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

Section 3: "What Need is There for All Under Heaven to Think or Worry$15"

The Xi Ci Zhuan (Part II) states:

"The Master said: 'What need is there for all under Heaven to think or worry$16 All under Heaven return to the same goal by different paths; they have one aim but a hundred conflicting thoughts. What need is there for all under Heaven to think or worry$17 When the sun goes, the moon comes; when the moon goes, the sun comes. The sun and moon push each other, and brightness is produced. When cold departs, heat arrives; when heat departs, cold arrives. Cold and heat push each other, and the year is completed. That which departs is contraction, and that which arrives is expansion. Contraction and expansion affect each other, and benefit is produced.'" (天下何思何虑？天下同归而殊途，一致而百虑。天下何思何虑？日往则月来，月往则日来，日月相推而明生焉。寒往则暑来，暑往则寒来，寒暑相推而岁成焉。往者屈也，来者信也，屈信相感而利生焉。)

"All under Heaven return to the same goal by different paths; they have one aim but a hundred conflicting thoughts"—this could be considered the most concise philosophical expression of the Way of Tóng Rén.

All paths under Heaven ultimately lead to the same destination; all deliberations under Heaven ultimately point to the same conclusion. Since this is the case, why worry$18

This grand self-confidence is based on a profound insight into the laws governing the operation of the Heavenly Way. The sun and moon alternate to produce brightness; cold and heat alternate to complete the year; contraction and expansion interact to produce benefit—the operation of the Heavenly Way is regular, purposeful, and directional. As long as humanity follows this pattern and direction, there is no need for excessive worry—"What need is there for all under Heaven to think or worry$19"

In the Way of Tóng Rén, this self-confidence manifests as: as long as one adheres to the correct path and maintains brightness, the "Accord" between people is bound to be realized—because the Heavenly Way itself is one of "common return." Even if paths are varied ("different paths") and thoughts differ ("a hundred conflicting thoughts"), the final destination is the same.

This echoes the words of Zixia in the Analects (Zi Zhang):

"All within the four seas are brothers. Why should the noble man fear not having brothers$20" (四海之内皆兄弟也。君子何患乎无兄弟也？)

The world is vast; there are brothers everywhere. As long as one is a noble man—"respectful without losing reverence, courteous to others without offense"—one need not fear lacking "Accord with others."