The “Other” Zhengming Antidote to a Philosophical Monoculture

Abstract

In the field of Chinese philosophy, the topic of zhengming 正名 (correcting names, rectifying terms, using titles correctly, etc.) has boomed since the beginning of the twentieth century, more particularly in the wake of Hu Shi’s 胡適 (1891-1962) work. Since then, a wide variety of views have largely relied on his philosophical interpretation. The current paper argues that an alternative approach opens up a wealth of new material and novel insights by following the path of conceptual history, more specifically inspired by the linguistic distinction between onomasiology and semasiology. The former traces different linguistic expressions of the same underlying concept while the latter traces the various meanings of one expression. This second approach leads us to statements on zhengming that have been largely overlooked in academia. Research focusing on these “other” zhengming sources can stimulate new philosophical insights into this and other early Chinese notions.