<p>the text from 朱子語類 卷一 理氣上 has the structure: a <strong>is not</strong> b, [because] a <strong>is</strong> c; <strong>isn’t it</strong>?</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>問﹒太極<strong>不是</strong>未有天地之先﹒有箇渾成之物﹒<strong>是</strong>天地萬物之理總名﹒<strong>否</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>it would be interpreted as:</p>

<p>[someone] asked (問): “tai chi (太極) <strong>is not (不是)</strong> [exist] before the universe (未有天地之先), as a (有箇) turbid (渾成) thing (之物),  [tai chi] <strong>is (是)</strong> the name (名) of the set (總) of principles (理) of everything (萬物) in the universe (天地); <strong>isn’t it (否)</strong>?</p>

<p>the logic of the second verse is:</p>

<p>thing-1 in the universe has the principle 1 (p1), thing-2 in the universe has the principle 2 (p2), . . . thing-n in the universe has the principle n (pn).</p>

<p>so, the set (mathematics) of these principles is the collection of each principle; a pantheism view.</p>

<p>back to the question, the quoted explanation of baidu is <strong>incorrect</strong></p>

<p>have fun :)</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0TOBg.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0TOBg.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-20T16:31:38.880Z
Ah, many thanks - this is a very clear explanation.
McCzajnik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-20T12:23:36.350Z
2020-03-20T12:23:36.350Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>No classical training, but this is fun to look at. I would break it down like this:</p>

<p>I think 浑成之物 alludes to: 浑然天成：natural, like nature</p>

<p>太极: the supreme<br>
不是: is not<br>
未有天地之先: not have universe before  = before the universe existed<br>
有个浑成之物，: that nature<br>
是: it is<br>
天地万物之理总名: universe all things total<br>
否？: no?  </p>

<p>Maybe as a cross reference: <a href="https://www.jingangjing.net/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Diamond Sutra</a>, 第七品 无得无说分</p>

<p>(Read 太极 for Truth)</p>

<p>"the Tathagata has said that Truth is not a thing that can be differentiated or contained and therefore Truth cannot be grasped or expressed. The Truth neither is nor is not."  </p>

<p>Or the breath-taking words of 惠能：</p>

<p>菩提本无树，明镜亦无台。<br>
佛情常清净，何处有尘埃。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-20T12:25:16.083Z
excellent, you chopped the 否 separately :) my salute 
水巷孑蠻
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-20T23:28:21.407Z
Coming from an expert such as yourself, I take that as a great compliment, thank you.
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-20T02:26:40.420Z
2020-03-20T02:26:40.420Z
Pedroski
<p>There is this sentence from the opening of the fist chapterof 语类 by Zhu Xi: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>太极不是未有天地之先有个浑成之物，是天地万物之理总名否？</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Baihua version seems to treat the "不是" part as if it ment "是不是" So the sentence would mean something like: </p>

<p>"Does Tai Ji mean that before Heaven and Earth there was a certain mixture of things and is it [i.e. tai ji] a general name for li of Heaven Earth and all things"</p>

<p>But I do not understand why "不是" should have such meaning? Is it a feature of classical Chinese?  Why shouldn't it mean: </p>

<p>"Tai Ji is not (不是) a mixture of things that existed before Heaven and Earth, is it [then] a general name for Li of Heaven earth and all things?" </p>

<p>or soemthing like that???</p>

<classical-chinese>
Why there is "不” in “太极不是未有天地之先有个浑成之物，是天地万物之理总名否？”
# Why there is "不” in “太极不是未有天地之先有个浑成之物，是天地万物之理总名否？”

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-03-19)

There is this sentence from the opening of the fist chapterof 语类 by Zhu Xi:

> 太极不是未有天地之先有个浑成之物，是天地万物之理总名否？

Baihua version seems to treat the "不是" part as if it ment "是不是" So the sentence would mean something like:

"Does Tai Ji mean that before Heaven and Earth there was a certain mixture of things and is it [i.e. tai ji] a general name for li of Heaven Earth and all things"

But I do not understand why "不是" should have such meaning? Is it a feature of classical Chinese? Why shouldn't it mean:

"Tai Ji is not (不是) a mixture of things that existed before Heaven and Earth, is it [then] a general name for Li of Heaven earth and all things?"

or soemthing like that???

**Tags:** classical-chinese


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-03-20. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

the text from 朱子語類 卷一 理氣上 has the structure: a **is not** b, [because] a **is** c; **isn’t it**?

> 問﹒太極**不是**未有天地之先﹒有箇渾成之物﹒**是**天地萬物之理總名﹒**否**

it would be interpreted as:

[someone] asked (問): “tai chi (太極) **is not (不是)** [exist] before the universe (未有天地之先), as a (有箇) turbid (渾成) thing (之物), [tai chi] **is (是)** the name (名) of the set (總) of principles (理) of everything (萬物) in the universe (天地); **isn’t it (否)**?

the logic of the second verse is:

thing-1 in the universe has the principle 1 (p1), thing-2 in the universe has the principle 2 (p2), . . . thing-n in the universe has the principle n (pn).

so, the set (mathematics) of these principles is the collection of each principle; a pantheism view.

back to the question, the quoted explanation of baidu is **incorrect**

have fun :)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/0TOBg.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/0TOBg.png)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ah, many thanks - this is a very clear explanation.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-03-20. Score: 0

No classical training, but this is fun to look at. I would break it down like this:

I think 浑成之物 alludes to: 浑然天成：natural, like nature

太极: the supreme  
不是: is not  
未有天地之先: not have universe before = before the universe existed  
有个浑成之物，: that nature  
是: it is  
天地万物之理总名: universe all things total  
否？: no?

Maybe as a cross reference: [The Diamond Sutra](https://www.jingangjing.net/), 第七品 无得无说分

(Read 太极 for Truth)

"the Tathagata has said that Truth is not a thing that can be differentiated or contained and therefore Truth cannot be grasped or expressed. The Truth neither is nor is not."

Or the breath-taking words of 惠能：

菩提本无树，明镜亦无台。  
佛情常清净，何处有尘埃。

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: excellent, you chopped the 否 separately :) my salute   
> **username_2**: Coming from an expert such as yourself, I take that as a great compliment, thank you.  

---

