Xunzi's 'Jiebi' (Dispelling Obscuration): On the Wholeness of the Dao, Cognitive Limitation, and the Blessing of Unobscured Vision
This article offers an in-depth reading of the 'Jiebi' chapter of the Xunzi, exploring the cognitive roots of the 'calamity of obscuration' among the pre-Qin thinkers. Through an analysis of 'the Dao embodies constancy and encompasses all change,' it reveals the predicament of human cognition clinging to 'a single corner,' and elucidates the transcendent value of Confucius's 'benevolence and wisdom, unobscured,' with the aim of understanding how to overcome cognitive bias.
Chapter Five: The Obscuration of Master Shen Dao — Obscured by Law and Not Knowing Worthiness
"Master Shen Dao was obscured by law and did not know worthiness" (Shen Zi bi yu fa er bu zhi xian).
Master Shen Dao advocated "exalting law, not worthiness." Master Xun responds: "Laws cannot stand alone; ... when the right person is found, they endure; when the right person is lost, they perish. Law is the beginning of order; the exemplary person is the origin of law" (Xunzi, Jun Dao).
"Define the Dao in terms of law, and all you get is calculation" (You fa wei zhi dao, jin shu yi).
Law is dead; people are alive; reality changes while codes are fixed. Without worthy persons to bridge the gap between code and reality, governance fails. The traditions of high antiquity (Gao Yao's speech in the Gao Yao Mo, the Yao-Shun abdication) demonstrate that the selection of worthy persons is the most essential element of governance.