ABSTRACT
To understand the doctrine of qiongli, “thorough realization of li,” we need to know something about li, “pattern,” “order,” “reason,” “principle.” Etymologically, li stands for natural patterning in a piece of jade; as a verb, it means carving a pattern on jade. This idea of li can, in theory, be traced to the late Neolithic, when Chinese people began to use fine stone tools, including jade. We find jade used as a sacred symbol with cosmic meaning in the Neolithic Longshan culture of about 6000 B.C.E. The natural patterning (li) of jade provided a paradigm for understanding reality by making it possible to conceive of natural patterns within or underlying all things in the universe. The word li does not actually occur in the original texts of the Yijing, which may date from 4000 B.C.E.; nevertheless, the concept of li seems to have become philosophically relevant for understanding the universe, nature, human life, and society during the period between 6000 and 4000 B.C.E.
