Discourse Coherence in Ancient Chinese Texts: A Case Study of the Tao Te Ching
Abstract
Taking the Tao Te Ching as the object of study, this research explores the role of chapter coherence in the study of ancient Chinese texts and its theoretical significance. Based on Hume's three principles of association (similarity, spatial and temporal proximity, and causality), the article analyses how chapter coherence helps to reconstruct the logical structure and philosophical connotation of the text in the light of the experimental interpretation of the sentence reading controversy of the Tao Te Ching. By analysing the sentence-reading controversies of the passages ‘Namelessness is the beginning of heaven and earth; name is the mother of all things’, ‘There is always no desire to see its beauty; there is always a desire to see its mere existence’, and ‘The Tao is impulsive, but the use of it is not in abundance’, this paper reveals how chapter coherence helps to reconstruct the logical structure and philosophical connotation of the text, and explores its deeper significance for understanding Laozi's philosophical ideas of ‘to have’ and ‘to have not’. The study suggests that although sentence reading may affect readers' intuitive understanding, chapter coherence analysis allows for a more rational treatment of the text, optimising its readability while preserving its core philosophical connotations. In addition, the article also explores the value of chapter coherence research in the interpretation of implicit logical relations in ancient Chinese, pointing out its importance in lowering the threshold of textual comprehension and facilitating the dissemination of ancient ideas.
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