ABSTRACT
There is no doubt a strong hermeneutical tradition in the history of Chinese arts and humanities. But how one is to characterize this important tradition becomes itself a hermeneutical issue, because our understanding of what constitutes a hermeneutical understanding is hermeneutical, that is, subject to different interpretations. But we can see these interpretations are founded on some underlying model of understanding of reality and truth. Perhaps it is in the nature of interpretation and understanding that an appeal to an understanding of reality and truth is always made. This understanding of reality and truth is thus simultaneously the source of meaning and the driving force for seeking understanding. Without such a reference, no understanding and interpretation can be made. To understand and to interpret is thus to appeal to this understanding of reality for the actualization and validation of a specific interpretation in a specific situation as well as in light of the understanding of the specific situation. Thus we have both elements of change and elements of constancy in the hermeneutical tradition, which are integrated to give rise to a hermeneutical text.
