The State of the Field Report XIII: Contemporary Chinese Studies of Zhengyan Ruo Fan (Straightforward Words Seem Paradoxical) in Laozi 78.

The proposition zhengyan ruo fan 正言若反 (straightforward words seem paradoxical) embodies Laozi's 老子 linguistic self-consciousness about the expression of ideas, and the way of thinking presented by this proposition is also commonly considered by ancient exegetes to be reflected in the linguistic expressions of Daoism. As such, contemporary Chinese scholars have paid great attention to this proposition and have discussed it enthusiastically. However, researchers have not yet reached a consensus on how to interpret this proposition. The divergence of views among scholars is manifested both in the interpretation of this proposition according to the context it appears in and how to locate its role and status in Laozi's thought. In terms of the interpretation of the text, scholars have different views on the chapter to which zhengyan ruo fan should be attributed and the precise meaning of this proposition in the chapter where it appears. Scholars have also paid attention to linguistic phenomena involved in the Laozi, the theoretical motives behind these linguistic phenomena, and the way they relate to other important concepts in Laozi. There are many differences in the discussed opinions. In this article, an overview of these different views and an assessment of the merits and flaws of each interpretation in light of the textual basis and theoretical feasibility is provided in order to increase understanding of the linguistic expression and the thought behind it, in regard to Laozi in particular and even Daoism in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]