Chapter 13: Guyu and the Cultivation of Body and Mind — The Way of Nourishing Life and Nourishing Virtue in Late Spring

Section 1: "The End of Nourishing Life, the Beginning of Nourishing Growth" — Guyu's State of Body and Mind

Guyu stands at the meeting of spring and summer, and its way of nourishing life likewise stands within a subtle "transition"—it is both the conclusion of spring's "nourishing life" (nourishing the qi of sprouting and growth) and the prelude to summer's "nourishing growth" (nourishing the qi of flourishing growth).

Though the "Great Treatise on Regulating the Spirit in Accordance with the Four Seasons," in the "Basic Questions" section of the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon (Huangdi Neijing), was compiled by physicians of later ages, its thought of "regulating the spirit according to the four seasons" is deeply rooted in the pre-Qin tradition of "nourishing life in accordance with the seasons," sharing a single lineage with the Monthly Ordinances.

Its discussion of nourishing life in spring's three months says: "In the three months of spring, this is called putting forth the old to make way for the new; Heaven and Earth together give birth, and the ten thousand things flourish. One should retire late and rise early, walk broadly in the courtyard, let the hair hang loose and the body relax, so as to allow the will to sprout forth... this accords with spring's qi, and is the way of nourishing life." The three months of spring are the season of casting off the old and bringing forth the new, when Heaven and Earth give birth together and the ten thousand things flourish; one should go to bed late and rise early, walk leisurely in the courtyard, let the hair hang loose and the body relax, so as to allow the will and intent to sprout forth freely... this is the way of nourishing life that accords with spring's qi, preserving the "qi of sprouting and growth."

Guyu, as the final month of spring's three months, is precisely the closing moment of this "way of nourishing life." The key point of nourishing life at this time lies in "allowing the will to sprout forth"—keeping the will and intent in that state of sprouting, unfolding, and flourishing vitality, just like the ten thousand things outside the window, "the curled things all emerging, the sprouting things all extending"—unfolding without repression, sprouting without obstruction. At the same time, because Guyu already approaches summer, with the yang qi about to grow abundant, one must also prepare for the "nourishing growth" of the summer soon to come—gradually allowing body and mind to adapt to that yet more vigorous, more outward-radiating rhythm of yang.

Section 2: The Most High's "Clarity and Stillness" and the Nourishment of Guyu

As Guyu's yang qi grows abundant and the ten thousand things surge with vitality, the human spirit, too, tends to grow excited and outward-turned along with them. At such a time, the Daoist teaching of "clarity and stillness" is precisely a fitting remedy for nourishing life.

The Most High says: "Clarity and stillness set the world aright." (Daodejing, Chapter 45) And also: "Attain the utmost emptiness; hold fast to stillness with utter sincerity." (Chapter 16) At the season of Guyu, when the yang qi is about to reach fullness and vitality is at its most vigorous, why should one speak, instead, of "clarity and stillness," of "holding fast to stillness"$10 This is precisely an expression of Daoist dialectical wisdom—the more the outer world surges and clamors, the more one must hold fast to inner clarity and stillness; the more the yang qi grows excited and outward-turned, the more one must nourish and balance it through "stillness," so that it does not exhaust itself through excess and cause harm.

Consider the season of Guyu: the ten thousand things vying in flourishing splendor, the cuckoo urging the plowing, the work of silkworms about to flourish—everywhere a scene of busy clamor. If a person, too, follows this and grows excited and scattered outward without restraint, the spirit easily grows agitated and dissipated. The Most High's teaching of "clarity and stillness," "holding fast to stillness," teaches people precisely to hold fast, amid this outer clamor, to an inner tranquility and empty clarity—the body may be busy in accordance with the farming season, but the heart must preserve a pool of clarity and stillness even amid the busyness.

This "stillness within motion," this "leisure within busyness," can both avoid the agitation and depletion caused by yang qi's excess, and, even as the ten thousand things radiate outward, nourish in the opposite direction that inner, deep steadfastness of life. Guyu's nourishment must, beyond "nourishing the yang of sprouting and growth," also take the "yin of clarity and stillness" as its root and foundation—one yin, one yang, motion and stillness mutually completing each other—only thus is the way of nourishing life in late spring made complete.

Section 3: Master Zhuang's "Fasting of the Mind" and the Cleansing of the Spirit in Late Spring

The rain of Guyu washes and cleanses the ten thousand things, making Heaven and Earth fresh and clear. And on the level of the spirit, Master Zhuang's teaching of "the fasting of the mind" is precisely an "inner Guyu"—a rain that cleanses the spirit.

The "Human World" chapter of the Zhuangzi discusses "the fasting of the mind" through the mouth of Confucius: "Unify your will. Do not listen with your ears, but listen with your mind; do not listen with your mind, but listen with your qi. The function of the ear stops at hearing; the function of the mind stops at responding to external things. But qi is empty, and awaits things receptively. Only the Dao gathers within this emptiness. This emptiness is the fasting of the mind." Unify the will and intent; rather than listening with the ears, listen with the mind; rather than listening with the mind, listen with the qi. The ear's function stops at hearing; the mind's function stops at corresponding to outer things. But qi is empty and bright, and can receive and contain the ten thousand things. Only the Dao gathers within this empty brightness. This state of empty, bright stillness is called "the fasting of the mind."

"The fasting of the mind" is a "fast" and a "cleansing" of the spirit—clearing away, one by one, the various attachments, preconceptions, and agitations of ear, eye, and calculating mind, returning the spirit to that empty, bright state of "emptiness awaiting things receptively." How similar this is to Guyu's rain, which cleanses Heaven and Earth and makes the ten thousand things fresh! Guyu's rain washes away the outer dust; Master Zhuang's "fasting of the mind" washes away the inner grime.

At this season of Guyu, when the ten thousand things are made fresh through rain, to undertake the work of "fasting the mind"—cleansing away, like Guyu washing away the dust, the accumulated distracting thoughts, cunning calculations, and agitations of the heart, returning the spirit to empty, bright stillness—this is the highest revelation that Guyu offers for the cultivation of body and mind. Outwardly, Guyu's rain moistens things, washes away dust, and coaxes forth life; inwardly, the fasting of the mind cleanses distracting thoughts, attains emptiness, and awaits the Dao—inner and outer nourishing each other, body and mind both made new—only thus does one do justice to this fine, clear, moistening rain of late spring.

Section 4: Restraint and Preserving Proper Measure — The Way of Balance and Harmony at the Height of Guyu's Yang

As Guyu's yang qi grows abundant and vitality reaches its peak, this is precisely the season most prone to "excess"—emotions easily grow overexcited, daily rhythms easily grow overtaxed, desires easily grow overextended. At such a time, the Confucian teaching of "balance and harmony," of "moderation and proper measure," connects directly with the admonition against "overflowing fullness" from hexagram Guai discussed earlier.

The "Doctrine of the Mean" (Zhongyong) chapter of the Book of Rites says: "Before joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure are aroused, this is called balance (zhong); once aroused, and all in due measure, this is called harmony (he). Balance is the great root of the world; harmony is the far-reaching Way of the world. When balance and harmony are attained, Heaven and Earth take their proper places, and the ten thousand things are nurtured." Before joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure are stirred, this is called "balance"; once stirred, and all according with proper measure, this is called "harmony." Balance is the great root of the world; harmony is the far-reaching Way of the world. When balance and harmony are attained, Heaven and Earth each settle into their proper place, and the ten thousand things are nurtured and flourish accordingly.

Note well the final line, "when balance and harmony are attained... the ten thousand things are nurtured"—only when balance and harmony are attained can the ten thousand things be nurtured and flourish. This resonates, from afar, with the character "nurture" in Guyu's "rain giving birth to the hundred grains." The very reason Heaven and Earth can "nurture" the hundred grains at Guyu is that yin and yang are in harmony, rain and sunshine each attain their proper balance (rain and clear skies arriving in exactly the right measure); if a person wishes, at Guyu, to "nurture" their own body and mind, they likewise must seek this same "balance and harmony"—emotions stirred yet within proper measure, desires extended yet within proper bounds, labor undertaken yet balanced with rest.

At Guyu, when the yang qi is about to reach fullness and is most prone to excess, to hold fast to this "balance and harmony," not allowing the yang qi to exhaust itself through excess and cause harm, is precisely the highest state of nourishing life. This is likewise the concrete realization, in the practice of nourishing life, of hexagram Guai's teaching of "resolving yet remaining harmonious" and "the noble person, resolutely, resolutely firm, yet wary and cautious"—flourishing without excess, advancing with proper measure, fullness accompanied by humility—only thus can one, like Heaven and Earth "attaining balance and harmony," nurture and sustain vitality for the long term.