by Guan Zi
From a Chinese medical perspective, lines 174-191 also follow the creation cycle of the five elemental phases. This begins with the notion that life energy is rooted in the jing (vital essence) of the kidneys:
When pure and vital essence remains, life-energy spontaneously emerges.
One is then externally peaceful and radiant,
Concealing this surging wellspring within.
A flood of harmony and peacefulness,
It becomes an abyss of energy-breath. (NY174-178)
The water phase of kidney-jing gives rise to the wood phase of the liver, expressed in the muscles and the forward yang-energy of growth and determination.
If this abyss does not dry up,
The four limbs solidify; (NY179-180)
The wood phase gives rise to the fire phase of the heart-mind, which may be associated with the “nine orifices” in line 182. Though the ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, urethra and anus are associated with various particular phases, the “free and unblocked” state of the head’s orifices suggests consciousness, and the heart-mind. This connection is also made evident in the opening lines of the Xin Shu Shang: “The heart-mind holds the throne of the ruler. The nine apertures hold offices of various public servants. When the heart-mind remains with Dao, the nine apertures act reasonably.”
If this wellspring is not exhausted,
The nine bodily orifices are free and unblocked.
One can then absorb [243] all of Heaven and Earth,
Covering the four seas. (NY181-184)
The fire phase gives rise to the earth phase, associated with the spleen, the absorption of the stomach, and intention.
Within, one’s intention is not vacillating;
Externally, they are without affliction and calamity.
Their heart-mind is maintained, within,
And their body is maintained, externally. (NY185-188)
This shows the progressive transformations that take place as life-energy reaches through one’s being. The only phase not yet touched on in these lines is the metal-phase, associated with the lungs and skin . Suffice it to say, when one’s intention is not vacillating, their breath may become more natural, deep, and full. Lines 192-193 (below) begin by referring to the healthy glow of the skin that follows the practice of aligning and quieting oneself, mentioned earlier in lines 91-114.
192 人能正靜 ,
When people can align and quiet themselves, [244]
193 皮膚裕 寬 ,
Their skin’s surface is rich and full;
194 耳目聰 明 ,
Their ears and eyes are acute and perceptive;
195 筋信而骨 強 ,
Their muscles and tendons are strong and flexible; their bones are strong and firm.
196 乃能戴大 圜 ,
They can wear the great circle (Heaven) as their head covering,
197 而履大方 。
And the great square (Earth) as their shoes.
198 鑒於大 清 ,
In the great clarity, they are reflected;
199 視於大明 。
With the great illumination, they observe.
200 敬慎無 忒 ,
Being respectful and careful, they are without error;
201 日新其 德 ;
Daily refreshing their virtue,
202 徧知天 下 ,
They know every place under Heaven.
203 窮於四 極 ,
Wherever there is deficiency in the four directions,
204 敬發其 充 ,
They reverently supply.
205 是謂內得 。
This is called “internal attainment.”
206 然而不 反 ,
From this, they do not depart,
207 此生之忒 。
For doing so would give rise to error.
We see here, again, how the heart of the mind must be tended to so as to ensure beneficial emotions, thoughts, and actions. This benefit spans the body, the senses, perceptiveness, and social relationships, ensuring that none of these impinge on the circumstances of the others. With this vitality, perception, and peacefulness, sages bring everything around them closer to harmony. Line 205 might also be translated as “attaining from within,” following an explanation of the same phenomena in the Huainan Zi, chapter one:
To break through to spiritual intelligence is to attain what lies within. ( 得其內者 也 )
Therefore, using the internal to control the external,
Your many endeavours will not fail.
If, internally, you can attain it,
Externally, you can harvest it.
With this inner attainment ( 中之得 則 ),
The five major organs will be peaceful;
Thoughts and worries will be stabilized.
The tendons will be strong, and your strength will be powerful;
Your ears and eyes will be acute and clear… [245]
NY192-207 also describe an ability to reflect Heaven and Earth in mind and body, returning the muscles and tendons to their “ 信 true state” of youthful flexibility, and having the clarity of the sky beyond the clouds with the mental brightness of the sun and moon (see lines 196-199). [246] This is returning the body and mind to an original, unaltered, state of harmonious balance, referred to by Daoist Alchemists as “pre-heaven.”
208 凡道
Invariably, Dao
209 必周必 密 ,
Is sure to enclose, sure to condense,
210 必寬必 舒 ,
Sure to expand, sure to open,
211 必堅必固 。
Sure to strengthen, sure to solidify.
212 守善勿 舍 ,
It preserves excellence (yet) does not dwell.
213 逐淫澤薄 。
It removes excess and nourishes [247] where there is weakness.
214 既知其 極 ,
Having known the furthest limits,
215 反於道德 。
Return to Dao and Virtue.
NY208-215 could be read alongside DDJ77 for further reflection:
The Way of Heaven
Is it not like the stretching of a bow?
What is high, it causes to be pulled low
What is low, it causes to be uplifted
What has excess, it causes to be diminished
What is insufficient it causes to be restored
Heaven’s Way diminishes what has excess
And restores what lacks sufficiency
The way of man, however, is not this way
Diminishing what suffers lack
And assisting where there is excess
Who can have in excess, and care for all under Heaven?
Only those who have Dao
Therefore, sages act but do not expect anything in return
They achieve their ends without lingering
And have no desire to exhibit inner worth
216 全心在 中 ,
Though the heart-mind remains within, [248]
217 不可蔽匿 。
It cannot be concealed;
218 和 [249] 於形 容 ,
The harmony of the body reveals it.
219 見於膚色 。
It is seen in the skin’s colour.
220 善氣迎 人 ,
Welcoming others with an energy-breath of goodness
221 親於弟兄。
Is like embracing them with the affection of brothers and sisters;
222 惡氣迎 人 ,
Welcoming others with an energy-breath of wickedness
223 害於戎兵。
Is like injuring them with a soldier’s spear.
224 不言之 聲 ,
It’s wordless tone [250]
225 疾於雷鼓 。
Strikes like thunder.
226 心氣之 形 ,
The manifestations of the heart-mind’s energy-breath
227 明於日 月 ,
Illuminate like the sun and moon,
228 察
於父母 。
And are perceived as though by one’s own mother and father.
229 賞不足以勸 善 ,
Rewards are not enough to encourage goodness;
230 刑不足以懲過 。
Punishments are not enough to discourage misbehaviour.
231 氣意得
When (the unity of) energy-breath and intention is attained, [251]
232 而天下服 。
All under Heaven coordinates;
233 心意定
When the heart-mind and intention become settled,
234 而天下聽 。
All under Heaven cooperates.
NY216-234 provide an early clarification of the Daoist’s approach to social harmony, and may support their rejection of the perceived [252] Confucian focus on cultivating external conduct: If one’s energy is not balanced and harmonious, it cannot be hidden by external conduct. [253] Thus, it is deemed more beneficial to cultivate “internal virtue,” [254] reclaiming essence and original nature, rather than external behaviours and actions. These lines also profess the superiority of Daoist methods over Legalist methods of government (see especially lines 229-230).
The approach to successful governing found in NY229-234 is central to Daoist advice given to rulers, and helps to contextualize DDJ13:
… What does it mean to say “Appreciate the great worrying
That (favour and disgrace) cause to your person?”
The reason I have great worries is because I have a self
If I did not have a self, what worries would I have?
Therefore, those who (govern) the self as the world
And cherish it as such
On them the world can rely
Those who (govern) the self as the world
And love it as such
To them the world can be entrusted
DDJ13 can be read as advising that a ruler ought not rely on others’ opinions of them, but simply care for and cultivate oneself and the world as though they were one and the same thing. Thereby, they will not be seduced by pursuits for glory and fame at the expense of both the nation and their own body. Similarly, the Nei Ye counsels that cultivating internal harmony and vitality should be the first priority of a ruler.
Zhuang Zi also advises this approach in his chapter “Retiring to Non-attachment (chapter 11)”:
I have heard of retiring to non-attachment; I have not heard of ruling all under Heaven. As for retiring, it is for fear of corrupting the pure nature of all under Heaven. As for non-attachment, it is for fear that the intrinsic virtue of all under Heaven will shift. When all under Heaven does not corrupt their pure nature, nor shift their intrinsic virtue, then order has been attained!
[...] Thus, even the greatness of all under heaven would not suffice for rewards and punishments. Since the time of the three dynasties, there has been nothing but clamour over the business of rewards and punishments. What leisure have they had to find peace in the reality of their pure nature and destiny? Their enjoyment of clear vision? Just debauching in lust. Their enjoyment of hearing? Just debauching in sounds. Their enjoyment of benevolence? Just throwing their intrinsic virtue into disorder. Their enjoyment of righteousness? Just opposing common sense. Their enjoyment of ceremonies? Simply an exhibition of skills. Their enjoyment of music? Simply exhibitions of lewdness. Their enjoyment of wisdom? Simply an exhibition of craft. Their enjoyment of knowledge? Just expositions of fault.
If all under Heaven were to find peace in the reality of their pure natures and destinies, it would make no difference if these eight things existed or disappeared. When all under heaven does not find peace in the reality of their pure natures and destinies, these eight things begin to warp and swell, throwing all under Heaven into chaos. When all under Heaven begins to revere and insist on them, how extensively are all under Heaven mislead! Then they do not simply partake and move on, but will fast before speaking of them, they will kneel when presenting them, they will sing praises of them and dance about. What can I do once it has gone this far?
Therefore if the junzi cannot resist engaging in administration of the world, there is nothing better than to do nothing. Doing nothing, he can then find peace in the reality of his nature and destiny. Therefore, valuing his body as he values the world, to him the world can be entrusted. Having love for his body as he has love for the world, on him, the world can rely. Therefore, if the junzi can contain and not indulge his five senses, nor bring out his intelligence and perception, he will be still as a corpse yet displaying a dragon, quiet as an abyss yet with a voice like thunder. His spirit’s movements will be entrained with Heaven. Though at ease and without action, myriads of things will accumulate around him. (Following this, he will ask) “What leisure do I have to govern the world?” [255]
As Lao Zi says in DDJ33 “Those who overpower others are strong. Those who overpower themselves are powerful.”
235 摶氣如 神 ,
By consolidating [256] their energy-breath (and becoming) spirit-like, [257]
236 萬物備存 。
The myriad things perfect their existence.
237 能摶 乎？能一乎？
Can you consolidate it? Can you unify it? [258]
238 能無卜筮
Can you, without divining by yarrow stalks,
239 而知吉凶乎？
Know what is fortunate and what is perilous?
240 能止乎？能已乎？
Can you stop (peril from arriving)? Can you make it cease?
241 能勿求諸人
Can you not seek this from others
242 而得之己乎？
But attain it in yourself?
243 思之思 之 ,
If you think about it and think about it,
244 又重思 之 ;
And then go back and think about it some more,
245 思之而不 通 ,
Your thinking about it will not reach (comprehension).
246 鬼神將通 之 :
Ghosts and spirits move forward and reach this (comprehension of altering fortune),
247 非鬼神之力 也 ,
Not because of the ghost’s and spirit’s efforts (in thinking about it),
248 精氣之極也 。
(But because of) the extent of their vital essence and energy-breath.
249 四體 既 正 ,
When the four limbs are aligned,
250 血氣既 靜 ,
The blood and energy-breath are tranquil
251 一意摶 心 ,
When unifying intention and consolidating the heart,
252 耳目不 淫 ,
The ears and eyes do not indulge,
253 雖遠若近 。
Yet what is far off is as though near.
To understand the implications of consolidating qi and becoming “spirit-like,” it helps to understand ling and ling qi , the cultivation of which is the focus of lines 327-353, below. It is ling , spiritual potency, that spirits are said to consist of, and so to consolidate qi and become spirit like is to cultivate this ling qi. The above precautions concerning thought correlate to the following lines, 254-266, which show how thinking, a major source of stagnation due to knotted qi in Chinese medicine, can bring one out of the natural balance that fosters inner potency. Ling also carries the meaning of the efficacy of Dao. As Dao is sometimes referred to as a carpenter’s level or chalk-line, showing what is just and what is crooked, [259] to move away from Dao would bring the loss of this efficacy, and thereby misfortune (see line 240). To be careful of excessive thought is to remain close to this guiding line and avoid illnesses and calamities before they arrive (see 327-353). Remaining close to Dao in such a way, one does not “wait until thirsty to dig a well.” As Qi Bo explains in Nei Jing, Su Wen , chapter two:
As for Dao, the sages practice it; the foolish decorate themselves with it. To accord with yin and yang leads to life; to oppose them leads to death. To accord with yin and yang leads to order; to oppose
them leads to chaos… Therefore, sages did not establish order to stop illness, they established order before illness arose. They did not establish order to stop chaos, they established order before chaos arose. To provide medicine after illness is already affixed, or instill order after chaos has already ensued, this is like digging a well after one is already thirsty, or fashioning weapons after war has already begun. [260]
Lines 235-253 may also help to show the early teachings behind DDJ10, especially in regards to inner consolidation, and freeing the mind of inner dialogue.
DDJ10:
Guard the fortress of your bodily spirits
Embrace Oneness
Can you do this without letting them flee?
Gather together the energy-breath and become soft
This is the power of an infant
Looking deeply
Purify and eliminate
Can you be without flaw?
Caring for the people and governing the nation
Can you be without effort?
Heaven’s gate opens and closes
Can you act the part of the female?
With your awareness shining on every corner
Can you be without knowledge?
Giving them life and cultivating them
Giving them life yet not possessing them
Acting for them yet not expecting of them
Leading them forward but not managing them
This is called Fathomless Virtue
254 思索生 知 ,
Thinking and searching give rise to knowledge;
255 慢易生 憂 ,
Sluggishness and idleness give rise to anxiety; [261]
256 暴傲生 怨 ,
Aggression and arrogance give rise to anger;
257 憂鬱生 疾 ,
Deep anxiety gives rise to illness.
258 疾困乃死 。
When illness overwhelms, there is death. [262]
259 思之而不 捨 ,
By thinking about it, and not letting go,