Heaven Fire Tongren: Confucian-Daoist Dialogue and the Investigation of Ancient Spiritual Origins from a Pre-Qin Perspective

Chapter Eleven: Tóng Rén and Pre-Qin Political Philosophy

Section 1: Tóng Rén and the Way of Governing the State

The Tóng Rén hexagram is not only a guide for individual cultivation and interpersonal relations but also a profound work of political philosophy. In the Pre-Qin context, "connecting the will of all under Heaven" was first and foremost a political proposition—how to govern the world so that all people live in harmony.

I. Accord (Tóng) Between Ruler and Minister

The core relationship in the Tóng Rén hexagram is the correspondence between Six Two and Nine Five—the correspondence between minister and ruler. In Pre-Qin political ideals, the harmonious relationship between ruler and minister was key to state governance.

The Book of Documents (Xián Yǒu Dé) records the words of Yi Yin:

"In appointing officials, select only the worthy and capable; in selecting assistants, choose only the right people. The minister serves the superior by means of virtue, and the subordinate by means of the people. This is difficult and requires caution; it must be harmonious and unified. Virtue has no constant teacher; the sovereign who excels is the teacher. Excellence has no constant sovereign; it harmonizes with the one who can achieve unity." (任官惟贤材，左右惟其人。臣为上为德，为下为民。其难其慎，惟和惟一。德无常师，主善为师。善无常主，协于克一。)

"Harmonious and unified" (wéi hé wéi yī)—harmony and unity. This is the manifestation of the Way of Tóng Rén in the political realm. Ruler and minister need "harmony"—mutual cooperation and respect; they also need "unity"—unified goals and direction.

But the "Accord" between ruler and minister has a crucial prerequisite: the minister must serve the ruler by means of the Way, not by means of private interest. The Analects (Xiān Jìn) records Confucius saying:

"Serve the ruler with the Way; if it cannot be done, then stop." (以道事君，不可则止。)

"Serve the ruler with the Way" (yǐ Dào shì jūn)—serving the ruler based on moral principle. If the ruler violates righteousness, the minister should not blindly obey but should admonish; if admonition is ineffective, the minister should withdraw. This "Accord" based on righteousness is the true Tóng Rén. If the minister merely caters to the ruler for personal gain—that is the "regret" (lìn) of Six Two "Gathering in the ancestral temple"—the scope is too small, and the stature too low.

II. Accord (Tóng) Between Ruler and People

A broader political "Tóng Rén" is the harmony between the ruler and the common people.

Mencius states in the Mencius (Liáng Huì Wáng II):

"He who delights in the delights of the people, the people will delight in his delights. He who grieves in the griefs of the people, the people will grieve in his griefs. To take delight in the whole world, and to grieve for the whole world—if such a ruler does not attain the throne, there has never been such a case." (乐民之乐者，民亦乐其乐。忧民之忧者，民亦忧其忧。乐以天下，忧以天下，然而不王者，未之有也。)

"To take delight in the whole world, and to grieve for the whole world"—sharing joy and sorrow with all people under Heaven. This is the highest level of political Tóng Rén. A ruler who shares weal and woe with the common people will naturally attract the allegiance of the people—"if such a ruler does not attain the throne, there has never been such a case."

This perfectly matches the spirit of "Tóng Rén yú Yě, Hēng"—"In the wilds"—facing all the common people, without distinction of noble or lowly, close or distant; "Success"—thereby gaining the hearts of the world and the flourishing of the state.

III. Accord (Tóng) Among the Feudal Lords

In the historical context of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, "Tóng Rén" also carried an important political meaning: alliances and cooperation among the feudal lords.

The Zuo Zhuan (9th Year of Duke Xi) records the Alliance of Kuiqiu hosted by Duke Huan of Qi:

"In autumn, the Marquis of Qi made an alliance with the feudal lords at Kuiqiu... On the Ren Wu day, the Duke assembled at the place of the Son of Heaven... Zai Kong was about to have the ceremony concluded, and said to the Marquis of Qi: 'The Son of Heaven has matters requiring the services of Wen and Wu, and sends Kong to present a portion of the sacrificial meat to his uncle the Marquis of Qi.'" (秋，齐侯盟诸侯于葵丘。……壬午，公朝于王所。……宰孔将使成之，言于齐侯曰：天子有事于文武，使孔赐伯舅胙。)

Duke Huan of Qi summoned the lords as hegemon to form an alliance—this is a form of Tóng Rén. But this "Accord" was based on power—Qi was the strongest, so other lords had to submit. This is "subduing men by force," not "subduing men by virtue."

True accord among the feudal lords should be based on common moral principles. The Zuo Zhuan (11th Year of Duke Yin) states:

"To commit five grave wrongs and then attack others—is it not appropriate that his army should be defeated$20" (犯五不韪而以伐人，其丧师也，不亦宜乎？)

A military campaign that violates righteousness will inevitably fail. Conversely, a joint action that adheres to righteousness will succeed—this is the political meaning of "advantageous for crossing the great river."

Section 2: Factionalism (Dǎng) and "Accord" (Tóng)—The Problem of Factionalism in Pre-Qin Politics

An important aspect of the Tóng Rén hexagram concerns the warning against "forming cliques" (jié dǎng). Among the six lines, the "regret" (lìn) of Six Two "Gathering in the ancestral temple" and the conspiracy of Nine Three "Hiding armed men in the brush" can both be interpreted as descriptions of improper "clique formation."

Confucius clearly distinguished between "Uniting in Righteousness" (zhōu) and "Forming Cliques" (bǐ):

"The noble man unites others in righteousness but does not form cliques; the small man forms cliques but does not unite others in righteousness." (Analects, Weizheng)

"Zhōu" is impartial, righteous concern (Tóng Rén yú Yě); "Bǐ" is collusion in private factions (Tóng Rén yú Zōng or worse).

"Forming cliques" was a serious problem in Pre-Qin politics. When court officials formed cliques bound by kinship or personal interest to exclude rivals, the public interest of the state was harmed. The numerous political struggles recorded in the Zuo Zhuan—the infighting between clans, the conspiracies among ministers—can all be seen as concrete examples of "gathering in the ancestral temple" or even "hiding armed men in the brush."

When Master Guan Zhong assisted Duke Huan of Qi, he proposed a famous policy:

"Divide the state capital into three parts and the countryside into five parts." (Guoyu, Qi Yu)

This administrative division aimed, in part, to break up traditional clan settlements and prevent clan power from growing too large, thereby promoting broader social integration—a move from "gathering in the ancestral temple" toward "gathering in the wilds."

Section 3: Tóng Rén and the Concept of "All Under Heaven as One Family"

The ultimate political ideal of the Way of Tóng Rén is "All under Heaven as One Family" (Tiān Xià Wéi Jiā).

We have already quoted the description of "Great Accord" from the Book of Rites (Lǐ Jì, Rites of Passage, Rites of Passage). Here, let us consider the philosophical origins of "All under Heaven as One Family" from another angle.

The opening of the Book of Documents (Yao Dian) praises the virtue of Emperor Yao:

"Thus we examine antiquity. Reverent and accomplished was Emperor Yao! In dignity, in culture, in benevolence, in candor, in forbearance—his virtue was indeed great! His instructions reached the limits of the four quarters. He united the nine families. When the nine families were united, the people became enlightened. When the people were enlightened, the states were harmonized. When the states were harmonized, the common people entered into a state of flourishing peace." (曰若稽古帝尧，曰放勋，钦明文思安安。允恭克让，光被四表，格于上下。克明俊德，以亲九族。九族既睦，平章百姓。百姓昭明，协和万邦。黎民于变时雍。)

"Uniting the nine families" $\to$ "Enlightening the common people" $\to$ "Harmonizing the myriad states"—this is a gradual process expanding from the near to the far. First, establishing harmony within one's own nine clans (the positive aspect of "Gathering in the ancestral temple"), then promoting justice among the common people ("Gathering at the door" and "Gathering in the suburbs"), finally achieving the harmony of the myriad states ("Gathering in Accord in the wilds").

This process, expanding from near to far, is consistent with the spatial expansion described by the six lines of Tóng Rén from "door" to "clan" to "suburbs" to "wilds." Although Six Two's "Gathering in the ancestral temple brings regret" is judged negatively, this does not mean clan love itself is wrong—the mistake is stopping at the clan and failing to expand outward. If one can take clan love as the starting point and gradually expand to a broader domain, then "Gathering in the ancestral temple" is not "regret" but a necessary stage on the way to "Gathering in Accord in the wilds."

Mencius states:

"Honor your own elders as you would honor the elders of others; care for your own young as you would care for the young of others, and the whole world can be managed in the palm of your hand." (Mencius, Liang Hui Wang I)

"Honor your own elders as you would honor the elders of others" (lǎo wú lǎo yǐ jí rén zhī lǎo)—this process of "extending to others" is the transition from "Gathering in the ancestral temple" toward "Gathering in Accord in the wilds." The key is not the starting point (starting from the clan is natural), but the direction—whether one can continuously expand and transcend.