《南華真經義海纂微》Vol. 76

Collected Subtle Meanings of the True Classic of Southern Florescence, juan 78, “Xu Wugui,” chapter four.

When Guan Zhong was gravely ill, Duke Huan of Qi asked him, “Master Zhong, your illness has become very serious. If it worsens, to whom should I entrust the state?”

Guan Zhong asked, “Whom do you wish to entrust it to?”

Duke Huan said, “Bao Shuya.”

Guan Zhong replied, “That will not do. Bao Shuya is upright and a good gentleman, but he looks down on those who are not his equal and does not draw close to them. Once he hears of someone’s wrongdoing, he never forgets it for the rest of his life. If you put him in charge of the state, he will constrain the ruler above him and oppose the people below him. It will not be long before he incurs the ruler’s displeasure.”

Duke Huan asked, “Then who can be entrusted with it?”

Guan Zhong answered, “If there is no other choice, you could appoint Xi Peng. He holds high office without being self-important and can draw close to his subordinates. He is ashamed that he falls short of the Yellow Emperor, and he feels compassion for those who fall short of him. To share one’s virtue with others is called sagehood; to share one’s wealth with others is called worthiness. Those who use their worthiness and ability to place themselves above others never truly win people’s hearts. Those who, despite their worthiness, humbly place themselves below others cannot fail to win people’s hearts. Xi Peng pays little attention to affairs of state, and little attention to affairs at home as well. If there is no other choice, you could appoint him.”

Guo Xiang’s commentary says: “‘He holds high office without being self-important and can draw close to his subordinates’ means that he occupies a high position without arrogance. Because he feels compassion for those who fall short of him, he abandons no one. If a person personally attends to every matter and insists on seeing everything, he takes all the work upon himself and leaves his subordinates no room to act. Xi Peng has not yet learned to let go completely, so the text says he is only reluctantly suitable for the post.”

Lü Huiqing’s commentary says: “Only by being inclusive can one attain impartiality; only by attaining impartiality can one become a king; only by becoming a king can one communicate with Heaven; and only by communicating with Heaven can one accord with the Dao. These five are all states of being that one person should embody. Xi Peng’s virtue may perhaps be said to have attained ‘inclusiveness and impartiality.’”

Yidu’s commentary says: “Duke Huan of Qi achieved hegemony through Guan Zhong’s strength. When Guan Zhong was gravely ill, Duke Huan asked whom he could entrust with the state. Guan Zhong, in turn, asked whom Duke Huan wanted to entrust it to. Duke Huan named Bao Shuya. Bao Shuya was Guan Zhong’s friend, yet Guan Zhong said he would not do: Bao Shuya was upright and could be a good gentleman, but might not be suited to shouldering great responsibility. Since he did not draw close to those who fell short of him, he would lose popular support and lack assistance; since he kept others’ faults in mind once he heard of them, he would provoke much resentment. If he governed the state, he would constrain the ruler above him and oppose the people below him; it would not be long before he incurred the ruler’s displeasure. Duke Huan asked who would be suitable, and Guan Zhong answered that, if there were no other choice, Xi Peng could be appointed. ‘He holds high office without being self-important’ means that, though he occupies a high position, he can draw close to those below him. He is ashamed that he falls short of the Yellow Emperor, and he also…”

The Yellow Emperor followed the Great Dao, and his cultivation grew ever deeper. If Duke Ai did not stop acting in this way, his De would grow ever broader. A ruler shares his De with the people; a minister shares his wealth with them. When we speak of a person’s transformation, we call it “sagehood”; when we speak of a person’s achievements, we call it “worthiness.” If someone uses his worthiness to place himself above others, people will rally to him only if he is in accord with the Dao. If he humbly places himself below others as a worthy person and is adept at remaining below, people will naturally rally to him. The saying “there is what he does not hear, and what he does not see” means that he listens inwardly and looks within, and so there is nothing he does not hear or see.

Bixu’s commentary: Bao Shuya could not endure humiliation or extend his aid broadly to all under Heaven, yet he wanted all things to be as pure and incorruptible as himself. That is why Guan Zhong would not go along with him. The phrase “the ruler does not go along, and so he goes against the people” means that Bao Shuya did not accommodate the ruler and thus went against the people’s wishes. Xi Peng was neither ingratiating nor arrogant; he respected the Dao and cared for the people. A sage does not claim virtue as his own, and a worthy person does not hoard wealth. If one can humbly place oneself below others as a worthy person, how could one fail to win their hearts? Those in high positions ought to place themselves below. In matters of state, one need not hear everything; in matters of the household, one need not see everything. This means forgetting all under Heaven. Bao Shuya recommended Guan Zhong out of public spirit. Did Guan Zhong recommend Xi Peng for private gain?

Yanzhai’s oral commentary: “Does not go along” means does not accommodate; “to bind” means to restrain; “goes against” means to forcefully correct someone by invoking ritual and moral principles. “The superior forgets” means that someone in a high position forgets his own power; “the inferior parts company” means that those in a low position distance themselves and cease to depend on those above them. “Share De with the people” is like saying to extend the blessings of De to the people, so that they feel gratitude. “Share wealth with the people” means not keeping wealth for oneself. “Use one’s worthiness to stand over people” means to place oneself above them on the basis of one’s reputation for worthiness and to boast of oneself. “There is what he does not hear, and what he does not see” means not to scrutinize everything obsessively. This passage does not appear in other classical works; it is found only in the Liezi, and is also a fable.

Shuya was Guan Zhong’s worthy friend. When Duke Huan of Qi asked Guan Zhong whom he should appoint to govern the state, Guan Zhong could have recommended Shuya, but instead carefully considered what the ruler truly needed. When Duke Huan mentioned Shuya, Guan Zhong knew that he was worthy but thought he lacked the ability to handle the heavy demands of government. He feared that Shuya would merely hold to what was upright, without adapting to circumstances; if this led him to restrain the ruler and go against the people’s wishes, Guan Zhong concluded that he was not suited for appointment. Guan Zhong did not recommend him out of favoritism simply because Shuya was his friend, leaving him to shoulder a responsibility beyond his abilities and risk offending the ruler. If he had to recommend someone, Xi Peng would have been a suitable choice.

The phrase “the superior forgets, and the inferior parts company” should read “the inferior does not rebel,” according to the Liezi. Zhang Zhan’s commentary says that one in a high position forgets himself and does not worry that his subordinates will disperse. This is sufficient evidence that the text of this passage in the Zhuangzi contains an error or omission. In old texts, “part company” can stand for “rebel”; but given the surrounding discussion of Xi Peng’s virtue, it seems unsuitable to interpret it as “betray.” Nor does it make sense to interpret “part company” as “border,” so the Liezi’s reading, “the inferior does not rebel,” should be followed. The later words, “In matters of state, there is what one does not hear; in the household…” continue the preceding thought: in matters of state, there are things one does not hear, and in matters of the household, things one does not see.

Some say that Guan Zhong, the worthy minister who helped Duke Huan of Qi establish his hegemony, governed with generosity and forbearance. He did not show off his cleverness or harshly nitpick over details. He was good at treating others humbly and so won their support. Since he could use these qualities to assist Qi and establish its hegemony, then rather than governing a state through cunning and cleverness and harming the people with harsh laws, it is better to treat people generously, win their support, and let everyone live in peace. Guan Zhong was loyal to his ruler and affectionate toward his friends, acting in accord with what was right. One could say he fulfilled both duties. Is that not worthy of praise? (The text here may be corrupt or incomplete, and some phrases are difficult to interpret with certainty.)

The King of Wu sailed along the Yangtze River and climbed Mount Ju, a place name. When the monkeys saw him, they were terrified, dropped what they were holding, and fled into the dense forest. Only one monkey remained at ease, climbing and leaping about to show off its skill before the king. The king shot at it, but it nimbly caught the flying arrow. The king then ordered his attendants to shoot at it together, and the monkey was eventually killed. Turning to his friend Yan Buyi, the king said, “This monkey relied on its skill and the advantage of its surroundings, and treated me arrogantly. That is why it ended up being shot to death. Take this as a warning! Ah, do not treat others arrogantly on the strength of your appearance and bearing.”

After returning home, Yan Buyi took Dong Wu as his teacher in order to rid himself of his proud bearing. He gave up pleasures of music and sensuality, and no longer flaunted his status and success. Three years later, the people of the state all praised him.

Guo Xiang’s commentary says: “‘Minji’ means quick and agile. Though the arrow flew swiftly, the monkey could still catch it. When the people praised Yan Buyi, they were praising him for forgetting his cleverness, ridding himself of arrogance, and returning to simplicity and naturalness.”

Lü Huiqing’s commentary says that “treating others arrogantly on the strength of one’s appearance” means that inward pride shows itself in one’s expression; “ridding oneself of an arrogant bearing” means, in fact, ridding oneself of inward pride. Appearance, movement, expression, reasoning, speech, and breath—all six can be affected by inner bias and perversity.

Yidu’s commentary says that the monkey flaunted its skill and, relying on the advantage of its forest surroundings, treated others arrogantly. As a result, it brought disaster upon itself. The King of Wu used this to warn Yan Buyi not to display an arrogant expression or look down on others. Yan Buyi heeded the advice, returned home, and took a worthy man as his teacher. He shed his proud bearing and was content with simplicity, so the people praised his virtue.

Bixu’s commentary says that the troop of monkeys, frightened, hid in a secluded place and escaped harm; the one monkey, acting recklessly and leaping about everywhere, met with disaster. Though it relied on a skill of its own, it could not escape the many arrows. The animals in the mountains and forests have little intelligence, yet even they quickly lost their lives because they treated others arrogantly. How much more so with human beings, who are regarded as the most intelligent of all creatures, have knowledge and understanding, and yet would still look down arrogantly on those among their own kind who deserve respect? Yan Buyi returned home and cast off his arrogance, and the people praised him. This shows how readily he understood the lesson.

The Lüzhaizhai Oral Commentary says that “‘minji’ means that the arrow was shot very quickly, while the monkey could nimbly catch and seize the flying arrow…”

The arrows flew swiftly. The people beside the physiognomist all shot at once. Though the macaque was clever, agile, and strong, it could not withstand the many arrows. It was captured and killed. This is a warning to those who rely on their own abilities and thereby bring disaster upon themselves.

The macaque and humans are not of the same kind. It ruled the deep mountains and dense forests, living there for a long time. It disliked nothing more than the sound of human voices—how much more so the sight of human figures? Yet when it saw the King of Wu, it leapt at him and showed off its skill. This was a sure sign that it would soon meet its end, and so it could not escape being shot. Even as it was struck, it could still fight and catch the swift arrows. It was indeed remarkably quick-witted. The King of Wu was astonished by its extraordinary skill and ordered his attendants to shoot at once. Once it was surrounded by arrows aimed at it, how could it avoid being hit? It was only to be expected that it died clutching a branch.

From this, the King of Wu should have understood that looking down on others can quickly invite disaster, and that standing out from the crowd can also bring misfortune. So he warned his friend Wuyi not to treat people arrogantly on account of his appearance or bearing. After returning home, Wuyi restrained his expression and speech and no longer showed off his sharpness. Who else could be so willing to correct himself and turn toward goodness? Three years later, the people of the state finally praised him. The important thing in doing good is to persist without giving up; only after a thousand days can its results be seen. But doing evil takes no more than a single morning to bring the danger of death. This is truly something to be vigilant about.

Nanbo Ziqi (a personal name) was leaning against a table, his head tilted back as he sighed toward the sky. Yancheng Ziyou came in and saw him. “Sir, your appearance is truly extraordinary! How can your body be like dry bones and your mind like dead ashes?”

Ziqi said, “I once lived in a mountain cave. At that time, Tian He (a personal name) saw me just once, and the people of Qi celebrated me again and again. I must have revealed myself first for them to recognize me; I must have put myself on display first for them to regard me as someone worthy of praise. If I had not revealed myself, how would they have known me? If I had not put myself on display, how would they have regarded me as someone worthy of praise? Ah, I pity those who have lost themselves. I also pity those who pity others. And I pity those who pity the ones who pity others. Follow this chain on and on, and one moves ever farther from the original state.”

Guo Xiang’s commentary says: The people of Qi celebrated again and again because they considered it an honor to have seen Ziqi. Ziqi knew that revealing himself could not help others; it would only bring harm to him. So he used “not pitying” to undo his pity. In this way, his compassion gradually faded, his mind became detached, and his body came to look withered. Thus he grew ever more distant from the world.

Lü Huiqing’s commentary says: Tian He saw Ziqi just once, and the people of Qi celebrated him again and again because Ziqi had first revealed himself. The people then came to know him and regard him as someone worthy of praise. His inner self had not been fully withdrawn, and traces of it remained on the outside, which was why people noticed him. The Way of Heaven originally contained no concrete things. Once a separation appeared…

When this understanding remains in the mind, it becomes “self-loss”—the loss of one’s original mind. Ziqi believed that this was how people lost their original mind, and grieved over it, hoping they might recover it. Yet knowing that one has lost one’s original mind and grieving over that loss only means knowing that something is gone; it does not truly restore it. I grieve over this too: pitying those who pity others, for both the person who has lost their original mind and the one who pities them have yet to see clearly where the loss lies. So, if one can distance oneself from worldly things day by day, and avoid being entangled by external things, might the body one day cease to wither and the spirit cease to die away?

Yidu’s Commentary: “The most extraordinary among things” refers to someone of exceptional intelligence who can nevertheless forget their own body and mind. Even so, Ziqi thought this was not enough. I once lived in the mountains. The ruler saw me only once, yet the people of the state congratulated me three times. How did I acquire this reputation from others? If I had not first made my reputation known, how would they have learned of it and flaunted it like a commodity? Nothing is more lamentable than a dead mind. Everyone has lost their conscience, and so I grieve for them. But my grieving for them is itself also cause for grief. Trying to cast off entanglements in this way still does not go far enough. I grieve, too, for those who pity people who pity others; by casting off each layer in turn, one gradually moves farther from worldly entanglements.

Bixu’s Commentary: Liezi lived in a garden in Zheng, withdrawn from public service, but when he went to Qi, he accepted gifts. Perhaps his reputation had been accumulating for a long time; like sunlight covered by clouds, its radiance was bound to emerge eventually. Thus even recluses such as Chaofu and Xuyou—legendary sages of antiquity—might find themselves profiting from reputations for virtue and the Dao. Later, some who cultivated their minds in the mountains used the great reputation of their reclusion as a shortcut into official life, and true recluses became rare. To pity those who have lost their original mind is to grieve over their flaunting their reputation. To pity oneself for pitying others is to recognize that the problem also lies within oneself. To pity oneself for pitying those who pity others is to understand the mistake of clinging to the mind itself. At this point, one can gradually set aside distinctions between principle and worldly affairs, reaching a state in harmony with undivided chaos.

Yanzhai’s Oral Commentary: The earlier word “sell” means that one leaves traces for others to see, allowing them to learn of one’s existence; this is what is meant by “self-loss.” To grieve for others’ self-loss without noticing that one is grieving is itself lamentable. The passage’s reference to living in a mountain cave describes where I was living at the time. I had only become aware through pitying those who pitied others. Thus it says that the Dao grows more distant day by day, until now the body has withered and the heart has become ashes.

This passage continues the story of Nanguo Ziqi at the opening of “Discussion on Making All Things Equal.” When Yancheng Ziyou entered to ask him for instruction, Ziqi was leaning against a table, utterly still. He looked up at the sky and breathed out; his Qi had begun to move, and Yancheng Ziyou took the opportunity to ask a question. “The most extraordinary” means the most spiritually refined among all things.

Now he had grown so gaunt and wasted. Ziqi answered Tian He by recalling an event from the past. The ruler of Qi had heard that Ziqi was a worthy and capable man, so he went in person to the mountains to visit him. The people throughout Qi celebrated three times in succession, believing their ruler had found a worthy man with whom he could govern the state and bring it peace.

But once I gain a reputation, others will come to find out about me; if I promote myself, others will publicize me. A person cannot hide from view, and reputation will come calling. Once it arrives, body and mind are burdened; the greater the responsibility, the more readily troubles arise. If I have not brought this upon myself, what has? It is truly pitiful.

I feel pity for those who lose their nature through external things, because this happens right before our eyes and is easy to see. I also feel pity for those who grieve for others, because they gradually become deeply entangled and in the end turn to grieving for themselves. And I feel pity for those who grieve over other people’s grief. In such cases, all one can do is leave matters to what cannot be helped, meet them without responding with grief, and let the Heavenly Music—the sounds arising naturally—ring out on its own. When people can rest in what is natural to them, the world’s worries and burdens recede day by day. Then they can become gaunt in body and their hearts can be like ashes, untouched by external things.

From this we can see that, from ancient times to the present, it has been very difficult to possess talent yet live in seclusion, away from the world. Only those who, like dragons, escape the snares of the world, or who, like wild geese, soar high among the clouds, may be able to do so consistently.

Collected Subtle Commentaries on the True Classic of the Southern Efflorescence, juan 78