A Critical Analysis of 'Shen' and 'Zhi' in the Core Passages of the Guanzi's 'Nei Ye' and an Inquiry into Pre-Qin Theories of Mind and Nature
This paper offers an in-depth interpretation of the central passage in the *Guanzi*'s 'Nei Ye'—'That which can transform one thing is called *Shen* (Spirit/Divine); that which can change one affair is called *Zhi* (Wisdom)'—systematically reviewing the philosophical concepts of *Shen*, *Zhi*, *Jing* (Essence), *Qi* (Vital Force), and the *Dao* in the Pre-Qin period to elucidate their pivotal role in self-cultivation and the integration of inner sageliness with outer kingship.
Section 3: Why is it "Coming and Going, Cannot be Grasped by Thought"$12
"Yī wǎng yī lái" (Coming and going)—The unpredictable arrival and departure of Spirit. "Mò zhī néng sī" (Cannot be grasped by thought)—It cannot be fathomed through rational deliberation.
Why does the Shén within the body "come and go"$13 Why can it not be grasped by thought$14
Regarding "Coming and Going":
The Shén within the body is not a fixed entity but a subtle state of flowing vital energy. Its arrival and departure depend on the state of the body and mind: When the body and mind are in a state of emptiness and harmony, Shén gathers and resides ("comes"); when the body and mind are restless and chaotic, Shén disperses and departs ("goes").
The Guanzi, Xinshu Shang states: "Empty its desires, and Spirit will enter the dwelling. Sweep away the unclean, and Spirit will then reside." If desires are emptied (the dwelling is cleaned), Shén comes to reside. Conversely, if desires fill the mind and impurities remain, Shén departs.
The arrival and departure of Shén are not subject to human wish but depend on the objective condition of the body and mind. If you wish Shén to come, it may not come; if you wish Shén not to leave, it may not stay. This is the nature of "coming and going"—its arrival and departure follow their own laws, uncontrolled by subjective will.
Regarding "Cannot be Grasped by Thought":
"Thought" (Sī) is humanity's rational cognitive faculty—conceptual thinking, logical deduction, analytical judgment. Shén is an existence that transcends rationality, and thus cannot be grasped by rationality.
The Yijing, Xici Shang states: "That which Yin and Yang cannot fathom is called Shén." Unfathomable—it cannot be measured by conventional means, and rational thought is one such conventional means.
The Zhuangzi, Zhi Beiyou states: "The Dao cannot be heard, for to hear it is to fail it. The Dao cannot be seen, for to see it is to fail it. The Dao cannot be spoken, for to speak it is to fail it. Know the formlessness of the form! The Dao cannot be named." The Dao (Spirit) cannot be apprehended through the senses or thought—what is heard is not it, what is seen is not it, what is spoken is not it, and what is thought is not it.
"Cannot be grasped by thought" does not mean Shén is entirely unknowable. It merely means that rational thought is not the correct method for cognizing Shén. Cognizing Shén requires a method that transcends rational thought—the "reflection through knowing all things" (zhào hū zhī wànwù) in the Neiye, or "encountering through Spirit" (yǐ shén yù) in Zhuangzi, are both examples of this non-rational cognition.