『道德經』 2장 ‘天下皆知美之爲美, 斯惡已’의 해석에 관한 一考

Abstract

The chapter Two in Wang Bi version(王弼本) corresponds to chapter One of Chu bamboo Chujian version(楚簡本) because Chu bamboo Chujian version(楚簡本) does not include a chapter equivalent to chapter One in Wang Bi version(王弼本). Accordingly, the chapter Two would be very important one in Daodejing(道德經). But the interpretations for the first sentence of the chapter Two, ‘天下皆知美之爲美, 斯惡已.’ are very different each other according to translator so that whole meaning of the chapter Two might be varied depending upon how to interpret the sentence.
 The purpose of this study is designed to newly interpret the sentence, ‘天下皆知美之爲美, 斯惡已.’ after suggesting the causes for different interpretations on the sentence in the past and the problems.
 For ‘天下皆知美之爲美, 斯惡已.’, its interpretation can be varied according to in what meanings ‘Wei(爲: to become)’ and words just before ‘Yi(已)’ are figured out, and according to thing to be pointed out by demonstrative pronoun ‘Si(斯: this)’. However, it is difficult to provide a right interpretation in existing way.
 The subject of ‘天下皆知美之爲美.’ is Jie(皆: all) and Tianxia(天下: under heaven) is a modifier for Jie(皆). Zhi(知: to know) is main verb and ‘美之爲美’ is a final clause. In the final clause, the subject is Mei(美: beauty), Zhi(之) is subjective case particle, Wei(爲) is a verb meaning ‘to become ~.’, and Mei(美) is a complement. Accordingly, a new interpretation on the sentence says, ‘all the people under heaven know that beauty becomes beauty.’ And demonstrative pronoun ‘Si(斯: this)’ points out ‘Weimei(爲美: to become beauty)’, ‘E(惡: ugliness)’ is a complement. Accordingly, ‘斯惡已’ is interpreted as ‘to become beauty is ugliness.’ That is, ‘惡之爲美: ugliness becomes beauty.’ Therefore, the sentence, ‘天下皆知美之爲美, 斯惡已.’ can be interpreted as ‘when all the people under heaven know that beauty becomes beauty, to become beauty is ugliness.’