The Self Before Phenomena ： A Philosophical Structure Embedded in Chinese Characters

Chinese characters are not mere writing; they are a philosophical structure embedded in their very forms by the ancients. By analyzing characters such as 吾, 天, 道, 命, 性, 德, 学, and 易, this essay reveals a coherent metaphysical picture: 吾 is the ground prior to all phenomena, through which the “I” unfolds the world; tian is the transcendent perspective where anyone can serve as the first person; 道 is a ceaseless cycle without an absolute head; 易 is like a lizard—change and changelessness share one body. The essay rejects both an evolutionary condescension toward antiquity and a reverential glorification of it, insisting instead that human beings and their world are fundamentally the same across ages. This is neither a mystical fetishization of Chinese characters nor a work of philological exegesis, but a serious attempt to return, through the images embodied in writing, to the philosophical reflections of the ancients. For readers curious about who the “I” is and why the world is as it is, the author offers a picture worth considering.（These articles are just records of places I’ve passed by. Don’t take them too seriously, my friend — they may be full of mistakes. Trust yourself. If you want to find my recent location, please check the pinned post or updates on my homepage.）