The Huainanzi
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29. Not, as might be supposed, Qin Shihuangdi, but Shi huang , “Exalted Scribe,” another name for Cang Jie, the supposed grand historian for the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters.
30. Rejecting the argument of Liu Wendian, based on the Taiping yulan, that this should be “right” rather than “left.” See Lau, HNZ, 205n.9. The original text’s reading of “left” is probably correct: it would be advantageous for an archer to have a long left arm (the arm that actually holds the bow), because that would allow the bow to be bent more deeply.
31. This phrase, which seems to be a cliché for describing the sharpness of a sword, recurs in 19.7.
32. A similar point is made in 9.11.
33. These lines echo the opening passage of chap. 4. For liu he , the “six coordinates,” see Major 1993, 146.
34. This description of animals echoes a similar passage in 15.1.
35. Huanhe . On the terms for “badger,” see also chap. 1, n. 33.
36. Hu Cao was a (mythical) minister of the Yellow Emperor.
37. A similar argument is made in 12.10.
38. Cantan , “triply plucking (the strings),” and fuhui, , “doubly pressing (the frets),” refer to the movements of the player’s right and left hands, respectively. We are grateful to Bo Lawergren and Yuan Jung-ping (private communications) for their help with the technical terminology of this passage.
39. Jue Duo , “Grabbing-Grasping,” was a legendary figure known for manual adeptness. See 18.16.
40. Jian is a type of abrasive stone that is pulverized into grit and used in shaping jade. See similar comments in 16.81 and 17.28.
41. Lau, HNZ, 206n.7. Similar language appears in 1.1 and 15.4 to describe the Way.
42. Rejecting Yang Shuda’s proposed emendation of cheng for shi . See Lau, HNZ, 206n.8.
43. Odes 288 (modified from Waley/Allen 1996, 302).
44. Nanrong Chou features in a long narrative in Zhuangzi 23 (ZZ 23/64/25–23/65/24).
45. A “stage” (she ) is a day’s march. See 17.182.
46. Tailao was a sacrificial feast of beef, mutton, and pork.
47. The battle took place in 506 B.C.E.
48. Cheng Daxin was a Chu grandee during the Spring and Autumn period.
49. Shen Baoxu was a scion of the royal house and high minister of Chu.
50. Mound Pig and Long Snake were two legendary monsters. See 8.6.
51. That is, the central states of the North China plain.
52. One Han dynasty “foot” (chi ) measured about nine English inches, so seven “feet” is equal to five feet, three inches.
53. Odes, 163 (Waley/Allen 1996, 135).
54. The same phrase occurs in 8.6.
55. Lu Ban was famously ingenious craftsman, also known as Gongshu Ban. See 19.3; and chap. 11, n. 81.
56. See the account in LSCQ 16.7/96/30–32. Lau (HNZ, 208n.4) identifies Xiezi in this passage with Qi Shezi from Shuo yuan 17/3b.
57. King Hui of Qin (r. 337–311 B.C.E.) was an aggressive ruler who expanded the power of Qin during his tenure as monarch. After taking the throne, he executed the reformer Shang Yang but carried on his progressive policies.
58. Tang Guliang was a minister of Qin.
59. According to Tao Fangqi, Li Qi was a famous musician of Zhao. See Zhang Shuangdi 1997, 2:2013n.17.
60. For the story of Bian He and his attempt to present a piece of raw jade to successive kings of Chu, see chap. 14, n. 57.
61. King Zhuang of Chu reigned from 613 to 591 B.C.E.
62. Literally, “those in the anterooms”—that is, the ruler’s favorites.
63. Master Tang ; according to Gao You and later commentators, this is a lexical variant for Music Master Tang , who is said to have instructed Confucius himself.
64. Moyang and Moye were famous swords; Hualiu and Lü’er, famous horses; and Lanxie and Haozhong, famous qin —in each case, exemplars of perfection.
65. These are key sections of the Documents and the Odes, respectively.
66. Gong , “skilled workers”; it is not clear whether the reference here is to bronze founders or to professional musicians.
67. There is an implied criticism here that no one in his time understood sounds, but Music Master Kuang was looking at the set of bells from a long perspective. The passage also reflects the idea that bells and other expensive bronze ritual objects were explicitly intended (as their inscriptions show) to be handed down as heirlooms to later generations. Music Master Kuang is protecting the duke’s reputation by insisting on well-tuned bells to be handed down and appreciated by the music connoisseurs of later times.
This anecdote seems to imply a concept of absolute pitch (see app. B, “Music and Mathematical Harmonics”) and apparently reflects a belief that some of Music Master Kuang’s legendary skill was attributable to his having the gift of perfect pitch. See also 20.21. We thank Dan Lusthaus (private communication) for sharing these insights with us.
68. In this context, the connotation is of masculinity and perhaps barbarism, not of luxury or feminine elegance.
69. Artificial eyebrows applied with makeup.
70. Equating jia with zi , following Gao You’s commentary.
71. Odes 288 (modified from Waley/Allen 1996, 302). The same poem was quoted earlier in this chapter. See n. 43.
Twenty
THE EXALTED LINEAGE
WITH NINETEEN chapters behind him and his royal curriculum nearly complete, the young monarch who is the ideal reader of the Huainanzi is now invited to “knot the net of the Way of Governance and weave the web of the True King,” thus rounding off his education. This chapter, “The Exalted Lineage,” reminds the monarch, who has been trained to aspire to sagely rule, that the “Moral Potency that takes shape within is the great foundation of governance.”1 Moreover, this chapter makes clear that such internally generated Moral Potency has far-reaching cosmopolitical implications affecting both Heaven above and the people below. As this chapter returns to the theme of sagely governance, it does so with an eye to reiterating those attributes essential to its realization. It identifies for the reader a number of exemplary rulers of the recent and remote past who embodied these ideals and thereby brought order and harmony to the wider world. Not surprisingly, a number of the themes and concepts associated with the sage and his governance found in this chapter reiterate claims made in earlier chapters of the Huainanzi, drawing this great didactic oeuvre to a close.
The Chapter Title
We have translated the title “Tai zu” as “The Exalted Lineage.”2 Tai is associated with all things that take the qualities of goodness and abundance to the extreme; thus the word denotes something that is exalted, honorable, extensive, and prosperous. Zu is a kinship term describing those associated by a blood relationship, such as a family, clan, or lineage. “The Exalted Lineage” carries a double meaning here. On the one hand, it refers to the illustrious line of rulers who have practiced sagely government since the beginning of historical time, beginning with the Five Thearchs and the Three Kings and continuing (at least in aspiration) to the sage-in-training of Liu An’s own time, Emperor Wu. Collectively, those rulers comprise a fictive kinship lineage of sages. On the other hand, the title also refers implicitly to the Liu clan, the imperial house of the Han dynasty, and to the potential of members of that clan to bring honor and prosperity to their lineage by perpetuating the tradition of virtuous rule established by the dynastic founder. The Huainanzi was presented to the newly enthroned Emperor Wu in 139 B.C.E. and apparently was compiled under the supervision of and with the active participation of the emperor’s uncle Liu An as a manifesto of Han imperial rule. The Huainanzi is thus self-described as the means for ensuring the prosperity, security, and longevity of the imperial house of Han. “The Exalted Lineage” implies that the Liu clan is uniquely positioned to perpetuate into the indefinite future a history of sagely governance extending back to the farthest roots of Chinese civilization.
Summary and Key Theme
s
Chapter 20 restates and brings into sharper focus the lessons of the preceding nineteen chapters. A summary of “The Exalted Lineage” is therefore, to some extent, a summary of the Huainanzi as a whole. But this chapter is more than just a recapitulation. It has an important message of its own, which is to define the psychological qualities needed by a sage-ruler.
The chapter opens with several sections emphasizing the “thus-of-itself” (ziran ) character of the natural world, recalling the cosmogonic and naturalist themes in chapters 1 through 6 used in the Huainanzi to set the stage for an inquiry into the human realm and its proper governance. The reader is reminded that the universe operates by its own principles and not for the benefit of any particular creatures among the “myriad things.” To understand this is to possess “spirit illumination” (shenming ), and to activate spirit illumination by means of one’s “Heavenly Heart” allows the sage-ruler to conform to the principles of the Way in all things. Thus the message of chapter 6 is reiterated: resonance (ganying ) links everything in the cosmos in constant interaction, and the ruler serves to modulate those interactions. Having achieved inner cultivation, as described in chapter 7, “The Quintessential Spirit,” the ruler in his interactions with the external world is
boundless and formless,
quiet and voiceless. (20.8)
After a series of reminders from the worlds of craft and skill (such as woodworking and metal casting) that useful things are accomplished by following the natural propensities of things, the middle sections of the chapter hold up for emulation the great models of antiquity: the Five Thearchs and the Three Kings. Those worthies also succeeded in creating perfect governance by following the natural order of things. They understood that different circumstances require different approaches, that different problems require different solutions. They did not confine themselves to a single policy, and even in applying the classics, they practiced moderation and avoided going to extremes (20.13).
The sages of antiquity were broad-minded and farsighted (20.15). The people respond to the personal qualities of the sage, not to externalities. They stir in response to the ruler’s Quintessential qi, are transformed by his Heavenly Heart, and are moved by his Quintessential Sincerity (20.17). In order to achieve this, the sages first governed themselves and thus were able to govern the state (20.18). Although the sages did not hesitate to use law in governance, they knew that law alone was not sufficient to create order: “Though laws exist, they must await a sage, and only then can there be good government” (20.21). An essential quality of the sage is that he is able to transform the people; thus laws exist, but they do not need to be relied on:
[W]hen the ruler called, the people harmonized;
when the ruler moved, the lowly followed. (20.23)
How does one cultivate the qualities of a sage? In part by understanding and embodying the virtues: Propriety and Wisdom (20.22–23) and Humaneness and Rightness (20.26–27). Collectively, these constitute one’s Moral Potency. Here, again, one path to successful practice is to emulate model figures from the past: the Duke of Zhou, Confucius, the recluse Duangan Mu, the vigorous minister Li Ke, and many others—“These were men whose actions differed but who [alike] turned their steps toward goodness” (20.26).
Finally, how can one emulate the sages? Through education, so “The Exalted Lineage” turns (in sections 20.30 through 20.34) to the importance of education and the limitless joy and benefit that it brings. In contrast, ignorance is misery, whereas learning liberates even the meanest person from that miserable state. To neglect study is to impose on oneself an unnecessary handicap: “Thus when we compare failure to study with studying, it is like comparing the deaf and dumb with unimpaired people” (20.32). One might be tempted to take shortcuts when in power—such as Shang Yang’s reliance on excessively harsh laws to maintain order or King Fuchai of Wu’s reliance on the arrogance of military prowess to achieve security—but such techniques are of no avail in the long run.
The qualities of a sage can be reduced to two essentials: Humaneness and Wisdom. Accordingly, the chapter concludes on a note that is both cautionary and hopeful: cautionary because the ruler will be tempted to find an easy path, even though such paths lead only to ruin; hopeful because the essential qualities of a sage can be achieved:
[T]here is no Humaneness greater than loving others;
there is no Wisdom greater than understanding others.
If you have neither of these, even if you are perceptive and smart, clever and skillful, and work hard and untiringly, you will not avoid disorder. (20.39)
Sources
Whereas previous chapters of the Huainanzi often drew extensively on other works of Warring States and Han literature, history, and political philosophy, representing a variety of perspectives, chapter 20 borrows primarily from the book’s own content, along with the fund of historical anecdotes and political lore that was the common heritage of every educated person of the age. The work closes with a few reminders to its reader, a monarch in training to become a sage.
What are the lessons that the Huainanzi authors chose? They can be characterized as a series of complementary polarities: draw your lessons from human history, seeking inspiration from and emulating the greatest sages of the past, the Five Thearchs and the Three Kings;3 but also become familiar with and correlate your governance with the constant patterns and cycles inherent in Heaven, Earth, and the seasons.4 Likewise, follow the inherent qualities of the myriad things and the inherent natural tendencies of your people, and you will be able to bring perfection to the world.5 Be ever mindful of communing with Heaven above by means of your Heavenly Heart,6 but be equally vigilant in transforming like a spirit7 the habits and customs of the people below by means of your Quintessential Sincerity.8 Heaven will respond in kind, repaying goodness with auspicious anomalies and evil with baleful occurrences.9 So, too, will the people, as they did with the Great King Danfu: when he left Bin with staff and whip in hand, “the common people followed him, carrying their young, supporting their old, and shouldering their axes and earthenware [pots], they traversed the Liang Mountains and established a state in Qizhou.” In this way, they were drawn to his Quintessential Sincerity.10 Turn inward to cultivate the insights that only spirit illumination11 can provide, but look outward to the classics and to other great traditions of learning and inquiry, sources of both intellectual support and unsurpassed joy.12 Make use of the law13 but recognize its limitations, and make sure that it is administered by worthy men and supplemented with the appropriate panoply of virtues.14 Never cease in your aspirations to sagely rule, but remember that no ruler can hope to ascend such lofty heights without worthy and virtuous assistants by his side. Establish a humane, trustworthy, and awe-inspiring presence by relying on both nonverbal and verbal forms of communication.15 Remember these cardinal principles, aspire to them constantly, and you will become a sage.
The Chapter in the Context of the Huainanzi as a Whole
The fabric nearly complete, the weaver pauses to reflect on the warp and weft threads that, with every pass of the shuttle, combine to form this richly variegated tapestry of sagely governance. Casting one last glance over the intricate design of his fine production, he removes the fabric from the loom and prepares to add its final embellishment of embroidery, highlighting its essential themes.
If a young monarch-in-training has been diligent in working his way through the Huainanzi ’s previous nineteen chapters, his education as an aspiring sage-ruler is nearly complete. It remains for him only to review and reflect on what he has learned. To that end, here, in this chapter, the reader is reminded of the complementary polarities running through much of the text, like the warp and weft threads of a great tapestry. Taken together, they constitute the web of a surpassingly comprehensive description of the Great Way.
Sarah A. Queen and John S. Major
1. (21/226/21). Note that the phrase “Moral Potency taking shape within” occurs repeatedly in this chapte
r, recalling a central theme of the Mawangdui manuscript Wuxing (Five Conducts). See Csikszentmihalyi 2004.
2. This title can have many interpretations. Ames 1994, 100, translates it as “The Great Family,” and Csikszentmihalyi, 2004, 158, understands it as “The Great Gathering.” Le Blanc and Mathieu 2003 take a different interpretive tack altogether and render it as “De la synthèse ultime.”
3. According to the summary in Huainanzi 21, this chapter
provides the means to observe how the Five Thearchs and the Three Kings
embraced the heavenly qi,
cherished the Heavenly Heart,
and grasped centrality and savored harmony.
Their Moral Potency having taken shape within [them],
it then cohered Heaven and Earth,
issued forth and aroused yin and yang,
ordered the four seasons,
rectified the changeable directions,
calmed things with its tranquillity,
and extended them with its efficaciousness.
[Their Moral Potency] then thereby
fired and smelted the myriad things,
buoyed up and transformed the innumerable life forms,
singing forth, they harmonized,
moving about, they followed along,
so that all things within the Four Seas with a single mind unanimously offered their allegiance. (21.2)
Many chapters of the Huainanzi use various historical examples to present their arguments. The Five Thearchs and the Three Kings figure prominently throughout much of the text. They are cited as exemplary models of sagely governance in chaps. 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 20, and 21, although the specific rulers constituting these groups vary.
4. As explained in 20.4:
Thus the Great Man
conforms in Potency with Heaven and Earth,
conforms in brightness with the sun and moon,
conforms in numinous efficacy with the ghosts and spirits,