The Legacy of Traditional Chinese Taiji Philosophy as a Factor in Harmonizing the Contradictions of Socio-cultural Reality (using the example of Chinese Neorealist Art)

Chzhao Shuai Postgraduate student; Department of Theory and History of Culture of Arts and Design; Transbaikal State University 672049, Russia, Zabaikalsky Krai, Chita, Kabanskaya str., 33 47083949@qq.com

Gomboeva Margarita Ivanovna ORCID: 0000-0002-1564-1666 Doctor of Cultural Studies Professor; Department of Theory and History of Culture, Arts and Design; Transbaikal State University 125 Babushkina str., Chita, Zabaikalsky Krai, 672000, Russia m.i.gomboeva@gmail.com

Introduction. The history of the genesis of traditional Chinese Taiji philosophy dates back several millennia. The most famous modern Chinese scientists Qian Mu, Zeng Shiqiang, Chen Guin, Chen Xia, Wang Zhongjiang, Gai Jianmin and others refer to the primary source – the biography of Confucius, created by the founder of Chinese historiography Sima Qian (II?I centuries BC) ^[1]. There is a reception of modern Chinese intellectuals in understanding and interpreting the heritage of native Chinese culture in the paradigms of Western philosophy. This happens within the framework of the application of its various philosophical and cultural systems: pragmatic, positivist, philosophy of life, Marxist, etc. Thus, Liu Lai put forward a point of view that corresponds to the real situation in the modern intellectual culture of China ^{[2, p. 34]}. The Chinese "New Culture" movement and the "May 4 Movement" (named after the day of the student protests of 1919) became the beginning of the process of acceptance and intellectual development of Western philosophical thought. Western science and technology, the scientific and technological revolution and subsequent industrialization had a great impact on the relevance of the heritage of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy as a source of social, emotional and psychological stability in times of change ^{[3, p. 30]}.

At the same time, the philosopher notes that when solving the urgent problems of modern Chinese society, we cannot completely return to traditional Chinese philosophy or abandon it; we also cannot find an acceptable resource of intellectual baggage in Western philosophy, effective for understanding the problems of personality and society in modern China. The author concludes that "we need our own cultural and philosophical system suitable for the real situation in China" ^[3].

Materials and methods of research. The research uses methods of scientific analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization. The application of philosophical, cultural, sociocultural approaches to the analysis of the influence of Tai Chi philosophy on the philosophical and cultural conceptualization of modern neorealist art made it possible to understand the nature of the differences and convergence of the authors of the artistic concepts of "the fate of the Chinese peasantry in the era of urbanization." The method of philosophical reception of the works of Chinese philosophers synthesizing the national philosophical heritage and European philosophical systems is also used. Philosophical analysis is effective in studying Tai Chi as an intellectual resource in ensuring the socio-cultural stability of a person in a changing world. To expand the information obtained, the method of source analysis of research texts on the philosophy of Tai Chi was used.

The results of the study and their discussion.

In modern Chinese culture, philosophy as an academic discipline and a way of worldview has become the intellectual basis for describing human spiritual activity. Modern Chinese philosophy is the fruit of intensive interaction between Chinese and Western intellectual culture, the result of the interpretation of Chinese thought by a system of paradigms of Western philosophy ^{[4, p. 7]}. Moreover, the modern philosophy of culture is a reflection of national philosophy and is gradually moving from the question of the relationship between man and society, man and nature to the question of the nature of man himself and the essence of culture ^{[5; 6]}.

The influence of traditional Chinese philosophy on modern philosophy, culture and art of China has not been studied uniformly. General theories of the socio-cultural continuity of ancient knowledge and its incorporation into the modern worldview have become the subject of study by modern researchers Liu Yang ^[7]; Han Lujiao ^[8]; Fen Yulan ^[9]; Zheng Jiadong ^[10] and many other authors. So, back in 2000, the philosopher Zheng Jiadong ¹ moved the question of the legality of talking about the legitimacy of the concept of "Chinese philosophy" into the sphere of perspectives of world philosophy, enriched with the ideas of the philosophical heritage of Tai Chi. He, like many other modern researchers of the pre-philosophical and philosophical heritage proper, is convinced that the ideas of Chinese philosophy will enter into modern scientific discourse. These perspectives are related to the global need to address the issue of "the complex connection between the universal and the special", "philosophy and culture", "philosophy and tradition" ^{[10, p. 7]}. In the 21st century, the task of Chinese philosophy, according to the scientist, will be "to identify the resources of Chinese traditional thought that would meet the universal issues of human civilization" ^{[10, p. 7]}. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, the philosopher did not continue his research.

From the early 2000s to the present, in philosophical discourses of the international level, Chinese philosophers have intentionally proved the idea that the ideas of traditional Chinese philosophy, which integrated the legacy of Confucianism, Taoism, Zen Buddhism, Legalism, influenced the formation of national philosophy, its fundamental principles of the world order and ethical attitudes characterizing human behavior and society in the as a whole.

Research on the legacy of traditional Chinese philosophy and culture is particularly creative. Abandoning mechanical, direct inheritance, it is transformed and processed with the generation of new connotations in order to better meet the needs of the time ^{[4, p. 7]}.

The methodical use of Western tools to describe and explain the history of Chinese thought, which became the standard for Chinese humanities research, was carried out throughout the twentieth century. The authoritative Russian sinologist V. A. Kiselyov summarized this process by describing the role of outstanding Chinese philosophers of the twentieth century in explicating the traditional philosophical heritage. So, from 20-40. A number of works on the history of Chinese philosophy were created in the twentieth century: "An Essay on the History of Chinese Philosophy" (1919) by Hu Shi (, 1891-1962); "History of Chinese Philosophy" (1929) by Zhang Tai (, 1888-1979); "History of Chinese Philosophy" in 2 volumes by Feng Yulan; "General outline of the History of Chinese philosophy" (1936) by Fan Shoukang (, 1896-1983); "An Essay on Chinese Philosophy" (1943) by Zhang Dainyan (?, 1909-2004 ^{[3, p. 32]}.

The basis of ancient philosophical thought is the idea of the world based on the theory of Yin and Yang, a kind of ancient proto-dialectical doctrine created by Chinese thinkers. According to this system of explaining the world, everything can be divided into Yin and Yang, any thing or phenomenon in nature contains two aspects of Yin and Yang, which are opposite to each other and interact with each other ^[11]. Epistemologically, the idea of Yin and Yang is a generalization of the relative attributes of related things and phenomena or attributes of opposite sides within the same thing, system in its generic, specific sense. The opposite constraints and mutual sources of opposites between Yin and Yang are not static, they are always in constant motion and change, and "they are invisible"². In this understanding, the nature of variability is understood as the natural order of change. The significance of this idea is that in order to explain things and their variability, the unity of Yin and Yang acts as a methodological principle for explaining the world.

The following rather strict attributes of the ancient sages' understanding of the essence of world changes are the concepts of Tao and Yin – Yang. Thus, "One Yin and one Yang is the Tao"³, in which Tao means "truth" and "law", "Yin and Yang" – the way of heaven and earth, the rule of all things, the "parents" of change, the beginning of life and death, the "house of the gods"⁴. Things or phenomena analyzed using Yin and Yang should be in the same category, at the same level or at the same intersection point, that is, based on a specific correlation of things.  

The theory of Yin and Yang is universal, and all related things or phenomena can be generalized and analyzed using Yin and Yang as a methodological key. At the same time, the theory of Yin and Yang emphasizes the moment of relativity. The Yin and Yang attributes of various things or phenomena are not static and can transform into each other under certain conditions, which also illustrates the limitations of the moment by conditions. Therefore, it is important to understand the context and the influence of the environment.

The next part of the article is devoted to the analysis of the influence of the ancient Chinese philosophy of Tai Chi on the philosophy of culture and creativity, explaining the development of the internal evolution of artistic culture on the example of the concepts of modern neorealism.

The national art of each epoch is closely connected with the traditions and heritage of philosophical and cultural reflection. The philosophy of art is a way of self–awareness of a nation, epoch and society. Great works of art always demonstrate deep philosophical ideas. They are a product of national character, the zeitgeist and social thought and actively participate in the formation of national identity, national character, the zeitgeist and social ideals. Iconic works of art represent the state of mental health of the nation, time and society ^{[2, p. 34]}. If we take as an example the analysis of these philosophical and cultural tasks of art, then we should pay attention to the most significant event of Chinese neorealist art.  This is the "exhibition of neorealistic art" in 2005. It was this event that summarized in conceptual conciseness the theme of the fate of the nation and the problems of the Chinese peasantry at the beginning of the new millennium.

For the artistic community, the concept of peasant China highlighted two ways of reflecting on peasant problems: one is to express the idealized landscape of rural workers; the other showed the life of rural residents full of suffering, deprivation and difficulties; their image of the social world order. The exhibition of artistic works by representatives of socialist realism and neorealism separately gives one-sided conclusions and conceptualizations. But considering the content of these two optics on the peasant theme in different concepts of artistic creativity allows us to see them as a single contradictory whole reflecting different sides of social and cultural reality. And we explain this rather different, but holistic artistic picture by the theory of Yin and Yang. Using the principle of unity and opposites of Yin-Yang, we get a completely new cultural knowledge. Things have two sides and are in contradiction. And two completely different images of the peasantry as artistic phenomena, "restraining" each other, form a new change in this eternal theme. Thus, the principle of understanding Yin and Yang is an explanation of the logic of the internal driving force of the development of processes. This is not only the principle of understanding, it is a reflection of the objective logic of the internal driving force of the continuous development of Chinese neorealistic art. The external driving force behind the development of this artistic phenomenon is socio–economic and socio-cultural reality, as a force determining different life situations. Real problems in a person's life are an external driving force that stimulates the creative motivations of the artist. The "external conditionality of life problems" and the "internal cause" determine the nature of the work of art, forming the definiteness of the concept under the joint action. This is a question that cannot be ignored. What connects the "internal" conditioning and the "external" cause? Under what conditions can a person be inspired by the desire to create? We think that the connecting link of all the conditioning components of creativity is culture in its broad understanding as a transformative activity and as a system of artistic culture.

Cultural conditioning is the direct cause of the formation of creativity. Therefore, the "internal" driving force of creativity guarantees the survival of the entire system of artistic culture; the "external" (environmental) driving force guarantees the development of the system of artistic culture, and the person (artist) is a key factor in the renewal of the system of artistic culture. It is culture as a type of transformative activity that becomes the link between the "internal" and "external" system of determination. The methodological principle of Yin-Yang works as a generator of changes that possess not only novelty, but also existential energy inherent in the system. The combination of factors forms a large system of Yin and Yang movements, which in a complete understanding is Tai Chi ^[12]. Culture is that sought–after Qi that permeates the entire system. In traditional Chinese culture, Qi is an important category, the source of all things, the ascending matter and the mediator of inductive phenomena. Qi is also identified with a precious spirit, a good character, and a lofty ideal. In the field of literature and art, Qi mainly refers to a unique style or artistic concept, or the charm of texts, calligraphy and painting, as well as to the deity and manner of a person. In the neo–Confucianism system of Zhu Xi ⁵, metaphysics is "mind" and practice is Qi, then works of art are the material existence of Qi energy in this system. Thus, culture is a fundamental guarantee of the preservation of the viability of works of art.

Let's return to the original thesis about the socio-cultural and socio-economic conditionality of the life of Chinese peasants. At the beginning of the new millennium, China entered with the energy of transforming rural labor. The processes of production automation, the industrialization of farmers, the green revolution system, and the environmental demands of the world community for agricultural goods have led to the fact that hundreds of millions of peasants have ceased to be in demand in their usual activities. There has been a transformation of the social functions of rural residents; the value system of rural residents, forced to seek resources in cities, has undergone a change. The consequence of these transformations is the development of alienation and disunity of people ^{[13, p. 672]}.  This process accompanied the processes of objective changes in agricultural China in the direction of automation, mechanization and a green economy, which also began in the 1990s. Urbanization in China contrasted sharply with the harsh living conditions of migrant workers, former peasants, on modern urban construction sites, where they settled, later scientists identified this as a special cultural phenomenon. The marginal lifestyle of the new "migrant workers" has become their real state; the unfolding discussion about the contradictions between people and social relations, people and social processes has highlighted this social group as a zone of social risk. The peasants of the 1990s had no education, so they could only do hard physical work in the cities. Despite the fact that labor is not divided into high and low, the feeling of inferiority in the hearts of migrants has become a burden on their dignity, and this has served as the object of artistic discussions ^{[14; 15]}. Artists have painted paintings, cinematographers have shot several films, animators have created an animated film "The Lion Boy". Critics noted that although the images of former peasants on giant construction sites in China and Chinese construction sites abroad are modest, their eyes are full of hopes and expectations, they believe in a better future. But in the artistic image of former peasants who became unskilled workers in the conditions of urbanization, a kind of manifesto of contradiction, dissatisfaction with life is expressed. These images reflect the suffering of a migrant worker due to the inability to plan his future and the lack of prospects for future generations.

Comparing the works of Xin Dongwang and Zheng Yi, which were representative works of Chinese neorealist art, we emphasize that these works represent two different artistic and cultural concepts. Both artists have experience of rural life in the past, in the present both are university professors and urban residents. They are sincere about life and demonstrate reverence for life. But what made them understand the life of peasants differently and draw conclusions about them?

The masters of neorealism explored farmers in different places: Zheng Yi farmers lived in rural areas, lived a simple life and were happy. The peasants investigated by Xin Dongwang are the same "former peasants" working in the city.

Artists understand living conditions in different ways: Zheng's painting is life-affirming, stating that an idyllic life is valuable and consists in a favorite activity, away from the hustle and bustle of the city (Fig. 1). This is a kind of happy and simple life, which is often declared by the artist as the most valuable of many possible.

Xin Dongwang's painting, on the contrary, shows the fullness of the contradiction of daily peasant labor. He put it more mildly in a comment to his painting: "the life of a rural worker is a kind of striving for a "hypothetically good life" when reality still strives for the "ideal", but in the present it is sometimes cruel in the absence of alternatives and prospects" (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. Zheng Yi. The Flaming Heart flew by (2003)

Fig. 2. Xin Dongwang. Sincere City (1995)

If we consider the works of two masters of art together, they form a combination of one Yang and one Yin, and there is a contradiction between the ideal and reality. Yin and Yang can give birth to Qi and form an essence from Qi only when considering them as a whole.

Thus, the Tai Chi philosophy is an intelligent code for developing solutions to socially coordinated value management in specific circumstances, conflicts and problems. Therefore, based on the principles of the Tai Chi philosophy, the controversial problem of Chinese migrant workers, which is acutely relevant for the country in the 1990s, thanks to the joint efforts of the state, private business, trade unions, local party organizations and individuals, has turned into a problem of adapting and reformatting the competencies of the new working class of industrial China. Human nature is inherently very imperfect, so an ideal existence is a myth, an unattainable ideal. The philosophical principles of Tai Chi are aimed at finding and gaining consensus and coordination, which is possible if the values acceptable to its participants are achieved. What is possible under the condition of collective management of values when there is an agreement between collective and individual interpretations of the value of consensus .

 Conclusion. According to the principles of Tai Chi philosophy, as a result of social agreements, hearings and decisions, the perspective of the problems that neorealist artists actualized in their artistic concepts has changed. The influence of Taiji philosophy on the conceptualization of modern Chinese neorealist art was manifested in the fact that the art of neorealism moved from the problem of migrant workers in the 1990s to the problem of conflict between traditional culture, philosophy and modern culture, which is not only a necessity of the time, but also an internal driving force of traditional Chinese cultural philosophy, which attracts Chinese neorealism. The philosophy of Tai Chi is a useful and effective conceptual system that helps to relieve tension and contradictions in modern Chinese society, culture, and private life. The value of philosophical ideas about the unity of the opposites of Yin and Yang and the concept of energy in Tai Chi philosophy lies in the fact that the system of representations contributes to understanding the nature of change in the context of global contradictions of modern culture. Change is the only constant factor in the existence of the world and ensuring its sustainability. Changes must conform to the principle of Tao in order to be endless.

The prospects of the research are associated with the increasing integration of modern Western philosophy of life and neo-Kantianism with the ideas of Confucianism and Taoism in order to form a new Chinese philosophy for China of the 21st century. The economic success of Chinese society and the colossal transformation of everyday life have significantly influenced the change in the value core of culture. This inevitably led to intergenerational gaps and conflicts between "tradition" and "modernity", "personality" and "society". Their reflection in various artistic receptions of socio-cultural contradictions and their overcoming is possible on the basis of a synthesis of the ideas of traditional Chinese Taiji philosophy and European modern philosophical systems adapted to the spiritual and ideological needs of modern Chinese society.

¹ Zheng Jiadong. PhD, former researcher at the Institute of Philosophy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Director of the Research Bureau of Chinese Philosophy; academic specialization: Confucian philosophy and the history of Confucian thought.

².· = This article is prose from the Warring States period in China. The author is unknown. Lingshu. Yin and Yang are the sun and the moon. ? URL: https://hanyu.baidu.com/shici/detail?from=aladdin&pid=d7f74b968f6e58decc13394240a97897 (accessed 02/19/2024). ? Text: electronic.

³.·.?5?. = Zhu Xi. An easy biography. Chapter 5. ? URL: http://www.360doc.com/content/10/0610/14/1591897_32320352.shtml (date of application: 02/19/2024). ? Text: electronic.

⁴.·.. = The author is not specified. Su Wen. Yin and Yang should be like a great theory. This article is included in the "Inner Classics of the Yellow Emperor". ? URL: https://hanyu.baidu.com/shici/detail?from=aladdin&pid=c0bc9f8faa2729c86a7f57b84b2d9c60 (accessed 02/19/2024). ? Text: electronic.

⁵ Zhu Xi (1130-1200) was a Confucian thinker, philosopher, politician, educator and poet in the Southern Song Dynasty in China.