, duplication of texts and transmission process. Simultaneously, the thesis investigated 190 yìxué diagrams that are stored in the abovementioned documents. The author has also translated a number of selected interpretations and commentaries on “朱子易圖學” in 7 typical Sino-Nom works, resulting in 88 translated pages in Appendix 4. This translation contributes to enhancing the reliability of the information and scientific thesis of the study.

- Secondly, the thesis has made some important conclusions about the views, methods, and content of the interpretation of “朱子易圖學” by Vietnamese Confucianists (越南儒家). The thesis has shown that there are two interpretative tendencies: 1) Completely loyal to Zhū xi's Theory, proud to be honored gods of Chéng - Zhū (程、朱); 2) Selectively absorb in the spirit of criticism. In terms of interpretation methodology, Vietnamese Confucianists often use “朱子易圖學”, “訓詁” (Exegesis), “圖說” (Diagrams and Explanations), and “以易證醫，以醫證易”. This research shows that the interpretation of “朱子易圖學” in Vietnam in the eighteenth and nineteenth century was generally similar to that in the Ming Dynasty in China and included retelling, explaining and clarifying the meaning of scholarly translation of Sào xi (邵子) and Zhū xi (朱子). However, the Vietnamese Confucianists' interpretation was inclined to serve education and examination (科舉), so it did not put an emphasis on some fundamental issues of “朱子易圖學”. However, a number of Confucianists such as Le Quy Don, Nguyen Van Sieu, and Le Van Ngu tend to adopt and update the interpretation of the Qing dynasty, thereby giving some critics or corrections of “朱子易圖學”. However, those interpretations were not strong enough to form the school of criticism of Zhuzǐ as what happened in the Qing Dynasty in China or in the Tokugawa period in Japan.

- Thirdly, the thesis's research results have positively contributed to the development of new understanding of a number of other academic fields such as literature, medicine, religious studies, architecture, and fine arts. For example, as the thesis has initially pointed out, through reading and comprehending the contents of “朱子易圖學”, which was disseminated in Vietnam before the twentieth century, we have a basis to affirm that the knowledge ofI Chinriceand “朱子易圖學” is closely related to traditional medicine and vice versa.

12. Practical applicability:

- The results of the thesis can be used in research and training in some fields of social sciences and humanities.

13. Further research directions:

- “朱子易圖學” in Vietnam in connection with the educational curriculum.

- The transmission and acculturation of “朱子易圖學” in Vietnam.

- “朱子易圖學” in Vietnam in the context of East Asia.

14. Theses related publications:

[1]裴伯鈞撰（2011），〈易膚叢說景印弁言〉，收入《東亞儒學資料叢書·易膚叢說》，國立臺灣大學出版中心，臺北.

[2]佚名撰（2013），《易膚叢說》，鄧德良、裴伯鈞校點，收入《儒藏精華編越南之部第一册》北京大學出版社，北京.

[3] Bui Ba Quan (2015), “Zhuzǐ's conception of '象' and the deduction of '易圖象' in 《羲經蠡測》”, Nguyen Kim Son (Editor),The Confucian Canon in Vietnam, Vietnam National University Press, Hanoi, pp.284-308.

[4] Bui Ba Quan (2017), “Interpretation of Vietnamese 醫家 on the proposition '不知易，不足以言太醫' (If one is ignorant of interpreting studies, one shall not discuss about 醫)”, Nguyen Kim Son (Editor),East Asia Confucianism: Tradition and Modernity, Vietnam National University Press, Hanoi, pp.428-459.

[5] Bui Ba Quan (2017), “The practice of divination and the way of changes under the Nguyen reign: the study of Nguyen Van Ly”,Han NomReview 2 (141), pp.60-72.

[6] Bui Ba Quan (2018), “Ngo The Vinh's view on the “Yi” inZhutang Zhouyi suibi,Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol. 4 (3b), pp.413-431.