taiji (Great Ultimate)

E504992

Chinese philosophical concept Neo-Confucian metaphysical principle cosmological principle ultimate reality concept

Taiji (the Great Ultimate) is a central Neo-Confucian metaphysical principle, especially in Zhu Xi’s philosophy, signifying the ultimate source and organizing pattern of all reality and cosmic order.

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All labels observed (3)

Label	Occurrences
Taiji (Supreme Ultimate)	1
taiji (Great Ultimate) canonical	1
theory of Great Void (taixu)	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T5233098 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: taiji (Great Ultimate)
Context triple: [Zhu Xi, philosophicalConcept, taiji (Great Ultimate)]

A. Tao
Tao is a Chinese surname shared by numerous individuals, including the renowned mathematician Terence Tao.
B. Yin & Yang
"Yin & Yang" is a track from the album "China," likely drawing on the traditional Chinese philosophical concept of dualistic balance and harmony.
C. Taoism
Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophical and religious tradition centered on living in harmony with the Tao, emphasizing naturalness, simplicity, and spiritual cultivation.
D. Neidan
Neidan is a traditional Daoist internal alchemy practice focused on refining body, mind, and spirit to achieve spiritual transformation and longevity.
E. Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese internal martial art and meditative practice characterized by slow, flowing movements that promote balance, health, and spiritual cultivation.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: taiji (Great Ultimate)
Target entity description: Taiji (the Great Ultimate) is a central Neo-Confucian metaphysical principle, especially in Zhu Xi’s philosophy, signifying the ultimate source and organizing pattern of all reality and cosmic order.

A. Tao
Tao is a Chinese surname shared by numerous individuals, including the renowned mathematician Terence Tao.
B. Yin & Yang
"Yin & Yang" is a track from the album "China," likely drawing on the traditional Chinese philosophical concept of dualistic balance and harmony.
C. Taoism
Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophical and religious tradition centered on living in harmony with the Tao, emphasizing naturalness, simplicity, and spiritual cultivation.
D. Neidan
Neidan is a traditional Daoist internal alchemy practice focused on refining body, mind, and spirit to achieve spiritual transformation and longevity.
E. Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese internal martial art and meditative practice characterized by slow, flowing movements that promote balance, health, and spiritual cultivation.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (46)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Chinese philosophical concept ⓘ Neo-Confucian metaphysical principle ⓘ cosmological principle ⓘ ultimate reality concept ⓘ
associatedWithPhilosopher	Zhou Dunyi ⓘ Zhu Xi ⓘ
centralIn	Neo-Confucianism ⓘ Zhu Xi’s philosophy ⓘ
connectedToDiagram	Taijitu (Diagram of the Great Ultimate) ⓘ
connectedWith	Heaven (Tian) in Confucian thought ⓘ linked to: Heaven (Shangdi)
consideredByZhuXi	identical with li in its totality ⓘ supreme principle of the universe ⓘ
describedAs	organizing pattern of cosmic order ⓘ ultimate source of all reality ⓘ
developedIn	Song dynasty Neo-Confucianism ⓘ
distinguishedFrom	Wuji (Non-Ultimate) in some Neo-Confucian accounts ⓘ
function	source of all patterns (li) ⓘ unifies multiplicity of things ⓘ
hasAspect	cosmological ⓘ metaphysical ⓘ ontological ⓘ
hasDomain	Chinese cosmology ⓘ Chinese metaphysics ⓘ Chinese philosophy of religion ⓘ
hasNameInChinese	太極 ⓘ linked to: Tai Chi
hasTranslation	Great Ultimate ⓘ
influencedBy	Zhou Dunyi’s Taijitu shuo (Explanation of the Diagram of the Great Ultimate) ⓘ
influences	Neo-Confucian cosmology ⓘ linked to: Neo-Confucianism Neo-Confucian ethics ⓘ Neo-Confucian ontology ⓘ linked to: Neo-Confucianism
linkedTo	cosmic order ⓘ moral order ⓘ
providesBasisFor	classification of things through li ⓘ harmonization of human nature with cosmic order ⓘ
relatedConcept	Wuji (Non-Ultimate) ⓘ li (principle) ⓘ qi (vital force) ⓘ yin-yang ⓘ linked to: yin and yang
roleInCosmology	generates yin and yang ⓘ grounds the order of the cosmos ⓘ
tradition	Confucianism ⓘ Neo-Confucianism ⓘ
understoodAs	principle underlying all change ⓘ unity that gives rise to duality ⓘ
viewInZhuXi	immanent in all things ⓘ not a personal deity ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Zhu Xi → philosophicalConcept → taiji (Great Ultimate) ⓘ

Zhou Dunyi → hasConcept → Taiji (Supreme Ultimate) ⓘ

linked to: taiji (Great Ultimate)

Zhang Zai → knownFor → theory of Great Void (taixu) ⓘ