The anti-destiny as destiny in the poetry of François Cheng Cover Image

L’antidestin comme destin dans la poésie de François Cheng
The anti-destiny as destiny in the poetry of François Cheng

Author(s): Dima Hamdan
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Classiques Garnier
Keywords: destiny; poem; taoism; the empty; war; willingness; freedom; progress; wisdom

Summary/Abstract: This article focuses on a different conception of destiny, inspired by the teaching of Chinese thinking which left a mark on the poet François Cheng. After he had lived through the torments of war that marked the lives of Chinese in the first half of the 20th century, Cheng meditates on the collective destiny doomed to destruction. Influenced by the Taoist wisdom which postulates that people should be influenced by the law of mutations, by impermanence, by the alternation between death and life, the poet shows that nothing is absolute and life is a continuous oscillation between good and bad. Change is a constant law and people must have faith in a divine being that exists in itself, related to the origins. The inevitable destiny is a necessity that should motivate people and should encourage them to act, to cultivate optimism. Everything is to preserve wisdom and not become touched by violence, although there is a risk to turn to the infinite chain of war. The article will analyze the stages that guide people in the transfiguration of destiny. On the one hand, we will show that destiny is reversible. The poet has the power to contribute to the transmutation of destiny, it is the power to have the Wisdom: willingness, the effort to maintain a high level of patience when faced to war, which is a disorder in the world, and the courage will determine the evolution of life. Destiny is a moving power, non-absolute and stable. Education and willingness are resources and factors that make people become the engine of change and progress. On the other hand, we are going to study the role of poetry in the realization of the reversibility starting from poetic language. This means that Cheng combines poetry and philosophy.

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 10
  • Page Range: 66-82
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: French