Abstract
This chapter focuses on the Guanzi, a complex collection of texts generally attributed to the Jixia Academy of the state of Qi around the late fourth century BCE. Among those texts, four—Neiye (Inward Training), Xinshu Shang, Xia (Techniques of the Mind, I and II), and Baixin (The Purified Mind)—are classified as Daoist or Huang-Lao. After introducing various theories about their dating, authors, and features, Roth presents a clear and seminal analysis of the four texts. He asserts that their theories are grounded in a concept of Dao as a transcendent yet immanent, imperceptible yet graspable, universal force that shares many features of Dao in the Laozi. This is a reminder that Daoist scholars should still pay attention to these less central texts.
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- 1.
It has become scholarly dogma in recent years to follow Nathan Sivin in doubting the existence of such an academy as myth. But a recent article by Andrew S. Meyer persuasively argues for the both the existence of such a “community of knights” and their decisive influence on Warring states intellectual history for a period of more than 130 years. For details see Sivin 1995: 28 and Meyer 2010–11.
- 2.
- 3.
For further details on the history of Jixia, see Chien 1985: 231–35, 540–74.
- 4.
Other scholars divide the text into different numbers of distinct verses. For example, Gustav Haloun finds 22 distinct verses (see Riegel 1978: 143–69); Ma Feibai (1990) sees fifteen. Allyn Rickett (1998: 39–55) finds 15 sections that he further subdivides into an additional 18 sections. For further details, see Roth 1999: 12–15.
- 5.
Roth (1999: 53–54).
- 6.
Roth 1999: 54–55.
- 7.
Roth 1999: 78–79.
- 8.
- 9.
Roth 1999: 76–77.
- 10.
Roth 1999: 70–71.
- 11.
13/1a5–8. All Guanzi references are to the Sibu congkan (SBCK) edition. Textual emendations are all taken from Guo et al. 1955: 633–49. For details on each of them see Guo et al. 1955, which collects the text critical comments of the major Qing and Republican scholars in addition to the author-editors. In subsequent notes I will only give the name of the scholar whose emendation I follow. All translations given here are my own.
- 12.
In texts of this period, li 理 is often translated as “patterns” or “inherent patterns.” This idea comes from its initial use to represent the faint patterns in jade.
- 13.
Deleting gu yue (therefore it says) at the start of the sentence, following many scholars.
- 14.
Moving this sentence here from a position in the comment section (just before the final line) to which it was erroneously displaced, following Guo Moruo.
- 15.
SBCK13/1a10–12.
- 16.
SBCK 13/2b7–10.
- 17.
Adding zhiyan (words) after buyan (unspoken), following Wang Niansun.
- 18.
SBCK 13/1b12–2a3.
- 19.
Deleting ying (respond) as an erroneous insertion, following Wang Yinzhi.
- 20.
Reading zhi (it, of, this) as ci (this), following many scholars.
- 21.
Responsiveness refers to the sage’s ability to spontaneously perceive things “just as they are” and to, without any forethought, react to them in a completely appropriate and harmonious manner. Adaptation refers to the sages’ ability to go along with other things and not force them into a predetermined mould. These are cardinal qualities of the Daoist sage in this text and other related ones that some believe are part of the Huang-Lao tradition. For details see Roth 1991: 599–650.
- 22.
Emending wu (nothing) to er (and), following Wang Niansun.
- 23.
Emending zhi (possessive particle) to you (have) following Ding Shihan.
- 24.
SBCK 13/1b2–5. Emending wei (not yet) to da (great), following Guo Moruo.
- 25.
Reading qi (its) as er (and), following Xu Weiyü.
- 26.
Emending wei (position) to di (oppose), following Wang Yinzhi.
- 27.
Deleting zhi (knowledge), following Zhang Wenhu.
- 28.
Following the word order suggested by Guo Moruo.
- 29.
Restoring wu (no) before jian (gap) and deleting li (pattern), following Wang Yinzhi.
- 30.
Emending yin (adapt) to qü (derive) based on parallels in the previous sentences. Also emending yi (suitable) to Dao (Way), following Guo Moruo.
- 31.
Emending qü (derive) to shih (generation), following Yü Yüe.
- 32.
SBCK 13/3a2–3b1.
- 33.
SBCK 13/2a3–7.
- 34.
SBCK 13/8b1–9. The section divisions are my own.
- 35.
SBCK 13/10/9–10.
- 36.
SBCK 13/10a11–b5.
References
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Rickett, Allyn. 1985 and 1998. Guanzi: Political, economic, and philosophical essays from early China, vol. 2. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (This is the only complete English translation of the entire text and represents the major achievement and life’s work of this significant scholar.)
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Roth, H.D. (2015). Daoism in the Guanzi . In: Liu, X. (eds) Dao Companion to Daoist Philosophy. Dao Companions to Chinese Philosophy, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2927-0_11
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