A Dialectical Analysis of the Tripartite Qualities of 'Dao' in the Guanzi: Intricacy, Expansion, and Solidity
This paper provides an in-depth interpretation of the opening discourse on 'Dao' in the *Guanzi: Neiye*, analyzing the connotations and dialectical unity of its tripartite qualities: 'intricacy necessitates density, expansion necessitates ease, and solidity necessitates firmness.' It further explores their significance for self-cultivation and mental governance within the context of Pre-Qin and ancient thought.
IV. Dialogue with Legalism
The dialogue between Neiye and Legalism is the most sharp, particularly centered on the statement, "Rewards are insufficient to encourage good; punishments are insufficient to chastise transgressions."
Legalists like Shang Yang and Han Feizi advocated using rewards and punishments as the foundation of governing a state. Book of Lord Shang, "Rewards and Punishments" (賞刑), states: "When a sage governs a state, they have one reward, one punishment, one education. With one reward, the army is invincible; with one punishment, orders are obeyed; with one education, subordinates listen to superiors."
Neiye, however, directly denies the fundamental efficacy of rewards and punishments—rewards cannot truly encourage goodness, nor can punishments truly chastise transgressions. Only "Qi and intention achieved" and "mind and intention settled" can make the world truly submit and listen.
The root of this divergence lies in different understandings of human nature:
- Legalism tends to believe that human nature seeks profit and avoids harm, thus using rewards and punishments to drive human behavior is effective.
- Neiye tends to believe that human nature can be fundamentally changed through the cultivation of vital energy, thus external rewards and punishments are merely expedient measures and cannot solve the problem fundamentally.
Han Feizi, "The Five Vermin," states: "In high antiquity, they competed in virtue; in the middle period, they competed in wisdom and schemes; in the present age, they compete in strength." Han Fei believed that governing the world by virtue was only applicable to high antiquity, and the current age must be governed by strength (legal systems). Neiye, however, implies that as long as cultivators reach a sufficiently high level ("Qi and intention achieved," "mind and intention settled"), governing the world by virtue is not only possible in antiquity but also in any era.