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: "One School Grasping the Dao of Zhou"—The Manifestation of Holistic Wisdom
**"As one school grasping the comprehensive Dao of Zhou, he brought it forth and applied it, never obstructed by accumulation." (一家得周道，举而用之，不蔽于成积也。) **
"One school" (Yi Jia)—referring to the Confucian school represented by Master Confucius. "Grasping the comprehensive Dao of Zhou" (De Zhou Dao)—having grasped the complete Dao of the Zhou dynasty. "Brought it forth and applied it" (Ju er yong zhi)—bringing it out and putting it into practice. "Never obstructed by accumulation" (Bu bei yu cheng ji ye)—never obscured by one’s existing accumulation.
The term "Dao of Zhou" (Zhou Dao) deserves special attention. "Zhou Dao" does not refer to one specific aspect of Zhou thought or institution but to the comprehensive Dao of Zhou civilization—including its political institutions (feudalism, clan system), social norms (rites, music, education), spiritual culture (poetry, history), and moral concepts (benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, trustworthiness)—an organic whole of all aspects.
The reason Master Confucius so revered the Zhou dynasty was that, in his view, the Zhou represented a "culmination"—"The Zhou inspected the deeds of the two preceding dynasties; how abundantly cultured they were!" (Analects, Ba Yi). The Zhou borrowed the achievements of the Xia and Yin dynasties and developed a more perfect civilization upon that foundation. This is the profound meaning of "Zhou" in "Dao of Zhou"—"Zhou" means completeness, perfection. The "Dao of Zhou" is the "complete Dao."
Master Confucius "grasping the Dao of Zhou" means he grasped this complete and perfect Way. He did not just take one part but inherited and developed the essence of Zhou civilization in its entirety. This is the specific manifestation of his being "unobscured"—he did not cling rigidly to any single aspect of the Dao but encompassed all aspects.
More importantly, he was "never obstructed by accumulation." Accumulation (Cheng Ji, 成积)—existing accumulations. Although Master Confucius was widely learned and deeply accumulated knowledge, he was never obscured by this existing accumulation. This contrasts perfectly with the six schools—the reason they were obstructed is precisely that they accumulated rich knowledge in their own fields ("accumulation"), became trapped by this accumulation, and could not transcend it.
How did Master Confucius manage to be "unobscured by accumulation"$14 The answer lies in his attitude toward learning.
In the Analects, "Zi Han" (子罕), Master Confucius said: "Do I have knowledge$15 I do not. When a simple fellow asks me a question, I am empty and barren, and I probe both ends of the question until I exhaust it." (Wu you zhi hu zai$16 Wu zhi ye. You bi fu wen yu wo, kong kong ru ye, wo kou qi liang duan er jie zhi.) Master Confucius says he "does not have knowledge" (wu zhi ye)—not that he is truly ignorant, but that he does not consider himself as possessing knowledge. When faced with any question, he approaches it with an attitude of "empty and barren" (kong kong ru ye), leaving space for new cognition. This is "emptiness" (Xu).
Laozi, Chapter 11, says: "Thirty spokes share the hub of a wheel; it is on the emptiness (of the center) that the use of the wheel depends. Clay is molded to form a vessel; it is on the emptiness (of the interior) that the use of the vessel depends. Doors and windows are cut to make a room; it is on the emptiness (of the interior) that the use of the room depends. Thus, what is useful is the being; what is used is the non-being." (Sanshi fu gong yi gu, dang qi wu, you che zhi yong...) Master Laozi’s statement profoundly reveals the function of "emptiness" (Wu, 无): The wheel has spokes and a hub, but what allows it to be used is the "emptiness" in the center. The pottery vessel has walls, but what allows it to hold things is the "emptiness" inside. The room has walls, but what allows habitation is the "emptiness" within. Similarly, the mind has various knowledge and experiences ("Being"), but what allows the mind to cognize new things is the "emptiness" (Xu) within—the void. Without "emptiness," the mind is like a vessel with no interior—it looks solid but can hold nothing.