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 5: Resonance and Contrast with Mozi
Although Master Xunzi criticizes Master Mo in Jie Bi for being "obscured by utility and ignorant of culture," there are commonalities in their cognitive methodologies.
The Mozi, Jing Shang chapter proposed a classification of knowledge:
"Knowledge: Hearing, Inference, Experience. Names, Realities, Combination, Action."
Knowledge has three sources: Hearing (wen), Inference (shuo), and Experience (qin). This is one of the earliest systematic classifications of cognition in pre-Qin thought.
Mozi’s theory of knowledge emphasizes the importance of experience and inference, which differs from Xunzi’s emphasis on the Mind’s state ("Emptiness, Singularity, and Stillness") as the decisive condition for cognition. However, the two are not contradictory: Mozi focuses on the source of knowledge (where knowledge comes from), while Xunzi focuses on the condition (the state the Mind must be in to correctly acquire and process knowledge).
Together, they form a more complete cognitive picture: Knowledge comes from hearing, inference, and experience (Mozi), but correctly acquiring and processing this knowledge requires the Mind to be Empty, Singular, and Still (Xunzi).