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.
Chapter 11: "Respectfully clear the dwelling place, and Essence (Jīng) will come on its own. Ponder it with concentrated essence; govern it with peaceful thoughts. With a stern countenance and reverence, Essence will attain stability. Obtain it and do not discard it; let the ears and eyes not be licentious; let the mind have no other aims. Rectify the mind within the Center, and all things attain their measure." — Cultivating the Dwelling Place of Essence (Jīng Shě)
Section 1: Explication of the Original Text
"敬除其舍，精将自来。精想思之，宁念治之。严容畏敬，精将至定，得之而勿舍，耳目不淫，心无他图。正心在中，万物得度。" (Respectfully clear the dwelling place, and Essence (Jīng) will come on its own. Ponder it with concentrated essence; govern it with peaceful thoughts. With a stern countenance and reverence, Essence will attain stability. Obtain it and do not discard it; let the ears and eyes not be licentious; let the mind have no other aims. Rectify the mind within the Center, and all things attain their measure.)
This section is the core of the Neiye's discussion on cultivation practice, detailing the specific methods and steps for cultivating essence and vital energy.
Line-by-line Explication:
"Jìng chú qí shě" (Respectfully clear the dwelling place)—"Jìng" means reverence or caution. "Chú" means to clear or sweep away. "Qí shě" (its dwelling place) refers to the body and mind. The line means: Reverently clean the body-mind "dwelling place" to prepare for the arrival of Essence.
"Jīng jiāng zì lái" (Essence will come on its own)—"Jīng" refers to essence/vital energy. "Jiāng zì lái" means it will naturally arrive. The line means: Essence will naturally come to this cleaned "dwelling place."
"Jīng xiǎng sī zhī" (Ponder it with concentrated essence)—"Jīng xiǎng" means to think with sincere essence. "Sī zhī" means to ponder or think about it. The line means: Ponder the essence with a sincere heart.
"Níng niàn zhì zhī" (Govern it with peaceful thoughts)—"Níng niàn" means peaceful thoughts. "Zhì zhī" means to cultivate or stabilize it. The line means: Govern the essence with tranquil contemplation.
"Yán róng wèi jìng" (With a stern countenance and reverence)—"Yán róng" means a solemn facial expression. "Wèi jìng" means awe and reverence. The line means: Maintain a solemn demeanor and a respectful attitude.
"Jīng jiāng zhì dìng" (Essence will attain stability)—"Jīng jiāng zhì dìng" means the essence/vital energy will reach a settled state.
"Dé zhī ér wù shě" (Obtain it and do not discard it)—"Dé zhī" means to obtain the essence. "Wù shě" means do not abandon it or let it leave.
"Ěr mù bù yín" (Let the ears and eyes not be licentious)—"Ěr mù" refers to the sensory organs. "Bù yín" means not to be excessive or unrestrained. The line means: The senses are not unrestrained or overindulged.
"Xīn wú tā tú" (Let the mind have no other aims)—The mind has no other pursuits; it is single-minded.
"Zhèng xīn zài yú zhōng" (Rectify the mind within the Center)—"Upright Mind resides in the Center." Or: the upright mind occupies the central and impartial position.
"Wànwù dé dù" (All things attain their measure)—All things attain their proper standard or proportion. "Dù" means standard or measure. The line means: All things attain their appropriate standard and measure.
Section 2: "Respectfully Clearing the Dwelling Place" — The Meaning of "Dwelling Place" and the Practice of "Reverence"
"Respectfully clearing the dwelling place" (Jìng chú qí shě) is the opening phrase of this section and the first step in the entire cultivation process.
(1) The Metaphor of the "Dwelling Place" (Shě)
"Shě" means "residence" or "dwelling." Comparing the body-mind to the "dwelling place" of Essence (Jīng) is an exquisite metaphor.
Why use a "dwelling place" to represent the body-mind$17 The relationship between Essence and the body-mind is like that between a guest and a residence:
- A guest requires a clean dwelling. Essence requires a pure body and mind. If the body-mind is filled with distracting thoughts and desires (a dirty, messy dwelling), Essence will not come (the guest is unwilling to enter a soiled room).
- A guest can come and go. Essence can gather or disperse. If the body-mind remains pure (the dwelling is clean), Essence will remain settled. If the body-mind becomes chaotic (the dwelling gets dirty), Essence will depart.
- The host must treat the guest with reverence. The cultivator must treat Essence with reverence—not treating it casually, but sweeping away the defilements of the body-mind with a respectful and cautious attitude to welcome Essence.
The Guanzi, Xinshu Shang has an identical metaphor: "Empty its desires, and Spirit will enter the dwelling. Sweep away the unclean, and Spirit will then reside." Emptying desires (cleaning the dwelling) allows Spirit to come and dwell (Essence arrives).
(2) The Practice of "Reverence" (Jìng)
The character Jìng (Reverence/Respect) is extremely important in Pre-Qin cultivation theory.
The Analects, Zilu states: "In residence, be respectful; in handling affairs, be conscientious; in dealing with others, be loyal. Even if you are among the Yi and Di barbarians, you cannot abandon these." Confucius lists "Reverence" as one of the three fundamental aspects of cultivation.
The Yijing, Kun Hexagram, Wenyan states: "Use reverence to rectify the inner; use righteousness to square the outer. When reverence and righteousness are established, Virtue is not lonely." Reverence is the foundation of inner cultivation.
The Guanzi, Neiye passage here shares a spirit with Confucian Jìng—it refers to an attitude of respectful caution, focus, and seriousness. However, the Jìng in Neiye has a unique aspect: it is not only reverence toward external things (like the Mandate of Heaven, great men, or sage words), but also reverence toward the internal Essence—treating that most precious element within oneself (Essence, Shén) with a respectful attitude.
(3) The Practice of "Clearing" (Chú)
"Chú" means to sweep away or eliminate. Eliminate what$18 The impurities within the body and mind—excessive desires, distracting thoughts, erroneous concepts, etc.
The Laozi, Chapter 10, states: "To wash clean the profound mirror—can it be free of blemishes$19" "Díchú" means to wash clean. "Profound mirror" (Xuán lǎn) refers to the deep mirror of cognition. Washing away the dust from the mirror of cognition makes it flawless.
The Zhuangzi, Renjian Shi states: "If you unify your intention, do not listen with your ears but listen with your mind; do not listen with your mind but listen with your Qì. Listening stops at the ears, the mind stops at the tally. Qì is that which is empty and awaits things. Only in emptiness does the Dao gather. Emptiness is the Fasting of the Mind (Xīn Zhāi)."
"Fasting of the Mind" (Xīn Zhāi)—Just as physical fasting requires clean diet and bathing, mental fasting requires clearing distracting thoughts and emptying the mind. Zhuangzi's "Fasting of the Mind" is the Zhuangzi version of the Neiye's "Respectfully clearing the dwelling place"—cleansing the mind through spiritual abstinence.
Section 3: "Pondering with Concentrated Essence" and "Governing with Peaceful Thoughts"—Two Cultivation Methods
"Pondering with concentrated essence" (Jīng xiǎng sī zhī) and "Governing it with peaceful thoughts" (Níng niàn zhì zhī) are two complementary cultivation methods.
(1) "Pondering with Concentrated Essence"—The Active Method
"Jīng xiǎng" means to ponder with concentrated sincerity. This is an active, deliberate cultivation method—using a sincere essence-filled mind to think about Essence/Vital Energy (Jīng), guiding the mind toward it.
This is analogous to the Confucian effort of "Making Intentions Sincere" (Chéng Yì). The Daxue states: "What is meant by making one's intentions sincere is not to deceive oneself." Being sincere means facing one's inner self with truthfulness, without self-deception.
It is also similar to the Laozi's "welcoming by intention"—using the intention to welcome the arrival of Essence.
(2) "Governing with Peaceful Thoughts"—The Passive Method
"Níng niàn" means peaceful contemplation. This is a passive, receptive method—not actively pursuing Essence, but allowing the thoughts to become tranquil, so that Essence naturally arrives.
This is analogous to the Daoist effort of Wú Wéi (non-action). The Laozi, Chapter 48, states: "In the pursuit of learning, there is daily increase. In the pursuit of the Dao, there is daily decrease. Decrease and decrease again, until one reaches non-action. Having achieved non-action, there is nothing that is not done." By diminishing distracting thoughts until non-action is reached, everything is accomplished naturally.
(3) The Complementarity of the Two
"Pondering with concentrated essence" is the stage of exertion—actively guiding the mind's direction through sincere contemplation. "Governing with peaceful thoughts" is the stage of settling—stabilizing the mind's state through tranquil contemplation.
There is first exertion ("pondering with concentrated essence"), followed by settling ("governing with peaceful thoughts"). This is a cultivation process moving from motion to stillness, from active effort (yǒu wéi) to non-action (wú wéi).
Section 4: "With a stern countenance and reverence, Essence will attain stability"—Cultivating Both Form and Mind
"Yán róng wèi jìng" (With a stern countenance and reverence)—Facial expression is solemn, and the heart holds awe and reverence.
Here the theme of "Rectifying the Form and Gathering Virtue" reappears—adjusting the external demeanor ("stern countenance") to influence the internal spirit ("awe and reverence").
"Yán róng" (Stern countenance)—A serious facial expression. This is not feigning seriousness, but the natural outward manifestation of inner reverence.
"Wèi jìng" (Awe and Reverence)—Holding awe and reverence in the heart.
"Jīng jiāng zhì dìng" (Essence will attain stability)—The essence/vital energy will reach a settled state.
Why does "stern countenance and reverence" cause Essence to stabilize$20
Because "stern countenance" rectifies the physical form ("Rectifying the Form"), and "awe and reverence" cultivates a respectful inner attitude ("Gathering Virtue"). When the body and mind are simultaneously in a state of uprightness and reverence, Essence settles down because of this harmonious and ordered environment.
This is like how a quiet and tidy room naturally brings stability; a dignified and reverent body-mind state allows Essence to settle naturally.
Section 5: "Obtain it and do not discard it"—The Practice of Preservation
"Dé zhī ér wù shě" (Obtain it and do not discard it)—Once Essence is obtained, do not abandon it or let it leave.
This statement seems simple but is in fact extremely important. The greatest challenge in cultivation is not "obtaining," but "preserving."
The Laozi, Chapter 9, states: "To hold and keep it full is not as good as stopping at the right time. To sharpen a point cannot be maintained for long. If your house is filled with gold and jade, no one can guard it. Wealth and honor lead to arrogance, bringing calamity upon oneself. Accomplishing the task and retreating—that is the Way of Heaven." Obtaining something is one thing; maintaining it is the true test.
What is the method for "Obtaining it and not discarding it"$21 It is described in the following lines: "let the ears and eyes not be licentious; let the mind have no other aims."
Section 6: "Let the ears and eyes not be licentious; let the mind have no other aims"—Methods of Preservation
"Ěr mù bù yín" (Let the ears and eyes not be licentious)—Sensory organs are not indulged. Not allowing the senses (ears, eyes, etc.) to be overly stimulated by external things.
"Xīn wú tā tú" (Let the mind have no other aims)—The mind is focused on the Dao, without distraction or stray thoughts.
These two methods correspond to the earlier discussion of "Not allowing things to disrupt the senses, nor allowing the senses to disrupt the Mind":
- "Let the ears and eyes not be licentious" → "Not allowing things to disrupt the senses"—Controlling external stimulation of the senses so they are not disturbed.
- "Let the mind have no other aims" → "Not allowing the senses to disrupt the Mind"—Maintaining the singularity of the mind, so sensory input does not agitate the mind.
The Laozi, Chapter 12, states: "The five colors make men's eyes blind... the pursuit of rare goods makes men's conduct crooked. Therefore the Sage attends to the belly and not to the eye; thus he rejects the one and chooses the other."
"Attending to the belly and not to the eye"—Satisfying basic life needs ("belly"), not pursuing sensory pleasure ("eye"). This is the Laozi version of "letting the ears and eyes not be licentious."
The Analects, Wei Ling Gong states: "Do not look at what is contrary to propriety; do not listen to what is contrary to propriety; do not say what is contrary to propriety; do not do what is contrary to propriety." Confucius regulates sensory activity through "Propriety" (Lǐ)—seeing, hearing, speaking, or acting improperly is forbidden. This is the Confucian version of "letting the ears and eyes not be licentious."
Section 7: "Rectify the Mind within the Center, and all things attain their measure"—The Ultimate Effect of Cultivation
"Zhèng xīn zài yú zhōng" (Rectify the mind within the Center)—The upright mind resides within the inner core.
"Wànwù dé dù" (All things attain their measure)—All things attain their appropriate standard and proportion.
These two lines reveal the ultimate outcome of cultivation: once the individual reaches the state of "Rectifying the Mind within the Center," not only is the individual's psycho-physicality ordered, but they can also cause all things in the world to attain their due measure—the entire world thus becomes ordered.
Why does the individual's "Rectifying the Mind within the Center" lead to "All things attaining their measure"$22
First, the Mind and Things are not separate. Pre-Qin thought holds that the human mind and the cosmos are one integrated whole. The Zhuangzi, Qiwulun states: "Heaven and Earth were born together with me, and the ten thousand things are one with me." The righteousness of the human mind is the righteousness of Heaven and Earth; the order of the human mind is the order of all things.
Second, the ruler's "Rectified Mind" influences world order. If this passage is addressed to a ruler, then a ruler whose "Mind is rectified within the Center" will inevitably make political decisions that align with public justice and benefit the people, thus causing all things under Heaven to attain their proper measure.
Third, a person whose cultivation reaches its extreme naturally diffuses their essence and virtue throughout Heaven and Earth, influencing all things. This is a unique tenet of essence-vitality theory: a highly cultivated person's Jīng Qì is not confined to their own body but connects with the Jīng Qì of Heaven and Earth. The person whose "Mind is rectified within the Center" naturally radiates a positive influence outward, benefiting all things.
Section 8: The Complete Steps of Cultivation Practice
Synthesizing the discussion in this section, we can summarize the complete sequence of cultivation steps described in the Neiye chapter:
- Respectfully clear the dwelling place (Jìng chú qí shě): Cleanse the body-mind, removing distracting thoughts and desires (Preparation Stage).
- Essence will come on its own (Jīng jiāng zì lái): Essence/Vital Energy naturally arrives in the pure body-mind (Initial Resonance).
- Ponder it with concentrated essence (Jīng xiǎng sī zhī): Exert effort by thinking of Essence with sincere essence (Effort Stage).
- Govern it with peaceful thoughts (Níng niàn zhì zhī): Stabilize Essence with tranquil contemplation (Settling Stage).
- With a stern countenance and reverence (Yán róng wèi jìng): Maintain a solemn outward demeanor and inner reverence (Simultaneous Cultivation of Form and Mind).
- Essence will attain stability (Jīng jiāng zhì dìng): Essence/Vital Energy reaches a settled state (Deep Stabilization).
- Obtain it and do not discard it (Dé zhī ér wù shě): Preserve the Essence without slackening (Preservation Stage).
- Let the ears and eyes not be licentious, let the mind have no other aims (Ěr mù bù yín, xīn wú tā tú): Control the senses and focus the mind (Method of Preservation).
- Rectify the mind within the Center (Zhèng xīn zài yú zhōng): The upright mind securely resides in the inner core (Ultimate Achievement).
- All things attain their measure (Wànwù dé dù): All things attain their proper standard and proportion (Ultimate Effect).
These ten steps, from preparation to achievement, from the individual to the world, form a complete system of cultivation. Its logic is clear, its hierarchy distinct, and its methods concrete, making it a paradigm of Pre-Qin cultivation theory.