Xunzi's 'Jie Bi' (Unveiling Concealment): On the Wholeness of the Dao, Cognitive Limitation, and the Fortune of Being Unobstructed

Section 2: "Learning Disparate Methods Was Sufficient to Equal the Former Kings"—Holism Seen Through Diversity

"Thus his learning of disparate methods was sufficient to equal that of the former kings" (故学乱术足以为先王者也).

This sentence is initially confusing. How can the "learning of disparate methods" (xue luan shu) serve as the basis for equaling the "former kings"$13

The character "Luan" (乱) needs careful interpretation. Besides meaning "chaos," "Luan" in the pre-Qin context also carries the meaning of "governing" (Luan and Zhi are sometimes interchangeable). For example, the Shang Shu, "Gu Ming" (顾命), has the phrase "establish Zhou's governance" (作周乱), where "Luan" means "governance." Furthermore, "Luan" also means "diverse" or "multifarious"—not the derogatory "chaotic," but the neutral "many and varied."

Therefore, the correct understanding of "learning disparate methods" should be: Master Confucius studied various and diverse methods (disparate), but he was not obscured by these varied studies; rather, he extracted the essence from them, integrated them, and ultimately reached a level sufficient to equal the former kings.

This forms a perfect contrast with the analysis of the six schools' obstructions. Each school specialized in one method—Mohists in "Utility," Master Songzi in "Desire," Master Shenzi in "Law," Master Shenzi (Shen Buhai) in "Power," Master Hui in "Rhetoric," and Master Zhuangzi in "Heaven"—and each made genuine contributions in their respective domains, but they could not transcend their own domain, resulting in obstruction by their specialization.

Master Confucius was different. He studied a multitude of methods (xue luan shu), but he did not simply pile up knowledge. He used "Benevolence and Wisdom" (Ren Zhi) as the core to integrate all knowledge into a coherent whole. He understood the value of "Utility" while also understanding the significance of "Culture"; he valued the function of "Law" while also valuing the selection of "Worthy Men"; he respected the laws of "Heaven" while also attending to the needs of "Man"—he did not cling rigidly to any one pole but unified them at a higher level.

This is the cognitive mode of being "unobscured": not not studying, but studying widely (bo xue, 博学); not being ignorant, but knowing comprehensively (relative to partial knowledge); not being unspecialized, but specializing in the "entirety of the Dao."

In the Analects, "Zi Han" (子罕), Master Confucius describes his learning journey: "At fifteen, I set my heart on learning. At thirty, I established myself. At forty, I had no doubts. At fifty, I knew the Mandate of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was attuned to it. At seventy, I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping the boundaries." (Wo shi you wu er zhi yu xue, san shi er li, si shi er bu huo, wu shi er zhi tian ming, liu shi er er shun, qi shi er cong xin suo yu bu yu ju.) This progression from "setting heart on learning" to "following heart’s desire without overstepping boundaries" is precisely a process of continuous "dissolving obstruction" and continuously expanding cognition. "At forty, I had no doubts" (bu huo)—not being confused by external things—this is transcendence of external "obstruction." "At fifty, I knew the Mandate of Heaven"—deepening cognition to grasp the fundamental law of Heaven—this is the deepening of knowledge. "At sixty, my ear was attuned to it"—being able to listen humbly to any speech without rejection or rigidity. "At seventy, I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping the boundaries"—freedom and order perfectly unified—this is the highest state of being "unobscured."