A Deep Study of Xunzi's 'Jie Pi' Chapter: On the Cognitive Foundations of the Mind—Emptiness, Unity, and Tranquility
This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the core proposition in Xunzi's 'Jie Pi' concerning the nature of cognition: 'How does man know$41 By the mind. How does the mind know$42 By being empty, unified, and tranquil.' It systematically interprets the dialectical relationship and philosophical implications of 'emptiness' (xu), 'unity' (yi), and 'tranquility' (jing) in cognition, tracing their ancient intellectual origins to reveal the systematicity and sophistication of Pre-Qin cognitive theory.
Section 3: The Ancient Origins of "Emptiness": The Usefulness of a Vessel Lies in its Emptiness
It must be strongly emphasized that Master Xunzi’s "Emptiness" is absolutely not "emptiness" in the sense of "nothingness."
Master Xunzi explicitly states, "The Mind has never been without stored knowledge (zang)"—the Mind is never empty; it always has accumulation. "Emptiness" does not demand the purging of all existing knowledge and experience, but rather demands that this existing accumulation not obstruct the perception of new things.
This is an active, dynamic "Emptiness," not a passive, static "Void."
To use an analogy: A good scholar has read a thousand books and accumulated vast learning. But when faced with a completely new problem, he can temporarily set aside his existing preconceptions and observe, think, and judge with an open mind. His "Emptiness" is not forgetting his existing learning, but refusing to be constrained by it.
A passage from the Analects can mutually confirm this view:
"The Master cut off four things: conjecture (yi 意), certainty (bi 必), rigidity (gu 固), and self (wo 我)." (Analects, Chapter 9.4)
"No conjecture"—not guessing based on whim. "No certainty"—not absolutizing. "No rigidity"—not being obstinate. "No self"—not being self-centered. These four "No’s" represent the "Emptiness" practiced by Master Kong. Master Kong’s learning was unsurpassed in his time, yet he managed to avoid conjecture, certainty, rigidity, and self-focus—this is the best footnote to "The Mind has never been without stored knowledge, yet there is what is called Emptiness."
Consider another passage:
"The Master said: 'Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.'" (Analects, Chapter 2.15)
"Learning" (xue 学) is receiving new input from the outside; "Thought" (si 思) is digesting and integrating it internally. If one only learns without thinking, the learning becomes disorganized and cannot form a coherent understanding; if one only thinks without learning, one remains confined to existing knowledge and falls into peril. The combination of learning and thinking maintains a balance between "storage" (zang) and "emptiness" (xu)—there is accumulation, yet one is not bound by it.