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 3: Why Perfect "Unobstructedness" is So Rare
If "Xu Yi Er Jing" is the method for dissolving obstruction, and this method is not mysterious (Master Xunzi explicitly taught it to everyone), why are those who truly achieve "unobscuredness" so rare$24 Why does Master Xunzi cite only Master Confucius as the paradigm of being "unobscured" in the entire history of pre-Qin thought$25
This question is crucial and touches upon the fundamental predicament of human cognition.
The answer can be sought in several aspects:
First, "Xu Yi Er Jing" is easy to state but extremely difficult to practice. To maintain the mind's "Emptiness" (Xu), one must overcome humanity’s natural tendency toward "complacency"—humans are naturally inclined to overestimate what they know and underestimate what they do not know. To maintain the mind's "Unity" (Yi), one must find a precise balance between focus and openness—not too focused (leading to rigidity), and not too scattered (leading to superficiality). To maintain the mind's "Stillness" (Jing), one must find the appropriate balance between engaging with the world and withdrawing—not being swept away by emotions, yet not avoiding normal emotional experiences. These balances and measures are extremely hard to grasp, hence the rarity of those who truly achieve "Xu Yi Er Jing."
Second, the influence of the social environment. In the era of the Hundred Schools, every school vigorously promoted its doctrine and attacked others. In such an environment, a person is easily drawn into one camp, seeing only the strengths of their own side and the weaknesses of others—this is the "obstruction" caused by the social environment. To remain "unobscured" in this environment requires extraordinary independent thinking and resilience—something beyond the capacity of the average person.
Third, human finitude. Human life is finite, and the domains one can study in depth are also limited. To achieve cognition of the entirety of the Dao within a finite life requires extraordinary talent and immense effort. Master Confucius "never tired of learning" (Analects, Shu Er), studying tirelessly his entire life—even so, he only reached the highest state of "following his heart’s desire without overstepping boundaries" at the age of seventy. This shows that "unobscuredness" is a lifelong cultivation process, not achievable overnight.
These factors combined explain why "unobscuredness" is rare. However, Master Xunzi is not pessimistic because of this. His proposal of the methodology "Xu Yi Er Jing" is precisely intended to help more people embark on the path of "dissolving obstruction"—even if they cannot reach the perfect "unobscuredness" of Master Confucius, they can at least reduce their own biases to a certain extent and make their cognition more comprehensive.