Xunzi's 'Jie Bi' (Unveiling Concealment): On the Wholeness of the Dao, Cognitive Limitation, and the Fortune of Being Unobstructed
This paper offers an in-depth interpretation of the 'Jie Bi' chapter in Xunzi, investigating the epistemological origins of the 'calamity of obstruction' described by the Pre-Qin philosophers. By analyzing the concept that 'the Dao is constant in its entirety yet utterly transformative,' the essay reveals the dilemma of human cognition being fixated on 'a single corner' and elucidates the transcendental value of Confucius's 'benevolence and wisdom unhindered,' aiming to understand how to escape cognitive bias.
Section 2: The Levels of "Knowledge"—Knowledge of Sight and Hearing vs. Knowledge of Virtue
In pre-Qin thought, "Knowledge" (Zhi, 知) has different levels. We can roughly distinguish two realms:
Knowledge of Sight and Hearing (Wen Jian Zhi Zhi, 聞見之知)—Knowledge acquired through the senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body). This knowledge is empirical, concrete, and partial.
Knowledge of Virtue (De Xing Zhi Zhi, 德性之知)—Knowledge acquired through the mind being "empty, unified, and still." This cognition is holistic, profound, and pervasive.
The scholars of the six schools primarily possessed "Knowledge of Sight and Hearing"—they accumulated rich knowledge in their respective domains. However, they lacked "Knowledge of Virtue"—the holistic cognition of the entirety of the Dao.
Master Confucius possessed both. He had extensive "Knowledge of Sight and Hearing" ("learning disparate methods"), but also profound "Knowledge of Virtue" ("benevolent, wise, and yet unobscured"—unifying all knowledge through benevolence and wisdom).
What is the relationship between these two types of knowledge$23 "Knowledge of Sight and Hearing" is the foundation of "Knowledge of Virtue"—without rich experience accumulation, holistic cognition cannot begin. However, "Knowledge of Sight and Hearing" cannot automatically elevate to "Knowledge of Virtue"—it requires the cultivation of "empty, unified, and still" to be elevated and integrated. If one only has "Knowledge of Sight and Hearing" without the discipline of "Xu Yi Er Jing," rich accumulation will become an obstruction—it solidifies into a fixed framework, hindering further cognition. This is exactly the case with the six schools—their rich experience in their respective fields ("accumulation") became the very obstacle obscuring their recognition.
Master Confucius’s "unobstructedness by accumulation" lies precisely in his ability, through the discipline of "Xu Yi Er Jing," to elevate rich "Knowledge of Sight and Hearing" into unified "Knowledge of Virtue," thereby accepting every aspect of experience without being limited by any single aspect.