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 Cultural Origins of the "Water Tray" Metaphor
Master Xunzi's metaphor of the "water tray" is not isolated; it has rich resonance in pre-Qin classics.
Master Laozi said:
"Who can make turbid water gradually clear by stillness$29" (Dao De Jing, Chapter 15)
Who can cause turbid water to slowly clear through stillness$30 This rhetorical question directly corresponds to the core meaning of Master Xunzi's water tray analogy—"Stillness" can make turbid water clear, just as "Stillness" can restore the Mind from chaos to clarity.
And further:
"Purity and stillness make the world right." (Dao De Jing, Chapter 45)
Purity and stillness are the standard for the world. When the Mind reaches a state of purity and stillness, it becomes a reliable criterion for judging right and wrong and perceiving things.
Master Zhuangzi also discusses a similar notion in Tian Dao (The Way of Heaven):
"When water is still, it clearly reflects mustaches and eyebrows; when level, it serves as a standard. Great craftsmen take this as their model. If still water is clear, how much more the spirit! How still the Sage’s Mind! It is the mirror of Heaven and Earth, the glass of the myriad things."
Water, when still, reflects mustaches and eyebrows clearly; when level, it becomes a standard. If still water is so bright, how much more the spirit! The Sage's Mind is still, hence it is the bright mirror of Heaven and Earth, the glass of the myriad things.
"The bright mirror of Heaven and Earth, the glass of the myriad things"—this shares a profound parallel with Master Xunzi’s description of the "Great Clarity and Brightness" state: "Sitting in a room, one sees the Four Seas; dwelling in the present, one discusses antiquity." When the Mind achieves this state of stillness, its cognitive capacity reaches its zenith, capable of reflecting Heaven, Earth, and all things.
Master Zhuangzi continues:
"Emptiness leads to stillness; stillness leads to motion; motion leads to attainment." (Zhuangzi, Tian Dao)
Emptiness leads to stillness; stillness produces appropriate motion; appropriate motion leads to attainment. This sequence of "Emptiness—Stillness—Motion—Attainment" structurally echoes Master Xunzi's "Emptiness, Singularity, and Stillness."