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

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.