Lunheng 論衡 “Discussive weighing” is a philosophical treatise written during the Later Han period 後漢 (25-220) by Wang Chong 王充 (27-97 CE).
It took him thirty years to complete his book. Of the initially 85 chapters one is lost (Zhaozhi 招致). Wang Chong screened a vast amount of ancient literature to obtain a pool of statements of the supernatural, which he wanted to engage in a scientific dispute. Wang Chong is highly esteemed as one of the first philosophers who critically analysed history books and stories to eliminate superstitious elements. Especially two beliefs were attacked by Wang Chong, firstly the belief that human deeds were somehow redeemed by Heaven as a moral instance (ganying 感應), and secondly, the belief in magic and omens. There was a very popular tradition of explaining the Confucian Classics in terms of portents sent down by Heaven, as expressed in the vast treasury of apocryphal (chenwei 讖緯) literature.
Wang Chong did not believe in a thorough and mutual connectivity of all objects existing in the universe (see correlative thinking) which would make the existence of all objects, physical qualities and human emotions dependent on a set of other conditions in the universe, and which would postulate that the universe was complete in its actual state. Wang, quite contrary, believed that, for instance, the existence of certain plants was not the result of Heaven’s will to nourish humans, or that thunder, inundations, the appearance of phoenixes or strange sprites, were caused by good or evil behaviour of a ruler. The existence of all objects and their qualities was accidental (ziran 自然), as Wang Chong believed, and not the result of a higher metaphysical plan. Heaven was also not the force enthroning a ruler by assigning him the Heavenly Mandate. Men became sovereigns by way of their powers and favoured by historical circumstances. Ghosts could simply not exist, because there was no spirit (jing 精) without a body (ti 體), just as there is no fire without fuel. Wang also doubted the existence of innate knowledge because everyone had to gather experience acquire knowledge.
There is a commentary written by Huang Hui 黃暉, the Lunheng jiaoshi 論衡校釋, Liu Pan’s 劉盼 Lunheng jijie 論衡集解, and the commentary Lunheng zhushi 論衡注釋 written by the modern scholar Gao Suheng 高蘇垣.
The Lunheng was quite widespread from the Southern and Northern Dynasties period 南北朝 (300~600) on and was categorised as a writing of miscellaneous masters (zajia 雜家). One reason for its popularity might be that it was the oldest book in which systematically stories of bizarre events were assembled, and this genre (zhiguai 志怪) was one of the most favoured types of Chinese literature throughout history.
During the Qing period 清 (1644-1911), some scholars doubted the authenticity of many chapters of the Lunheng, like Xiong Bolong 熊伯龍 (1617-1669), who believed the chapters Wen Kong 問孔 and Ci Meng 刺孟 to be later insertions.
There is a moveable-type printing from the Song period 宋 (960-1279) preserved in the Beijing Library 北京圖書館, as well as a fragmentary print of 30 juan from the Yuan 元 (1279-1368) or early Ming period 明 (1368-1644). A fragment of 25 juan of a Song-period print is preserved in the Library of the Imperial Household Agency (Kunai-chō shoryō-bu zushoryō 宮内庁書陵部図書寮) in Japan. There is also a print from Su Xianke’s 蘇獻可 Tongjincao Studio 通津草堂 from 1535, and Cheng Rong’s 程榮 print in the series Han-Wei congshu 漢魏叢書 from 1573. The Lunheng is also to be found in the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書, Zengding Han-Wei congshu 增訂漢魏叢書, Longxi Jingshe congshu 龍溪精舍叢書, Sibu congkan 四部叢刊 and Congshu jicheng 叢書集成初編.
There is a complete English translation by Alfred Forke. 1962. Lun-Heng: Philosophical Essays of Wang Ch‘ung. New York: Paragon.
Table 1. Contents of the Lunheng 論衡 1. 逢遇篇 Fengyu Success and luck 2. 累害篇 Leihai Annoyances and vexations 3. 命祿篇 Minglu On destiny and fortune 4. 氣壽篇 Qishou Long life and vital fluid 5. 幸偶篇 Xing’ou On chance and luck 6. 命義篇 Mingyi What is meant by destiny? 7. 無形篇 Wuxing Unfounded assertions 8. 率性篇 Shuaixing The forming of characters 9. 吉驗篇 Jiyan Auspicious portents 10. 偶會篇 Ouhui Coincidences 11. 骨相篇 Guxiang On anthroposcopy 12. 初稟篇 Chubing Heaven’s original gift 13. 本性篇 Benxing On original nature 14. 物勢篇 Wushi The nature of things 15. 奇怪篇 Qiguai Miracles 16. 書虛篇 Shuxu Falsehoods in books 17. 變虛篇 Bianxu Ficticious phenomena 18. 異虛篇 Yixu Ficticious prodigies 19. 感虛篇 Ganxu Ficticious influences 20. 福虛篇 Fuxu Wrong notions about happiness 21. 禍虛篇 Huoxu Wrong notions about unhappiness 22. 龍虛篇 Longxu On dragons 23. 雷虛篇 Leixu On thunder and lightning 24. 道虛篇 Daoxu Daoist untruths 25. 語增篇 Yuzeng Exaggerations 26. 儒增篇 Ruzeng Exaggerations of the literati 27. 藝增篇 Yizeng Literary exaggerations 28. 問孔篇 Wen Kong Criticisms on Confucius 29. 非韓篇 Fei Han Strictures on Han Feizi 30. 刺孟篇 Ci Meng Censures on Mengzi 31. 談天篇 Tantian On Heaven 32. 說日篇 Shuori On the Sun 33. 答佞篇 Daning On the cunning and artful 34. 程材篇 Chengcai Weighing of talents 35. 量知篇 Liangzhi The valuation of knowledge 36. 謝短篇 Xieduan Admitting shortcomings 37. 效力篇 Xiaoli The display of energy 38. 別通篇 Bietong On intelligence 39. 超奇篇 Chaoqi On pre-eminence 40. 狀留篇 Zhuangliu Apparent backwardness 41. 寒溫篇 Hanwen On heat and cold 42. 譴告篇 Qiangao On reprimands 43. 變動篇 Biandong Phenomenal changes 44. 招致篇 Zhaozhi Results of moral behaviour 45. 明雩篇 Mingwu On the rain sacrifice 46. 順鼓篇 Shungu Gentle drums 47. 亂龍篇 Luanlong A last word on dragons 48. 遭虎篇 Caohu The tiger trouble 49. 適蟲篇 Shichong Remarks on insects 50. 講瑞篇 Jiangrui Arguments on ominous creatures 51. 指瑞篇 Zhirui Thoughts on omens 52. 是應篇 Shiying Auguries verified 53. 治期篇 Zhiqi Periods of government 54. 自然篇 Ziran Spontaneity 55. 感類篇 Ganlei Sympathetic emotions 56. 齊世篇 Qishi The quality of ages 57. 宣漢篇 Xuan Han Praise of the Han dynasty 58. 恢國篇 Huiguo Further remarks on the state 59. 驗符篇 Yanfu Ominous signs investigated 60. 須頌篇 Xusong The necessity of eulogies 61. 佚文篇 Yiwen Lost texts 62. 論死篇 Lunsi On death 63. 死偽篇 Siwei False reports about the death 64. 紀妖篇 Jiyao Spook stories 65. 訂鬼篇 Dinggui All about ghosts 66. 言毒篇 Yandu On poison 67. 薄葬篇 Bozang Simplicity of funerals 68. 四諱篇 Siwei Four things to be avoided 69. 譋時篇 Lanshi False charges against time 70. 譏日篇 Jiri Slandering of days 71. 卜筮篇 Bushi On divination 72. 辨祟篇 Biansui Criticisms on noxious influences 73. 難歲篇 Nansui Questions about the Year Star 74. 詰術篇 Jieshu Criticism on certain theories 75. 解除篇 Jiechu On exorcism 76. 祀義篇 Siyi Sacrifices to the departed 77. 祭意篇 Jiyi Sacrifices 78. 實知篇 Shizhi The knowledge of truth 79. 知實篇 Zhishi The real nature of knowledge 80. 定賢篇 Dingxian A definition of worthies 81. 正說篇 Zhengshuo Statements corrected 82. 書解篇 Shujie On literary works 83. 案書篇 Anshu Critical remarks on various books 84. 對作篇 Duizuo Replies in self-defence 85. 自紀篇 Ziji Autobiography
