This paper, a cross-cultural exploration of the Chinese text Dao De Jing, retools Derrida's différance and his questions around the ‘relevant’ translation as a way to deepen an understanding of the heterogeneous and ambiguous aspects of ‘Dao ([Formula: see text])’, ‘De ([Formula: see text])’, ‘Qian ([Formula: see text])’ and Kun ([Formula: see text]). While tracing the etymological roots and evolutions of these Chinese characters that are key to the spirit of Dao De Jing, this paper highlights its polysemic ambiguity and moral productivity, in particular, and shows, with Derrida, how one can benefit from paying deconstructive attention to the “body” of the text that endures the test of time such as acts of translation.
Originating in the categories of "ideas and beliefs" and "artifacts" respectively, Buddhism and lacquer art belong to two cultural fields with little overlap, but they have forged an indissoluble bond with each other in the long history of evolution. Lacquer art gives Chinese Buddhist culture colorful charm, while Chinese Buddhist culture nurtures the profound verve of lacquer art. In the process of trophallaxis and collision, Chinese lacquer and Buddhism have proved to have commonality in cultural pedigree and consistent aesthetic orientation.
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