A Deep Study of Xunzi's 'Jie Pi' Chapter: On the Cognitive Foundations of the Mind—Emptiness, Unity, and Tranquility

Section 6: The Ancient Cultural Roots of "Singularity"

The concept of "Singularity" can be traced back to the experience of ancient peoples in archery and hunting.

Archery was one of the most important skills in antiquity. The key to archery is: the eyes must be fixed on the target, the mind must be focused on one point, the body must remain stable, and only then is the arrow released, stopping only upon impact. If the mind wanders while shooting, one can never hit the target.

Master Xunzi happens to mention examples related to archery in this text:

"In the middle of an empty stone there is a man named Jiú (觙). This man was good at archery and fond of contemplation. If his ears and eyes were engaged by desires, his contemplation would be ruined; if the sound of gnats and mosquitoes was heard, his essence (jing 精) would be frustrated. Therefore, he avoided the desires of the ears and eyes, distanced himself from the sounds of gnats and mosquitoes, and only in secluded, still contemplation could he achieve penetration."

Jiu was skilled at archery and enjoyed contemplation. But his mind was so acutely sensitive that even the slightest sensory desire would ruin his thought; even the faint sound of a mosquito would frustrate his essence. Thus, he had to block the desires of the ears and eyes and stay away from the sounds of insects; only in quiet contemplation could he achieve penetration.

And further:

"Chui made the bow, Fuyou made the arrows, but Yi excelled at archery; Xi Zhong made the carts, Cheng Du trained the horses, but Zao Fu excelled at driving: From antiquity until now, there has never been one who used two minds and achieved excellence."

Master Chui made the bow, Master Fuyou made the arrows, yet Master Yi excelled at archery; Master Xi Zhong made the carts, Master Cheng Du trained the horses, yet Master Zao Fu excelled at driving. Since ancient times until now, no one who uses two minds has ever achieved excellence.

Archery in ancient culture was not just a practical skill but also a way of self-cultivation. The Rites of Zhou: The Rites of Archery states:

"Archery is the Way of Benevolence (Ren 仁). In archery, one seeks to rectify oneself (zheng zhe ji 正诸己); only after rectifying oneself does one shoot; if one shoots and misses, one does not blame the victor, but rather reflects upon oneself."

The Way of Archery lies in "rectifying oneself." Only after the self is rectified does one shoot the arrow; if one misses, one does not blame the victor but instead reflects upon oneself. This spirit of "reflecting upon oneself" is the moral unfolding of the cultivation of "Singularity."

The myth of Master Hou Yi shooting down the ten suns also embodies the profound meaning of "Singularity." Hou Yi faced ten suns in the sky and shot them down one by one. Each shot required absolute concentration on a single target—this is the ultimate expression of "Singularity." If he had aimed at two suns simultaneously, he likely would have missed both.

Master Mengzi also narrated an allegory related to archery and concentration:

"Now, chess is a game of minimal skills; yet if one does not concentrate one's will and direct one's intent, one cannot master it. Yi Qiu is the best chess player in the whole country. If Yi Qiu teaches two men to play: one concentrates his will and directs his intent, listening only to Yi Qiu; the other, although he listens, has his mind set on a swan approaching, thinking of drawing his bow and arrow to shoot it. Even if they learn together, the latter will not match the former. Is this because his intelligence is inferior$25 No, it is not so." (Mencius, Book 6, Part 1)

Yi Qiu teaches two men chess: one concentrates fully; the other is distracted (thinking of shooting a swan). The result is that the latter is far inferior to the former. It is not due to differences in intelligence, but in the degree of concentration. This is the vivid depiction of the difference between "Singularity" and "Two-ness" in learning and practice.