An Analysis of 'Shen' and 'Zhi' in the Core Passage of Guanzi: Neiye, and an Inquiry into Pre-Qin Philosophy of Mind and Human Nature
This article offers a deep reading of the core passage in the Guanzi: Neiye — 'That which can transform a single thing is called shen (spirit); that which can adapt to a single affair is called zhi (wisdom)' — systematically tracing the philosophical categories of shen, zhi, jing, qi, and dao in the pre-Qin era, elucidating their pivotal role in the cultivation of mind and character and in the Way of inner sageliness and outer kingliness, striving to recover the original intent of the ancients.
Chapter Fourteen: A Deep Analysis of Core Concepts -- Jing, Qi, Shen, Dao, the One, Mind, Form, and Virtue
Section 1: Jing (Essence)
Jing is the quintessence of the life force of all things, the purest part of qi, and the material basis of shen.
Section 2: Qi (Vital Breath)
In the broadest sense, qi is the basic substance of the cosmos; in the narrower sense, the vital energy within the body.
Section 3: Shen (Spirit)
Not a deity but the wondrous power transcending sensory cognition. Within the body, shen is the highest expression of vital essence and the deepest function of the mind.
Section 4: Dao (the Way)
The source of vital essence, the root of all things, the destination of cultivation, the grand outline of governance. The sequence: Dao -> the One -> jing -> qi -> shen -> all things (unfolding); and the reverse (return).
Section 5: Yi (the One)
Ontological, cultivational, epistemological, political, and linguistic dimensions.
Section 6: Xin (Mind)
Sovereign of the body. The Neiye stresses the "center" -- the "mind within the mind."
Section 7: Xing (Form)
Upright form -> smooth qi -> reverent mind -> manifest virtue.
Section 8: De (Virtue)
The quality possessed by one who has "attained" the Dao; the inherent nature and capacity of all things. "Virtue is the abode of the Dao."