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 5: The Ultimate Inquiry Stemming from Dao's Pervasiveness
The proposition "The Dao fills the world, universally present among the people, yet the people cannot know it" leads to an ultimate question:
If the Dao is omnipresent, why do chaos and suffering exist in the world$6
Pre-Qin thinkers offered different answers:
Laozi's Answer: Because people have turned away from the Dao. The Laozi, Chapter 53, states: "If the great Dao is forsaken, then there are human laws. When intelligence arises, there will be great hypocrisy." Because people choose to walk crooked paths instead of the straight path of the Dao, they fall into confusion and suffering—not because the Dao is absent or flawed, but because people abandon the direct path.
Zhuangzi's Answer: Because people substitute natural order with artificial standards. The Zhuangzi, Pian Mu states: "Since the Three Dynasties onward, no one under Heaven has failed to exchange their true nature for external things." When the inherent nature is altered, the Dao becomes obscured.
The Neiye's Answer: Because "the people cannot know it"—ordinary people lack the training of cultivation; they do not know how to "adhere to the One," "guard the Center," or "rectify the Form," and thus cannot consciously align themselves with the Dao. However, the Dao remains present: "The Dao fills the world, universally present among the people." As long as there is a "Gentleman who adheres to the One" to guide them, the people can reconnect with the Dao, and the world can return to peace.
This answer reflects a unique aspect of Guanzi's thought: It acknowledges the universality of the Dao while also recognizing human limitations ("the people cannot know"). It points to the solution: through the cultivation and governance of the "Gentleman who adheres to the One," a bridge is built between the Dao and the people.